Last updated on March 12th, 2019

We recently wrapped up a humongous promo-style launch that we’d run for both Content Cookbook and The Social Spread.

Before that we had a sold out launch with Easy-as-Pie eBook Marketing Recipe Book.

While these two launches were certainly not our first two launches, they were truly our easiest, least stressful launches indeed.

That’s right.

Today I’m going to open up the pantry door and show you the good, bad and downright ugly side of launching and how you can skip the bad and ugly bits completely.

If you’ve ever launched a digital or physical product or have considered launching one, you need to pay close attention to this post.

The Good, Bad and Ugly Side of Launches for Entrepreneurs

How are Launches Good for Business and YOU:

Launches are fabulous for many reasons.

For starters, they give you a chance to reach a much larger and a newer audience. That’s right. I was always, under the impression that one must launch to one’s existing audience, until I started working with Bushra Azhar and applied her Sold Out Launch strategies.

In fact, she often says “Launches build lists” and now, I nod in sage agreement.

Our list exploded… Yes, with Easy-as-Pie, we added over 600 new people to our list and those subscribers were the easiest to convert.

Bushra shows you how to do that using Facebook ads and before you think, you need a BIG budget, let me share that for Easy-as-Pie, we only invested $75 in ads. I know. Did your jaw meet the floor? 😉

So, it was a super fun and eye-opening way for us to build our list with buyers. Fun, isn’t it?

The other obviously great aspect about launches is that they create a revenue stream for your business and bring in the money, the cashola, the cha-ching.

I seriously cannot tell you how incredible I feel each time I see payment notifications roll in. Cheshire cats have nothing on the grin that’s on my face at that time.

Third, launches are fantastic for building your brand presence and your authority. You establish expertise, get visibility and find yourself being ‘noticed’. Good feeling, my people. Very. Good. Feeling.

Fourth, launches are productivity boosters. They give you momentum like nothing else. If you’re anything like me {and in some way, I’m sure you are!}, you’ll love the adrenalin pumping through you as you knock items off, see your launch unfold and watch excitedly as people respond to your offer. It just spurs you on.

Safe to say, that I’m now addicted to launches and my hyperactive brain is constantly coming up with ideas to launch and working out ways to include it in our already packed calendar. But that’s another story for another day.

The Dark Side of Launches

Every cloud has a grey side and launches are no different… So, while there are plenty of rainbows to enjoy, it can also, totally rain on your parade. {Note to self: Stop with the rain analogies!}

Here’s what we found really, truly sucked about launches, PRIOR to launching Easy-as-Pie.

First off the bat, it would take us TONS of time. I mean, I would create the product and then, work on the sales page, the emails, the social media updates, the ahhhh!! You get the picture, right? Crazy meet overwhelm.

PLUS and this is key, so pay close attention… we had NO idea if what we were doing would actually work. It was like throwing spaghetti to the wall and hoping it would stick.

Next, launches do need a budget.

It can be big or small, but you need it. When you don’t have a strategy to work with, THIS can be very dangerous. You can end up burning way more money than you bring in and honestly, you don’t want that.

With Easy-as-Pie, we invested a grand total of $100 which included $75 for FB ads, $10 for Gumroad and $15 for the Easy-as-Pie graphic that I got made on Fiverr.

Also, we had a proven-to-work strategy with Sold Out Launch along with the 5 kinds of emails to send out as well as the ads to run and the social media updates.

We knew exactly when to do what and how to do it without struggling, stressing or seriously wanting to stab each other with pencils. #justkidding #maybenot

The other thing about launches is that it can be a hit-or-miss and honestly, we’ve had our share of dud launches. No shame in admitting that. You NEED to be mentally prepared to chin up and soldier on even if any element of your launch seems to be flopping {See my note about our last day’s emails to understand what I mean!}

And that, again, is why you need a rock-solid, almost scientific, extensively tested launch strategy to back all your efforts.

With that, here is an up, close and personal look at everything we did during the Easy-as-Pie launch using the Sold Out Launch strategy and framework:

Social Strategy: Created my 5 types of social media content. Also did a countdown to launch on both FB and Insta to increase interest and build buzz. I also did a giveaway on Instagram which helped to both get eyeballs on the sales page and also, increase interest.. It was lots of fun too.

Ads: Used ads to directly send people to the sales page and also, for retargeting. Started Ads on the 30th and ran them through the cart open period till the 6th. We had 10 sales from FB.

Sales page: Written using the Sold Out Launch template and converted at a sweet 8% according to Google Analytics

Emails: SOL outlines the 5 type of emails you MUST send out during a launch. You can increase or decrease the number based on your own audience, preference, time, etc.

I sent a lot of emails. Besides sending an email for all the blog posts, I sent one pitch email and then, 5 nudge emails. You’ll know why I call them this when you get Sold Out Launch 😉

Unfortunately, my email service provider had a glitch on the last day and I couldn’t send last day emails at all, BUT that is where my FB ads stepped in. ALL our last-minute sales came in from the retargeting campaigns, that again I had set up using the strategies we mastered in Sold Out Launch.

There you go.

A close look at how launches are great and how they can completely crush you if you don’t have a game plan that is primed to help you succeed.

Disclaimer: Yes, this post does have my affiliate link, because I’m a super proud SOL alumni and faculty and when you buy through my link, you get my launch gift package and I get a commission to fund my Starbucks addiction. Win-win, don’t you think?