Project Person // Primer #4

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A business launch is probably your largest single opportunity to gain new customers.

With the right planning and intentionality, it’s an event that can set you up for sustained, long term success.

Assuming your business is ready to be launched (products in stock? systems working? team ready?), consider the following when creating a launch plan:

1 // Decide on one specific launch day/time, and develop a launch day special.

Union Bros offered one free filet to the first 50 people who made a purchase on launch day. This special was included on postcard mailers that went out to the surrounding area, and the result was a line out the building on launch day!

2 // Consider ways people might find out about you (outside of just social media posts).

• Mailers: Union Bros sent postcard mailers to surrounding zip codes, sharing details about their launch day special.

• Yard signs / banners: Union Bros distributed yard signs to friends a week ahead of time. As signs popped up around town, a buzz in the community developed. They also put banners in front of the store and near the sidewalks the week leading up to the launch.

• Local Facebook/Instagram ads: Local ads are one of the highest ROIs on small investments. If you set up your free Facebook Business Manager (Google it!), you can run an ad to a targeted demographic vs. just boosting a post.

  • My two biggest tips: If you’re a local brick-and-mortar, use your city name in the ad in multiple places, as it grabs local attention. And second, send the link to the ad to friends and have them comment positively for social proof and to encourage the algorithm (ex. “I am so excited about this!!” or “I went to the soft launch and it’s beautiful.”).

  • Here’s a Facebook Ads guide I wrote awhile back (I hope it’s not too ancient already).

• Media/PR/Newsletters/Influencers: Reach out to local magazines, newspapers, radio/tv, newsletters, and influencer-types to pitch your story. Use launch day as an event with a timeline (ie. there’s a due date!). Consider an invite-only soft launch.

→ If your business is online-only or is not focused on one specific location, you can still get creative with the ideas above. Instead of thinking of a zip code or city, consider where your customers might be: LinkedIn? Facebook groups? Conventions? Consider how to activate in those “locations”.

3 // Develop a launch team.

Who cares deeply about you? Who cares deeply about what you’re doing?

Ask them individually if they could help you with a few launch tasks. Start a group text. Send specific asks.

Jared developed a launch team of founding members who came for a soft launch, posted on social media, left early Google reviews, posted in Nextdoor and Facebook groups, and texted their friends. And many even pre-purchased a “founder’s box” to test products the entire first year, helping give Jared early cashflow while creating raving fans.

Here are drafts of the launch team texts we sent out two years ago for Union Bros:

4 // Ensure social proof.

• Website and social presence: Set up only the social channels that (1) make sense for your business/demographic and (2) you’ll maintain. Make sure all web pages and social accounts have accurate information (correct address, hours, contact info, etc).

• Google Business listing & reviews: Have your launch team leave early reviews WITH PHOTOS, if possible. Be specific about why people might go (not just “I love it!”).

• Nextdoor or Facebook groups: Have your launch team post and comment so it’s more organic than YOU posting. You can respond/comment with a thank you!

5 // Message everyone you know.

Here’s an article I wrote explaining why and how to do this. Social media posts do not count.

6 // Collect customer emails.

At the end of the day, launch day is just one day UNLESS you create long term customers. Capture customer email addresses so you can share future products/specials and remind them you exist.

Determine a way to capture email addresses (via your point of sale if brick-and-mortar or via some kind of free gift or download if web-only), and decide on a consistent follow-up strategy.

Union Bros shares a great weekly email with specials and recipes. They continue to collect email addresses from customers at their POS and through conversations with clients as they check out.

🚨 There are other events in your business’s life that may warrant some of this fanfare—a new product, a new location, an anniversary, a special price or special guest—but nothing quite compares to the magic of a launch day. Make the most of it!!

Next week, I’ll share how one of my favorite Atlanta businesses (and yours too, I’m guessing) totally changed their business model during the pandemic. It’s an incredible pivot story. Stay tuned!

🪩 Just for fun: My friend Joy at Punchline is now accepting applications to her writing cohorts. If you’ve been thinking about writing a book, this is something to consider! She has been a wealth of knowledge and connections for me. 🪩