Getting ready to open your figurative - or literal - doors to sell your product to the market always feels like a hurried dash to the finish line on launch day.

All your blood, sweat and tears is really important to get you to that line, to present your business in the way you want to, but how do you get people to hear about your launch and crucially what happens after day zero?

Make the most of launching your business by concentrating on making a splash to your target audience, while making sure your 'behind the scenes' tools, plan and approach are all working smoothly, your customers will thank you (and be more likely to stick around) as a result.

1. Get your digital toolkit sorted

Install Google Analytics on your site, Set Up Google Tag Manager for Conversions (whatever they may be, from clicks on a certain page, time spent on the site or views of your contact details), hook up your CRM system and get ready to communicate with your customers.

2. Think about the people who aren't ready to buy just yet

Your business will undoubtedly answer a common consumer challenge, in a new and innovative way, and surely some people will be queueing around the block to buy your product! Sometimes however, it’s easy to forget about the people who like it but aren't ready to buy just yet.

Make sure you can capture who they are and what they’re interested in. Either give away a little something for free or invite them to sign up to a newsletter. After all, if they're interested enough to give you their email, taking them on the journey with you is better than letting them walk away empty handed.

3. Don't spend all of your budget on digital channels

Digital is a great, cost effective way to drive awareness and sales for your business (online or offline), but don't neglect other opportunities to get your brand physically in front of your audience.

From Guerilla-style street teams, to PR to your Unboxing experience.

Find your audience in the real world. How can your customers become your brand advocates and spread the word about you?

4. FAQs are immensely useful

Not just for your customers but for your front line customer facing teams too. Build some early basic FAQs and iterate them as you learn more about your customers and the way they interact with your business.

While Chatbots and Facebook Messenger assistants are gaining popularity, launching with some basic, on-paper FAQs are a great way to help speed up the process for whoever happens to pick up the phone or answer an email to a customer.

After all, if a customer's interested in your business enough to bother getting in touch, helping them through their question or confusion can only end well for you!

5. One size doesn't fit all

Know someone who grew their customer base exclusively on Instagram?

Generated a remarkable CPA on Google Ads?

That's amazing! Don’t be afraid to swim against the current for the latest trend if it doesn’t fit with your brand.

Think about what works for your customers and how your product fits in with their life - you may need to run some campaigns for a long time to gain enough exposure and ultimately learn from them.

Not everything will work, but as soon as you start to see some green shoots, then flex your plan to suit!

6. Build a test and learn plan

An extension of the above, really!

Use your Go To Market Launch period to figure out what hook works best with your customers.

Is it value, quality, convenience, ease or something else? Work out how long you need to let your messages sit out in the ether before you learn about how your customers are reacting to them

7. Plan some time to appreciate your progress

In the first 3 months post launch you’ll be exhausted, bewildered and hyper-critical of your progress.

Make sure you take some time out to step back and look at your performance throughout the launch period. Google Analytics stats or Social Media followers, whatever you want, but make sure you can sit and give yourself a pat on the back!

You’re doing great!

For an initial chat about how I can help with your Go To Market Strategy, get in touch.