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MARKETING TIPS
"7 Steps to Launching a New Product, Program, or Service...
for TONS of Sales"
by Alexandria K. Brown, "The E-zine Queen"
When I teach one of my Online
Success Blueprint Workshops, the section that gets my attendees
most excited is when I walk them through an actual product launch.
What's a launch?
It's when you release a new product, program, or service for the first
time to your mailing list. A launch is a super opportunity to rack
up a TON of sales in a short amount of time.
I basically have seven steps to a launch. In my workshops, I walk through
them in great detail and include actual examples and results. But to
get you started, here's a brief description of each step and how it
works. You can do a launch for any service, product, or program, but
for the sake of this article, let's assume we're talking about a product.
1. Drop hints in your ezine beforehand.
Before your product is even ready, start getting your readers curious
and excited! Drop hints that something big is on the way and what the
benefits are. For example, "I'm working on a brand new product that
could help you easily double your sales this year. I can't say anything
about it just yet, but you'll know the full story on October 1."
2. Create your sales letter and thank-you pages.
Again, you can do these steps even before your product is ready. In
fact, many experts recommend you write your sales letter BEFORE you
even create the product. (For my own step-by-step formula to writing
a web page that SELLS, see my quick-start
guide.) After your sales page, you will need a page to send people
to once they purchase -- the "thank you" page -- where they can also
download your product if it is digital.
3. Set up the product in your shopping cart.
Log-in to your shopping cart program and set up your new product name,
price, and the thank-you page URL. Don't forget to add on shipping
or sales tax if applicable. I hope you use a shopping cart with all
these capabilities! (I use, love, and recommend QueenCart.com.)
Then stick the product link on your sales page.
4. Send out a solo mailing to your customer list.
When everything is ready, it's time to start your promotions! The first
people I alert about any new product are those who have already bought
from me. It's my most responsive list, and this will be your most responsive
list, too. Keep this email short and sweet. Your only objective is
to drive them to your sales page, where they can get the full story.
(For my own step-by-step formula to writing an email that SELLS, see
my quick-start
guide.) To make your customers feel special, give them a special
discount or bonus that's just for them. And give them a deadline to
respond by.
5. Send out a solo mailing to your ezine list.
I do this a few days after I promote to my customer list. Same idea,
different list. Got it? Good. : )
6. Let your affiliates know how to promote this new product.
After I launch my product to my own lists, I let my affiliates know
that I have a new product they can promote! Send them an email with
the details, their individual affiliate link that gives them credit
on any referred sales, and even ad copy they can paste into their ezines
or websites. Don't forget to mention how much commission they get per
sale. (I do this all through QueenCart.com.)
7. Promote in your ezine on an ongoing basis.
Once your launch is over, don't let your product wither away and die!
Keep the momentum going. Make sure you highlight it on a regular basis
in your ezine via ads or articles, and that it's also easy for visitors
to find on your website.
BONUS TIP: Give them a reason to buy today!
People are so busy these days that they will put off ANY decision possible.
So, you will ALWAYS get more sales when you give people a reason to
buy NOW and not later. For example: Put a time limit on your offer
or have a limited quantity available.
© 2005 Alexandria K. Brown
WANT TO SEE MORE ARTICLES LIKE THIS ONE?
See Alexandria's Small
Business Marketing Blog.
WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long
as you include this complete blurb with it: Online entrepreneur Alexandria
K. Brown, "The E-zine Queen," publishes the award-winning 'Straight
Shooter Marketing' weekly ezine with 20,000+ subscribers. If you're
ready to jump-start your marketing, make more money, and have more
fun in your small business, get your FREE tips now at www.EzineQ
ueen.com
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