The objective of any launch is to successfully introduce the product, company, website or whatever you’re selling – then make the sale!
The Launch 3.0 sales process includes development of a “purpose-built” launch community and list of interested launch participants. This launch process significantly increases early sales success, revenue and effectiveness of the launch.
The following diagram depicts a typical Launch 3.0 sales process. It all begins with the launch canvassing programs, which bring traffic to the launch landing page, as shown below.
Canvassing Programs attract traffic to the launch Landing Page, where visitors can register to receive more information about the launch. Money magnet offers, such as free giveaway items provide users with strong incentives to register.
These offers include e-books, videos, reports and other items of great interest to the target audience. These are used to attract more launch prospects to join the Launch List. The Launch List keeps track of the prospects, providing a convenient way to communicate with these folks; e.g., an email auto-responder or CRM system.
During the pre-launch stage, a series of emails and related content are provided to everyone on the Launch List. This series of content is called the Pre-launch Sequence. This sequence is designed to develop a relationship with those on the Launch List and begin to form the Launch Community.
One of the keys to creating this community is to initiate discussions on the Launch Blog (not shown). The Launch Blog provides a convenient way for launch participants to share comments, insights, opinions and perspectives with each other.
This creates social proof that the launch is a happening thing that is worthwhile, provides increased transparency and builds trust.
A range of content is posted to the Launch Blog during the pre-launch, including:
- Spy videos that provide an inside look at the upcoming product (or whatever is being launched)
- Useful “money magnet” giveaways that provide value, build trust and move prospects closer to buying
- Video and audio interviews with key employees, experts and 3rd parties discussing the big idea and product
- Free webinars including experts discussing relevant, useful topics (and not selling the product)
- Stories that enable the audience to learn by example
- Conditioning emails and videos designed to answer questions and overcome potential sales objections
- Proof points and evidence, such as that gathered from preview customers who have tested the product
- Testimonials from preview customers who have early access to the product.
The pre-launch sequence also involves driving partners, resellers and affiliates to make their own major canvassing push, both early on and immediately prior to commencement of the the launch stage. Pre-launch prepares, educates and energizes the launch community, building buzz, anticipation and excitement.
This creates pent-up demand for the product, increasing the market’s curiosity, interest and appetite for it.
Once launch day arrives, the doors open and a major push to convert sales begins. As initial sales pour in, information about how well the product is selling is shared, creating social proof. Other techniques (including scarcity) create even more pressure to buy in early to take advantage of limited-time bonuses and other offers tied to the launch.
Discussions in the blogosphere, news and social networks appear, where people’s experiences with the product surfaces more frequently. Assuming these discussions are favorable, this provides further buzz and interest in the product that just launched, fueling further sales growth.
Most of the effort at this point is aimed at getting prospects on the Launch List to visit the Online Sales page, where selling takes place. The launch sequence is designed to drive traffic into the selling processes. It also builds interest in the product using social proof, proof and scarcity. It’s also time to make a big push to energize partners to invest in marketing and selling the product.
If a traditional sales force is used, then the Launch List is a big pile of unqualified leads. The online nurturing and conditioning processes act as a pre-sales automation tool, preparing those in the Launch Community to become qualified leads and ultimately to buy the product.
These leads are further qualified, in terms of timing and budget (for more complex sales), before being passed on to Sales to sell and close. This is commonly accomplished by a tele-sales team.
One way to do this is simply email the Launch List, providing a link to an appropriate web page enabling qualified prospects to provide more information about their needs and then request someone to contact them directly, or refer the prospect to a reseller or outlet near them. Companies with established sales processes qualify leads flowing into their sales funnel and channel as usual.
Everyone’s e-commerce and back-end sales processes will vary somewhat, based upon what’s being launched, the level of awareness and understanding the market already has about the big idea and product and the desired selling motion the launch needs to generate. For example, there may also be several up-sell steps in the customer checkout process.
The great news is, a properly executed Launch 3.0 campaign typically generates hundreds to many thousands of sales within the first few hours and days, perhaps doubling or tripling that over the first week. For small businesses, it’s common to see hundreds to a few thousand sales generated in the first week. For larger companies, the quantities can be much larger due to the huge list assets, partner leverage and market reach these companies enjoy.
In the past, launches were focused on getting the word out, preparing the sales force for the product and making the marketplace generally aware that a new product is available. The reality is, today most everyone is too busy to care.
Instead of concentrating on a broad, diffuse “get the word out” marketing program, the Launch 3.0 process limits those outreach activities to Canvassing and focuses the majority of effort instead on building and nurturing a community of those who are genuinely interested.
The launch community provides a powerful springboard for driving early success, significant sales and revenue, and building a solid foundation for ongoing growth. So the goal of Launch 3.0 is not only to get the word out, but to start the sales engines and drive a profit from day one.
Design Your Launch to Drive a Profit from Day One
Get all the details on Launch 3.0 in The New Rules of Launch (a free e-book).
Tags: launch 3.0, launch checklist, launch strategy, new product introduction, new product launch, Product Launch, product launch 3.0, product launch checklist, product launch formula, product launch process, product launch strategyRelated posts:
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