Are you gearing up to launch something great in your business?

Yeah, me too—my podcast, The Business of You. And it’s changed what I think is possible, in life and in business. To say I’m excited is an understatement.

And if you’re approaching a big launch, you’re probably feeling that way, too.

You’ve been planning and sketching and creating, working really hard. Maybe it’s a new brand, a website, a brand-new product, or repackaged services. Maybe it’s a lead magnet, a book, or, like me, a podcast.

Whatever it is, chances are good you’ve poured your heart and soul into it.

And you want to launch it with great success. You want it to land well with your favorite clients, your network, your audience. You want it to propel you and your business forward.

Of course you’re excited! And maybe a bit nervous, too.

Well, you’re in the right place. As you prepare for this next phase of your business, I’m pulling back the curtain on my 15+ years in the marketing industry to bring you the best, and more importantly, most doable launch advice.

Take what resonates with you, and leave the rest.

How do you start a successful launch?

You know what you’re going to launch. You’ve asked your audience, and it truly solves their problem, relieves their frustrations.

And you’re ready to begin your launch plan. So, where do you start? Good question. It shows that you’re strategic and thinking ahead. And there’s a few things you can do now to set yourself up for more impact and better results later.

Decide on your metrics early in your launch process.

Have you set the benchmarks you’re going to use to gauge the success of your launch? If not, now’s the time to do so. You’ll want to know if you’re growing, and strong metrics may even tell you how to adjust your efforts mid-launch.

Work with your marketing team, a mentor, or your best friend. It’s best to bounce ideas around. And remember, keep them simple. Sometimes, Google Analytics is all it takes.

And when you find yourself drifting away from your metrics, ask:

“At what point do we pause and ask ourselves: What is going on here? What are we so desperately distracting ourselves from?”

– Kristoffer Carter, Permission to Glow

Identify a feeling you’re working to cultivate.

Once you have your metrics in place, it’s helpful to identify a feeling you’ll be working to cultivate in this season of your business, of your launch. It’s especially helpful on those days when you feel drained and lack motivation.

“Goals which are outcome-based can often be externally focused and driven, while thinking about your desired feelings allows you to tap into your intrinsically motivated personal motivations. Don’t chase the goal—chase a feeling.”

– Danielle LaPorte

In addition to solid launch metrics, identify one or two core desired feelings. Maybe you select confident, energetic, excited, playful, or peaceful. Choose an emotion, a feeling, and work toward that each day leading up to your launch. It’s about taking time to match and connect your feelings to your goals. And then radiate that outward.

BrandID team member, Cassia Cogger, recently said: Be authentic and share your genuine excitement over whatever you are releasing out into the world.

Turn inward to listen deeply.

Remember, you are the ultimate decision maker. So get still and turn inward. Stop seeking input from everyone and listen deeply to your inner voice. There are a lot of decisions to make in this stage of the game. Staying stuck, whether in indecision, research mode, or procrastination simply will not serve you.

So listen deeply and reflect. Grab a pen and paper, and ask yourself these questions:

“These three journal prompts have helped me move forward with decisions; they may help you, too. What’s best for the company? What’s best for me? What would I do if I were brave?”

– Amy Porterfield

That last one really struck me and has pushed me well outside of my comfort zone in the many launches I’ve been a part of. What would you do next if you were brave?

How do you stay focused throughout the launch process?

When thinking about your launch, many in your circle just don’t get it. They see the loud splash, your last big new thing in your business, but the months of work leading up to launch are often overlooked and underappreciated.

But not for you. You know that consistent action over time is what will get you the results you’re looking for. And you want to stay laser-focused.

Create boundaries on your time.

In this busy, and at times stressful season you’re in, you may be caught up in the whirlwind of life. Day-to-day responsibilities, the constant news cycle, social media, partners, kids. It’s quite common to forget to uphold the very boundaries that helped you to get where you are. And you let people, activities, or social media creep into your creative process.

To change that dynamic, set a new boundary on your time.

“Here’s the mantra I use to curb my own media consumption: ‘Create before you consume.’ Meaning, it’s imperative that I create the life (and work) of my dreams before I unconsciously and habitually consume the creation of others.”

– Marie Forleo

It’s a simple motto, really, one you can use, too. Or you can create your own motto, your own boundary. The point is that you are (and stay!) intentional with your time.

Understand that everything takes longer than expected.

You know this, too. You’ve seen it in every part of your career. But gosh, you get caught up in the excitement, the ‘newness’ of your next launch and want to pack it full of all your good ideas. Not recognizing that each idea will take longer to implement than you think. ⏰

Certain things you simply can’t delay. I get it, that early-bird offer needs to be out in the world well before the book goes ‘live’ on Amazon. It’s an integral part of a book launch, and it’s something that can’t be put off. So go ahead and put all available energy into this bucket. Sans the rest.

