Have you ever considered launching a program online but talk yourself out of it because it seems complicated and a little bit scary? Yes? Well, in this post we are sharing several surprising lessons from launching a program that will make you think about giving your own launch another try.
[Meghan] Theresa and I were recently discussing her upcoming launch for Plan To Achieve, which is her group coaching program. This will be her second launch of the program this year.
During that conversation, she shared some of the lessons she learned from launching a product. It was so interesting that we thought we’d share that insight with you.
[Theresa] Yes. It’s funny because until I’d said the things I learned out loud, I’d not really thought about it. I looked at the data I had regarding my metrics and my marketing efforts, but I hadn’t thought much about the lessons I learned from launching a program.
Once I did, I realized that what I was expecting to learn was different from the actual launch lessons.
Common Beliefs About Launching A Program
I definitely had some preconceived notions about launching a program. Those ideas were shaped by:
- Launch “gurus”
- Articles read online
- Well-intentioned colleagues who’d never launched before
[Meghan] There are many common beliefs about launching a program. Some of them make the process seem really cumbersome and overwhelming. And if you’ve never launched before, you may believe that you need:
- To hustle really hard
- A massive email list
- Tons of authority (in other words, to be well known)
- Fancy technology
- Lots of money
- To be an “expert” in your field
[Theresa] YES! In all transparency, those beliefs about launching were what kept me from doing it. I started and stopped so many times. And honestly, I let these beliefs rattle around in my head and do some damage.
[Meghan] And now Theresa’s launched twice, with a third launch right around the corner.
You may wonder what changed to make Theresa go through with launching? How did she get over the hurdles? Well, she is going to share some of her insights today.
Launching isn’t Always About the Money
[Theresa] It started with the first “launch” of Plan To Achieve back in September 2019. I didn’t actually do any formal launch. Instead I did a test group or what the industry calls a beta launch.
I did it very simply. I made a list of people I thought would be a good fit. Then, I called each one and explained what I was doing, why I was doing it and I made my offer.
Five people said yes and paid to join my beta group. I had no content built. There was no sophisticated member area. I literally ran everything through a Facebook Group.
I built all of the training as we went through the program — in real-time with honest feedback from the students.
[Meghan] So, people may be curious to know how launching a beta program helped with a regular launch. I mean, five people is a small group.
[Theresa] It was a small group, but I didn’t mind. I had very specific intentions for the beta launch that did not revolve around money.
My goal with the beta launch was to prove that I
- Understood what my ideal customer avatar struggled with
- Could help them achieve a specific result
- Had a solution they would actually pay for
I was able to accomplish all of that and more. Essentially, I got paid to build a program, deliver a program and improve a program with real people and real feedback.
Plus, I got great testimonials to use in my full launch. And, the beta group gave me confidence. I was confident that I had a good product that people would want.
[Meghan] That’s priceless! A lack of self-confidence is a big barrier for a lot of people. So, that’s a huge bonus of the beta launch.
Yet, it still took over a year from that point for Theresa to actually relaunch her program. Why was that?
Real Lessons from Launching a Program
[Theresa] Ah, there’s the rub. While I was confident in the product, I wasn’t necessarily confident in myself.
At first, I struggled with some serious imposter syndrome! I really had to work on that. But once I turned my self-defeating thoughts around and made a few “for now” decisions, I was able to commit to fully launching a product.
[Meghan] The mindset piece is what hangs me up, too. And I imagine that many of you also struggle with negative thoughts that prevent you from taking action.
It’s ok. These are the messy moments that are just a part of doing business.
[Theresa] True! You know, even though I had conducted a successful beta launch, I wasn’t sure if I would be able to pull off a real launch. There were things I didn’t have to deal with in the beta that I would have to in the full launch, like tech.
But the biggest obstacle I faced was that I had no email list to speak of. I really let that keep me from moving forward. But again, I made a few key decisions and pushed forward.
Overall, it was a massive learning experience. And I learned some interesting lessons about launching a product along the way.
[Meghan] Okay, we’re ready for you to share those with us!
Set Realistic Expectations Up Front
[Theresa] Launch lesson #1 is to set realistic expectations up front.
There is this misconception out there that a successful launch means you make a lot of sales and a lot of money.
[Meghan] Right. So, the belief is that if you launch and only make a few sales, then it’s a failure. Or, you’re a failure.
[Theresa] Exactly. That can be a bummer! What you must focus on instead are your current circumstances and your resources. Then from there set a realistic launch goal that fits with where you are right now.
For example, someone with thousands of email subscribers and an active, engaged online community who has launched before is going to have very different launch results than someone with 100 people on their email list with no launch experience.
I fell into that second camp.
[Meghan] That’s a good point. Setting realistic expectations that align with where you are versus where you’d like to be makes a difference.
For example, if you expect to get 1,000 sales with a first launch, that could be super unrealistic. In that scenario, you’re setting yourself up for disappointment.
[Theresa] Yes. So for me, I was looking for 10 buyers. BUT my real goal was to actually do a full launch — to go through the entire process from start to finish.
