Feeling Confused About What To Share Before Your Next Launch? Here's What & When to Create Buzz-Generating Pre-Launch Content
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What would happen if you are finally launching your dream product or service – the product or service that you’ve been working on for months or even years – but no one buys?
It’s not a pleasant thought. This is most business owners’ nightmare. And, unfortunately, it happens more often than you think. A study shows the biggest problem companies encountered when launching a new product is a lack of preparation. (Nobel)
When you’ve poured your time, energy, heart, and soul into this new product or service you’re so excited to share with the world, but then you get a lukewarm reaction, or worse, no one buys. And the next thing you know, you start doubting yourself and what you created. You wonder if this business idea were even good, or if you could make it work.
If you’re familiar with this endless loop of self-doubt, first, click here to learn how to instantly conquer your fears, then freshen up your routine and get a boost of energy.
The most common reason why many business owners fail to reach their sales goals with their new product or service is that not enough people want, or even know about, what they sell.
Before you launch your product or service, it’s important to help people get to know what you sell and your business, remove any worries and concerns that are holding them back from saying, “Yes, I’m in!”, and from hitting the “Buy Now” button. And this is where pre-launch marketing comes in.
What is pre-launch marketing?
Pre-launch marketing is the different marketing activities you do to drive excitement and anticipation for the new product or service you’re launching soon, so more people will be interested and ultimately buy your product or service when you launch. Pre-launch marketing helps you promote your product or service before it is officially available to the public.
What are the benefits of pre-launch marketing?
Here are why pre-launch marketing is important:
It allows you to drive buzz and awareness for your product or service before it is available for people to buy.
It gives you a chance to test out your marketing tactics (or platforms), taglines, and selling points. Depending on people’s feedback and response during pre-launch, you can make changes to different parts of how you run your marketing when you launch.
It helps you attract people who are interested in what you sell and generates leads.
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Now, what do you share exactly on different marketing platforms? To build trust and generate desire for what you sell, share relevant pre-launch content that interests your target audience and customers.
If you don’t have an audience yet to share content with, here are 6 tips to grow your audience fast from scratch with $0. Get in on these audience-building tips now!
Pre-launch Content That Converts
Below is a series of high-converting content ideas to share with your audience during the weeks and months leading up to your launch. You can share these using any marketing platforms that you’re using to build your audience, including social media, email marketing, and messaging apps. With each pre-launch content idea, you can create one long-form content or a content series with several shorter content.
These topics are arranged in the order backed by sales psychology and how we as consumers buy into an idea, get interested in buying something, and finally make the purchase.
Pre-Launch Content Idea 1: Object Misconceptions
Suggested Timeline: 4 to 6 weeks before launch day
Point out the three big misconceptions or mistakes people make trying to achieve the results or outcomes of your products or services deliver. Then walk them through why these are wrong and how these misconceptions are the reason why they haven’t found the solution they need.
Help them realize what they’re currently lacking, and educate them about what they should be doing and looking for instead. This new belief should be your differentiation and selling point. (Learn how to identify your differentiation.) And by offering an insightful idea, you can quickly build credibility and authority for your audience.
Example 1: if you’re a health coach and your program includes both workouts and diet plans, you can talk about the three big misconceptions about getting fit or common mistakes your target audience makes, such as how counting calories doesn’t work or how increasing workout time without a balanced diet doesn't work. And then share what solution would actually give them the results they want, i.e. a semi-personalized workout plus a balanced diet plan or a specific type of workout with a specific type of diet. Whatever it is, it’s basically what you sell but you aren’t saying it directly. The focus of this content is to educate people on what they should be looking for and shift their mindsets.
Example 2: Let’s say you sell toxin-free nail polish and you’re launching a clean, fragrance-free nail polish remover. First, point out the major misconceptions and myths about nail polish remover and why most products on the market don’t work. Maybe most removers are harmful to people’s skin, and the ones that are marketed as “natural” don’t work and take too long to remove regular polish. Then you share how the solution people need is a remover that nourishes your nails and has all the right ingredients without the awful smell of a remover. And show people a teaser of something new that is coming soon.
Pre-Launch Content Idea 2: State Their Biggest Problems
Suggested Timeline: 3 to 5 days before launch day
Call out your target customers’ biggest struggles and challenges. This should be a problem that your offer was designed and created to solve and this should be as specific as possible. By stating the specific challenges and problems your target customers have, you help them identify themselves, relate to your brand, and get them curious and interested.
