If you’ve made it this far in the launch sequence, congratulations! You’ve done the hard part of making sure your idea, project or business isn’t simply adding to the noise of the marketplace, but truly fulfilling a need.
Brush up on the first four steps here.
If the understanding phase was the difficult part and the imagine phase was the fun part, the final step, the launch phase, is the most rewarding. You finally get the chance to experience the impact your product, service or business has on others. It’s an awesome feeling.
But before you set sail to your big idea, there’s one thing I want you to always remember. Always. Ready for it?
You primary job from now on is to communicate. Being clear is way more powerful than being clever.
You know what you have is valuable. Now, it’s time to tell everyone else. How? By using these five marketing checkpoint questions to make sure you’re effectively communicating:
Who? Everything you share, ask yourself who you’re speaking to.
Why? Ask yourself, “What’s in it for them? What’s in it for me?” These questions will help keep the endgame in sight.
What? What is the meat of the message? Is it a new 20 percent off discount? A new location opening? Make sure this message is clear and not buried under jargon or poor font choices.
Where? Ask yourself, “Where will this message be shared?” Will it be on a blog? Radio? A Facebook post? Determining the outlet will shape how you communicate, whether in 140 characters or a seven letter billboard.
When? Time of year and cultural context impacts your message. Will you share your message around the holidays when people are looking to buy gifts? How about at the top of the year when New Year’s resolutions are made and people are looking to improve and invest in themselves? The timing of the message’s delivery will determine how you contextualize the message.
Ultimately, this phase is about turning your intentions into reality and making sure your idea is sustainable. And if you follow these checkpoints, there’s no doubt your launch will be a solid one.
Learning from accomplished launchers is exactly what we do every week on The MNTR Podcast. Subscribe now and get caught up on interviews with Sid Mashburn, Ford Fry, Carey Nieuwhof, Erin Eddy and more.