Don’t Do It Alone
[Meghan] Launches are so much work! The “to do” list is massive.
[Theresa] Oh, yeah. There are lots of moving parts and pieces involved in a launch. It’s just too much for one person, which brings me to Launch lesson #2 — don’t do it alone.
There were two things I did for my Spring 2021 launch of Plan To Achieve.
First, I joined a program created by Laura Phillips called Let’s Launch Together. Basically it’s a group coaching program that helps you launch a program. It’s not a learn-then-do model, but instead it’s learn-while-doing.
Several other program members and I all launched our programs at the same time. Having a community of other business owners having the same experience together provided a sense of belonging, offered accountability and provided support.
[Meghan] Those things are super helpful, especially when launching a program for the first time. They can make the difference between launching and not launching.
[Theresa] Yes. I never felt alone in the process of launching. While that was great, it didn’t solve all of my challenges.
Another thing I did was outsource the parts and pieces of my launch that I knew I didn’t want to do or couldn’t do.
[Meghan] That’s smart. But, I’m sure people want to know: to launch a program, do you have to hire or outsource?
[Theresa] You don’t HAVE to, but I found outsourcing helpful. It removed so much of the stress that is common during a launch. Having someone else write copy and build out the student dashboard and autoresponders freed me up to do other things that I was better suited to do.
Look, if you own a business, you’re going to have to invest capital into it. That is just a part of business, like it or not.
You may be thinking that you have to do all of the work yourself because then it’s free. But your time is worth something.
[Meghan] I agree. There’s this misconception that when you do your own work, it’s “free.” And look, if you don’t have money to outsource and need to do it yourself, that’s perfectly acceptable. But, I still don’t consider that free!
Okay, so what are some other lessons?
There are Multiple Ways to Launch
[Theresa] OK. Launch Lesson #3 is there are multiple ways to launch a program. In other words, you have choices on how you want to approach your launch.
[Meghan] So, the first time was with a beta program and the second time was from a webinar. Is that right?
[Theresa] Yes! But those aren’t the only two ways to launch. I actually used parts and pieces from several models.
Do What Feels Good to You
I admit it. I wasn’t necessarily surprised to learn that there are different launch strategies. What I was surprised to learn is that I could launch my program in a way that felt good to me. Which is Launch Lesson #4.
Let me give you an example.
It’s a common marketing practice to offer multiple bonuses to entice buyers to make a purchase.
I’m teaching people how to do less. My clients and customers are already overwhelmed. They don’t need MORE things to do. They’re busy enough.
So, throwing in a bunch of extra stuff they don’t have time to do is not in alignment with my values as a productivity coach. And guess what, it’s ok!
[Meghan] In other words, launch in a way that feels authentic to who you are and your mission.
[Theresa] I think I accomplished that, and it felt good. I did it my way.
[Meghan] Nice! I think that takes us to the final lesson. Yes?
Look for Solutions, Not Excuses
[Theresa] Yep! Launch Lesson #5—and this was a biggie for me—is to look for solutions, not excuses.
It’s no surprise that I planned well for my launch. What may surprise you is that what I planned for and what actually happened ended up being very different.
[Meghan] Explain.
[Theresa] Well, you can plan for some things, but you can’t plan for everything. Sometimes external things get in the way and other times you simply overplan. That’s what happened to me.
[Meghan] I’m having trouble believing that Theresa overplanned! Isn’t that breaking a law of physics or something?
[Theresa] Actually, overplanning is really easy to do. Especially if you’ve not done something before. You may not know exactly how long it’s going to take. Or you may leave out a bunch of steps you didn’t anticipate in advance.
For me, I was overly confident in how much time I had to build out the event I was intending to launch my program from.
My idea was to have a three day event. Then launch at the end of day three. This meant creating three slideshows, three scripts, all of the tech and autoresponders.
This was on top of all the other things I had to do for the launch. In the past, I would have felt defeated. But this time, I looked at the situation and asked myself, “how can I simplify this?”
I did that multiple times throughout my launch. It helped a lot. And it kept me moving forward in a productive way.
[Meghan] In other words, when a problem pops up, instead of giving up, look for an alternate solution.
Even when you feel like quitting, act instead of react. (Which you all know my mom would love!)
Gaining Confidence Through Launching
[Theresa] I sure do! I have learned so much from my launch experiences. They weren’t perfect and probably never will be, but I got through them.
What I’ve gained is massive confidence in my ability to launch.
Surprisingly, I’ve also found patience. I know that every time I launch it will get better, a little bit more sophisticated and bigger.
I’m excited to launch Plan To Achieve again on September 23rd. You can check out the landing page to see what it’s all about.
[Meghan] I’m always excited for your launches! By the way, congratulations on getting over the hurdles, ripping off the band aid, and persevering. I’m so proud of you!
One more thing I’d like to mention. Theresa’s experience is further proof that business is full of messy moments. Things will not go perfectly! So accept that, and don’t let it stand in your way.
[Theresa] Alright everyone, that’s it for today!
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