Even if you think what you sell doesn’t exactly “solve” a problem, here’s the post on How to Create Juicy Content That Converts, we share more about figuring out the value and solution you’re giving people through your product or service. Make sure you take a look at the example of the organic candle there.
Pre-Launch Content Idea 3: Share Your Personal Story
Suggested Timeline: 3 to 5 days before launch day
People resonate with brands through stories and connect with the people behind the business. Talk about why you created or started this product or service, what gave you the idea, or what problems you faced that led you to create this offer. Make it personal through storytelling and keep building trust and relatability.
This is the power of emotional marketing! Want to know more? Check out the 10 ways you can apply emotions to market your business and promote what you sell.
If applicable, you can also point out your personal struggle or frustration when you first tried to find the right solution for yourself and how it was nowhere to be found. Use your personal story to help your audience relate to you. Focus on why you created this product or service, which shows off what makes your product or service different from what’s available on the market.
Pre-Launch Content Idea 4: Promote Your Offer & Transformation
Suggested Timeline: On launch day
Present the solution your target audience and customers have been looking for, which is your product or service, and the transformation and results customers get from your product or service.
This is when you sell your offer. Remember, people aren’t buying your products and services, they are buying what your product or service will do for them. Agitate the need further by explaining why they need it now. Instead of promoting your product features or service details, focus on sharing what your product or service will do for them and the benefits and results it brings to them.
Pre-Launch Content Idea 5: Address Doubts & Fears
Suggested Timeline: 1 to 3 days after the launch day
Address the common doubts and fears that may be holding them back from purchasing. You can get ideas from common questions you’ve received in the past about your other offers, or you can get inspiration from the frequently asked questions page from businesses that sell similar products or services. These questions may be related to the actual content of your service, product features, tools, approaches, add-ons, sales support, how your product or service is delivered, and other logistics.
By addressing these concerns, you’re answering your prospects’ big question, “Will this work for me and get me what I want?”
brand direction & styling by us for Urban Beauty Loft. | photo by Aimi Photo
Pre-Launch Content Idea 6: Share Social Proof
Suggested Timeline: Throughout your entire launch period
Studies show that 95% of shoppers read online reviews before making a purchase. (Carter) It’s important to most people that they see that other people similar to them are getting the amazing results they expect before they purchase.
So, share testimonials, reviews, case studies, and screenshots of emails, messages, and comments from people who have worked with you or purchased from you. Give your potential customers the confidence boost and the nudge they need before hitting the “buy” or “book” button. Remind them of the results that are possible for them throughout your launch.
Don’t have customers because you’re launching something brand new? Here’s how to get powerful customer reviews & testimonials (even before you launch your offer).
Here’s another tip for when you’re strategizing and creating your pre-launch content – Whenever you feel confused about what to share, put yourself in the shoes of a potential customer and ask, “What do I want and need to know at thist point? What am I interested in and curious about? What would make me feel confident and assured about this purchase?”
Now that you got great content planned and created, make the most of it by repurposing content without boring your audience, and getting more eyes on it using these 11 tactics to boost your reach!
If you’re still looking for ways to bring quality leads and audience to your business, but don’t want to invest in ads yet, here’s how to host a successful giveaway that multiplies quality followers and brings you leads!
Read this post to uncover the 5 secrets to connecting with your audience and boosting engagement.
Launching your latest product/service/business soon? Make sure you check out this to avoid these 6 huge launch mistakes and avoid possible fail.
Don’t miss our free masterclass on – How to Attract 100 People Who Actually Want to Buy From You Without Doing More on Social Media (+3 Super-Simple Ways to Reach More Target Audience with $0). Save your seat now.
Works Cited
Carter, Rebekah. “28 Surprising Online Review Statistics & Trends for 2023.” Findstack.com, 3 July 2021, findstack.com/resources/online-review-statistics. Accessed 31 Jan. 2023.
Nobel, Carmen. “Clay Christensen’s Milkshake Marketing.” HBS Working Knowledge, Harvard Business Review, 14 Feb. 2011, hbswk.hbs.edu/item/clay-christensens-milkshake-marketing. Accessed 31 Jan. 2023.