Exploring Different Online Launch Strategies

By Siân Morgan-Owen, Digitally Dazzling

Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links for which I may make a small commission at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase. I only recommend products I love.

Exploring Different Online Launch Strategies: A Guide for Online Business Owners

There are so many different launch strategies specifically tailored for online businesses, coaches and course creators it’s really hard to know which one best fits.

As an online business, launching your course successfully is crucial for growing your business and reaching a wider audience. In this blog, we’ll scratch the surface of various strategies and provide valuable insights to help you make informed decisions based on your goals and target audience.

Preparing for Launch: The Foundations of a Successful Launch

Before diving into the different launch strategies, it’s important to lay the groundwork. Start by defining clear objectives, what aim you’re trying to achieve. What part of your expertise are you bringing to the course and what skills do you want your buyer to gain. Identifying your target audience is essential, so you can understand their pain points, desires, and preferences. Take the time to create a detailed customer persona. Conduct market research, ask your current audience, and look at what your competitors are doing. Also do some keyword research to identify relevant keywords that resonate with your target audience. These keywords will help when you’re writing your sales page copy, blog and course materials. Develop compelling content and structure it in a logical manner so your audience can follow it.

Launching can be separated into three categories, pre launching, launching and post launching. They all come with different demands and workloads.

Dazzling Tip: Speak to a Launch Manager or OBM for more information on launching.

Live Launches: Harnessing the Power of Time-Limited Events

Live launches can create a sense of urgency and excitement among potential buyers. They are ideal if you are group teaching, known as one to many as oppose to one to one.

Consider hosting:

Webinars/Roundtable/Masterclass/Fireside Chat launch – where you can deliver valuable content, showcase your expertise, and build a connection with your audience. Optimise your webinar landing page with relevant keywords in the title, meta description, and content. Incorporate a strong call to action to encourage attendees to enrol in your course.
Challenge/Bootcamp launch – involves guiding participants through a structured and time-bound challenge or transformational experience. Instead of directly promoting the course itself, the focus is on providing valuable content, support, and accountability to participants over a few days via a pop up group. The idea is to show your audience who you are, build trust and show the value of buying your course, whilst creating a sense of community. After three or four days of daily live challenges the final day is usually a live masterclass/webinar when you officially open your course.

Evergreen Launches: Creating Scalability and Sustainability

Evergreen launches allow you to automate your course promotion and make it available to potential buyers year-round. Create automated sales funnels that guide visitors through a sequence of emails, landing pages, and offers. Optimise your sales pages with SEO-friendly titles, compelling descriptions, and clear calls to action.

With an evergreen launch, you can achieve scalability and sustainability by continually attracting new buyers and generating revenue even when you’re not actively promoting your course.

Joint Ventures: Collaborative Launches for Mutual Success

Collaborating with other online business owners through joint ventures can help expand your reach, amplify your visibility, and tap into new audiences. Identify potential partners whose expertise complements yours and propose mutually beneficial collaborations. Consider co-hosting webinars, sharing email lists, or offering affiliate partnerships.

Consider creating collaborative content, such as blog posts, podcasts, or videos, where you and your partner share insights and expertise. This cross-promotion means you are borrowing each other’s authority and exposes your brand to each other’s audiences which helps establish credibility and trust among potential customers.

Choosing the Right Strategy: Factors to Consider

Choosing the most suitable launch strategy depends on various factors.

You should consider:

Your target audience’s preferences and behaviours. Are they more likely to engage with live events or prefer the flexibility of evergreen courses?
Assess your available resources, such as time, budget, and team support. Live launches often require more immediate time and energy commitments, as they involve hosting webinars, responding to inquiries, and providing real-time support. It maybe worth seeking support from an Online Business Manager or Launch Manager.
Evaluate your course content and delivery method to determine the most suitable launch strategy. For courses that heavily rely on interaction, personalised feedback, or hands-on experiences, live launches may be more appropriate. Evergreen launches, on the other hand, work well for courses with self-paced content that doesn’t require immediate interaction or time-sensitive feedback.
Consider your style and the format of your course content. Are you comfortable delivering live presentations, hosting webinars, or facilitating challenges? Some people thrive in the energy of live event. Others may prefer a more structured and automated approach that allows them to focus on creating high-quality course content. Aligning your launch strategy with what you’re comfortable with.
Remember that launch strategies are not necessarily mutually exclusive. You can blend elements of different strategies to create a hybrid approach that best suits your goals and audience. For example, you can combine a live launch with an evergreen funnel, where you host live webinars during the launch period and then transition to automated evergreen promotions afterward.

Analysing and Optimising Your Launches

Once you’ve executed a launch strategy, it’s crucial to analyse the results and make necessary optimisations. Track key metrics such as conversion rates, click-through rates, and engagement levels. Identify areas of improvement and adjust your strategies accordingly. Incorporate relevant keywords in your analysis and optimisation process to improve your search engine rankings over time.

Final Thoughts!

Launching your online course requires careful consideration of various strategies.

By exploring different launch approaches, such as live launches, evergreen launches, and joint ventures, you can maximize your reach, engagement, and enrolments.

Remember to align your strategy with your target audience’s preferences, optimise your content with relevant keywords, and continuously analyse and refine your approach for long-term success. With a well-executed launch strategy, you can propel your business to the next level and empower more people with your valuable knowledge and expertise