While your clients are still busy with the holiday season, it’s time for you to think ahead and plan for the New Year. Most people would set a few health and wellness goals as part of their “New Year’s Resolution” and you want to be there when they seek support.
Now is a good time to plan your release; You generally want a lead time of 4-6 weeks before the start of the program so you can get the word out about your offer.
Just putting up a sales page or handing out some flyers and then crossing your fingers isn’t going to cut it. You need a plan with proven strategies so you can reach more potential customers and increase signup.
There are many launch plans and strategies out there. It can be overwhelming and even confusing. Instead of getting sucked into all the shiny objects, focus your effort on these basic strategies, and then choose the technology to support the execution:
1. Drip content
Before your show announcement, you can post content, such as blog posts or videos, related to your show’s theme. You can mention in those articles/videos that if readers are interested in learning more about the topic, they can keep an eye out for your preview call and maybe sign up for your list so they don’t miss the announcement.
Once you’ve created the content, you’ll need to get the word out to drive traffic to your site. One extra tip: You can use this opportunity to help you capture leads and grow your list by adding some sort of “popup” displaying your free signup giveaway to your website.
2. Preview the call/webinar
In addition to sharing valuable content and positioning yourself as an expert, a “preview” or “pitch” call related to your show topic will also help you grow your list with prospects interested in what your next show covers.
Please note that this call is not JUST to give away a lot of content. You want to take this opportunity to build a relationship with your audience by sharing your story related to the topic at hand. You want to cultivate awareness of the problem your show solves so that your audience understands why they should take action. And of course, you want to leave plenty of time for you to share your next show and let your audience know how they can sign up (don’t skimp on this part!)
3. Follow-up emails
After announcing your offer on your launch call, don’t expect people to immediately jump on and buy! Your customers are busy and you need to remind them to take action. You don’t expect them to remember the URL just by hearing it a couple of times in the call; you should send them the link.
The money is in the follow up, and don’t be shy. People don’t read every single one of your emails, and if you don’t show up multiple times, you’re doing your customers a disservice! You should plan for at least 3 follow-up emails: one right after the call with the recording download link, one a few days before the early action bonus ends, and a “last call” email the day the early action bonus ends.
4. Early Action Bonus/Discount
This is a great way to encourage people to take action. You can offer an early bird discount or add a bonus for those who register before a certain date, or a combination of both. Don’t forget to highlight this in your promotional materials – people like discounts and bonuses!