Launch Plans

I have launched new products dozens of different ways.

Which some might take to mean that I don’t have a plan.

Au contraire!

I simply have dozens of plans 🤓

And as many of you have probably learned, there is rarely a single correct way to launch a product — or to do anything marketing-related, really. Every business is unique, every stage is unique.

But one thing that they almost all have in common is that, at some point, you the marketer / the founder, will need to have a way to explain what it is you’re launching and why.

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1. Create a lightweight messaging doc

Sometimes, the most efficient way to gather your thoughts and get people on the same page is to create a simple positioning document. Here’s one of the shortest and sweetest that I’ve used to good success in the past:

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2. Write a press release

Popularised by Amazon, in this framework, you come up with the messaging for your product/service before you do anything else. Here’s the full Amazon method:

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This ‘fake press release’ is intended to be written before you do any work.

I'm using this method as we're building features for the Creptician app. It's a brilliant way to get into the habit of documenting your work and writing SOPs [standard operating procedures]…so boring and so essential.

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3. Create a GTM plan

Sometimes, your launch may call for an entire go-to-market plan.

Here’s a free GTM template that you can copy and paste. The key difference with this template versus the other frameworks above is that the GTM template goes deep into growth motions and acquisition engines and strategies to grow the new product that you’re launching.

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Over to you

What is your favourite way to get people on the same page before you launch? Let me know of any favourite frameworks or tools. I’d love to learn from you.

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