How to Grow Your Wellness Business With an Online Launch
Online business differs from traditional, brick-and-mortar in dozens of important ways, but there are several old-school tactics, strategies, and practices that can be wildly beneficial to us online entrepreneurs. Our favorite strategy for quick cash infusions? The online launch.
Grand openings and launches may seem like they’d only be useful to boutiques and car dealerships, and it’s true that an actual grand opening with Costco cake and balloons is not possible in the online world. But a strategic launch can absolutely make or break the success of a new online product, offering, or course. So let’s talk about what a launch is, and how to stage one that will guarantee success and profitability!
What is an Online Launch?
As a creator, coach or solopreneur, you follow other luminaries in your field, right? And whenever one of them is gearing up to release a new book, workshop, or offering, you’ve undoubtedly noticed that they spend weeks and weeks dropping hints and ramping up to an official on-sale date.
Then they give you a limited timeframe to buy before registration closes or with a special early-bird discount, and then the offering may disappear for several months before it’s available for sale again.
That’s the launch cycle in a nutshell. Here’s a closer look at the four components of a typical launch:
PRE-LAUNCH: This phase includes promotion and buzz-building for several weeks via multiple channels such as your email list and social media platform, generating interest and ensuring that you are in the forefront of your target audience's mind. This is so that when you launch, they’re warmed up and ready to buy your online offering.
LAUNCH: After a calculated series of reminders, previews, and nudges, the official on-sale date arrives and purchases flood in! Typically you’ll send out a sales email sequence during the cart open period (this can range from anywhere between 5 and 10 days) If you're not sure what to write, take a look at these email templates from The Luminous Shop.
DELIVERY: Once you’ve made your sales and the cart has closed, your online offering (so this could be a course, on-demand library, membership, coaching program etc.) is made available. Plus any additional aspects such as a private community.
FOLLOW-UP: Once you’ve run your online course, membership, coaching program, it’s essential to circle back with customers. Get their feedback, gauge their interest in future or similar offerings, and thank them for participating. This is also a great time to gather testimonials.
How Does Multi-phase Model Benefit a Business?
Think about your favorite brand of toothpaste. You may have settled on it after reading an article or seeing a clever commercial, but it wasn’t exactly “hyped.” And you know it’ll always be there at Walgreens, waiting for you in ample supply.
Now think about a movie release. Months ahead of time you begin to see enticing previews, your desire to experience the film grows with each viewing, and once it’s released you know you have a limited timeframe in which to catch it before it leaves the theaters.
The second model is the one we’re using here. An online course or workshop could certainly be offered every week of the year, but creating a sense of urgency and limited supply drives purchasing behaviors. If you know something will only be available to you for a limited time, you’re much more likely to pull the trigger and buy it. That fear of missing out mentality is what makes strategic online launches so effective.
How Do I Structure a Launch?
Assuming you have done your sleuthing and beta tested your course, membership, or workshop this is how you structure a launch:
Start with the delivery date: The easiest and most efficient way to schedule your launch is to pick a reasonable delivery date, and work backwards from that date. You’ll close the shopping cart a day or two before you actually run/deliver your course, membership, or coaching program. When you work backwards from that date, you can figure out when to open the shopping cart for purchases, and how long the pre-launch should last.
Offer free content during the promotional period: If you relentlessly remind your followers that you’ve got a great product coming out soon and they should really, really, REALLY buy it, they will tune you out. Fast. Instead, offer a free introduction that will give them a preview of what to expect from the paid product. A live webinar, Q&A, or mini PDF that becomes available the same day the shopping cart opens is a great way to encourage purchases. And even before that, pushing out valuable, related, FREE content in the weeks leading up to launch builds buzz and increases interest.
Ask for help: If you need technical input behind the scenes, don’t be afraid to hire experts. But also be sure to tap your network as you begin promoting. You can only reach your own audience, but guest posts and shout-outs from friends in your niche will get your offer in front of an entirely new population.
What Can I Do To Make My Launch Run Smoothly?
For starters, be sure to write and proof absolutely everything—from your sales page to every single promotional email—ahead of time. You may need to make some tweaks on the fly, but you do not want to be writing essential content and promoting like crazy at the same time!
Most launches can roll out over the course of a month:
Week 1 - Begin disseminating free content in
Week 2 - Give out more free content and send invitations to the launch-day event/webinar/call during
Week 3 - Launch week when the shopping cart opens, and
Week 4 - closes the cart and includes the delivery of or access to the product.
You may need to spend an additional month before your launch month planning, writing, and refining the promotional content you need. Give yourself plenty of time to do this. The better your launch kit is, the more likely your product is to reach its intended audience. If you’re planning to launch a membership, take a look at this Launch Kit by The Luminous Shop.
If you’ve spent six months building a stellar nutrition course or poured your heart and soul into a new membership program for new moms, it can be so tempting to begin selling it the moment it feels complete. Jumping into sales with no lead-up can actually be detrimental. It takes time and energy to generate excitement, spread the word, and give potential customers a free sample to entice them, and doing so is essential.
Think about the concept of a launch: You’d never expect an airplane to jump directly to 30,000 feet without revving up on a runway and spending some time in ascent. Similarly, you can’t expect your online programs to burst onto the scene with no warning and become instantly prosperous. Set yourself up for success by creating a carefully tended runway before launching your vision into the world.
Learn more about our favorite launch strategies, check out this checklist with the 25 Things You Need to Know Before Launching Your Next Online Course.
FAQs
Q: What is an online launch?
An online launch refers to the process of introducing a new product, service, or offering to the online market. It involves creating a strategic product launch plan to generate awareness, attract customers, and drive sales within a specific timeframe.
Q: Why should I consider an online launch for my business?
An online launch can be highly effective in creating buzz, generating excitement, and driving sales for your business. It allows you to reach a broader audience, leverage digital marketing channels, and create a sense of urgency, leading to increased customer engagement and conversions.
Q: What are the key benefits of an online launch?
The key benefits of an online launch include building anticipation, creating a targeted marketing campaign, fostering customer engagement, driving immediate sales, and establishing credibility and authority in your industry. It also provides an opportunity to gather customer feedback and testimonials for future marketing strategies.
Q: How long should an online launch last?
The duration of an online launch can vary depending on the nature of the product or offering. Typically, an online launch can last anywhere from a few days to several weeks. The duration should be carefully planned to create a sense of urgency while allowing enough time for customers to take action.
Q: How can I measure the success of my online launch?
To measure the success of your online launch, you can track various metrics such as sales revenue, conversion rates, website traffic, email open and click-through rates, social media engagement, customer feedback, and post-launch surveys. Analyzing these metrics will provide insights into the effectiveness of your launch strategy and help you make data-driven decisions for future launches.
Final Thoughts
Online launches can be a powerful strategy for any coach, creator or solopreneur to generate quick cash infusions and ensure the success and profitability of their new products, or online offerings.
While online business differs from traditional brick-and-mortar, incorporating old-school tactics like strategic launches can have significant benefits.
A well-executed launch follows a multi-phase model, including pre-launch, launch, delivery, and follow-up. This model creates a sense of urgency and limited supply, tapping into the FOMO mentality and driving purchasing behaviors.
To structure a launch effectively, sleuthing, beta testing, starting with the delivery date, offering free content during the pre-launch period, and seeking help from experts and your network are crucial steps.
Planning and writing all promotional content ahead of time, along with allowing ample time for preparation, is essential for a smooth launch.
Just like an airplane needs a runway for a successful takeoff, creating a carefully tended runway before launching an online program sets the stage for success in the online marketplace.
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