And remember, almost everything takes longer than you initially thought.

It’s all about the return on your energy.

Return on energy, ROE for short. Take a look at your list, your strategy, and eliminate something. That 10-video freebie? Take it off your plate. It was a great idea, something that can be incorporated in a future launch or project, but it’s not a necessity right now.

And it would take a ton of creative energy, resources, and working with a new team to produce. Doesn’t it feel good to free up a bit of bandwidth? 💥

It’s much easier to stay focused on a few impactful things rather than a long to-do list with a lot of fluff and feel-goods. Look at the metrics you’ve created, the feelings you’re working to cultivate, and make some hard decisions.

“Be responsible for the energy you are projecting into the world.”

– Brendon Burchard

How do you ensure success for your business?

The most important thing is to launch your one thing well. And with so many moving parts, it can be easy to be distracted and miss the mark. So, how do you land it well?

Determine your most important thing each day, and do it.

Sounds simple, right? But you know how hard this can be. Because business doesn’t stop. You still have client projects, you still respond to new leads, and your personal life is still in full effect.

Those that truly get ahead with each launch, each new idea, are those that are doing what matters most. Not the easiest thing, the most urgent thing, the thing that the person next to you determines to be the most important. They determine what is most important, and then they act on it.

“Make sure every day you do what matters most. When you know what matters most, everything makes sense. When you don’t know what matters most, anything makes sense.”

– Gary Keller, The One Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results

Remember yourself through the process.

If you want to have true success and longevity in business, you need to recognize that you are the most important asset. It’s not your freebie or your book or even your beautifully designed website… you are. So remembering yourself through the process is essential.

Go outside. Get to the gym. Give yourself time to process your emotions, both personally and professionally. The most successful launches I’ve been a part of was for an entrepreneur, a leader who knew they were the asset.

“We try to convince ourselves that somehow doing it all is a badge of honor, but for many of us it is a necessity, and we have to be very careful to remember ourselves in the process.”

‒ Michelle Obama

So take care of yourself throughout the entire launch process.

Talk about it and share your passion.

Think of someone in business you admire. Someone whose book you can’t wait to read or whose virtual event is on your must-attend list. And think of how you’re aware of the thing they are launching.

There’s a good chance that you heard them talk about it. On a podcast, through social media, or even in-person. They’re great at self-promotion. If that’s cringe-worthy to you, then think of it as planting seeds.

By sharing your excitement, your passion, you’re connecting with those around you differently. On a whole new level. And your launch will follow suit. So go on, share your enthusiasm, share what you’re working on, pre-launch, mid-launch, or post-launch. And always, always ask what the other person is working on. There’s always opportunity to collaborate, to co-promote.

Said differently, brandID team member Jenna Evans says: Give it your all. If it’s a new product or service in addition to what you already offer, give it 90% of your focus. And talk to everyone and anyone about it, whoever you are. Your passion will show through and naturally generate authenticity and excitement.

You’re all set to launch, now what?

You’ve determined your benchmarks, identified the feelings you’re looking to cultivate, and turned inward to listen deeply. You created (and upheld!) boundaries on your time and creativity, you knew it would take longer than originally planned and you paid attention to your energy.

And you launched your baby out into the world.

Kudos to you.

The next step is to celebrate your success. So go on, soak in the moment, enjoy it, and reward yourself and your team.

And if you’re looking to use the launch to springboard off of, be sure to schedule a post-launch review. Even if it’s a solo review, put it on your calendar, schedule it. More than likely it will be a month or two past your launch date, giving you time for the dust to settle, for your promotion blitz to wind down a bit, and for actual results to be clear.

It’s an opportunity to review what went well, what didn’t go well, to shift your priorities and come up with a strategy for moving forward.

Go on, book a fun celebration; and then get a post-launch review on your calendar. Future you will be glad you did.

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About The Author

Rachel Gogos is a multi-passionate entrepreneur with a strong desire to help people by creating strong personal brands and businesses. She’s personally launched dozens of books, e-products, and services; and hundreds of products and services with her clients. She started her career at the United Nations headquarters in New York City, where she helped create the look and feel for the organization’s first website.

Today, in her current role running brandiD, Rachel channels over 15 years of marketing and communications experience into each and every website for brandiD’s clients.

Get to know Rachel even more.

And be on the lookout for her brand new podcast, The Business of You—it’s launching in December.

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Additional Reading
How to build a memorable brand
Why it’s important to celebrate your success in business