Six things to do before you launch this fall

Small confession - I have been thinking about fall all week! Maybe it's all the pumpkin spice sourdough content I've been served (I cannot wait to make some!), my anticipation for Practical Magic 2 in September, or just wanting that cozy, wrapped-up-in-a-flannel feeling.

And there’s just something about fall that carries a new year kind of energy. Fresh starts, a new schedule, a sense of getting back to it.

And for a lot of us (I’m including myself here), that also means an offer we’re ready to launch, or relaunch an offer.

So while we're still sitting in the long, hot, dog days of summer, let's talk about what we need to do in order to get that offer organized so it's fully ready to go the moment September hits.

Because by now you know that a launch that feels calm and controlled isn't the result of working harder come the actual launch time. It's the result of the groundwork being laid well before you ever open the doors.

So here are the things I will be doing, along with all of the clients I am helping launch this fall, so that we feel ready:

Your offer's transformation, ideal client, and messaging are clearly defined. Before anything else gets built, lock this in! If you can't say in one sentence what your client walks away with and who it's for, your audience won't be able to either.

You've mapped your full launch timeline with milestones, team roles, and deliverables. Running a launch with a timeline, rather than a to-do list, makes it wayyyy easier! Every milestone should have a date and an owner, whether that's you or someone on your team, so nothing is left to figure out mid-launch.

You've outlined your deliverables, inclusions, and pricing with clarity. Your offer should be as easy for you to explain as it is for a client to say yes to. Which means the inclusions are finalized and the pricing is set, not still being worked out as sales come in.

Your sales and revenue goals are set and feel realistic based on your capacity. A number on its own isn't a goal, it's a wish. Set your target based on your list size, your past conversion, and what you and your team can actually deliver without burning out on the other side. (If you’re confused about launch metrics, simply reply to this email and I’ll send them over to you!)

You've chosen or refined your lead magnet or opt-in to warm up your audience. You want to reach the most people in order to get the most sales right? That means you need an entry point for newcomers - one that gently leads them to your offer. This could look like a workshop, guide or quiz. But whatever that entry point is, it should be finalized and put out into the world now, not something you're building the week before doors open.

You've gathered social proof in one place. Testimonials, screenshots, past wins. Pull them together into a single document now, so when it's time to write sales copy or build a page, you're not scrambling to track them down.

If you read through that list and know exactly where the gaps are, that's a great place to start. But if you’re reading this and your shoulders tense up a little, that's a great place for us to start.

This is exactly what I walk clients through inside a launch project with me. We take your offer from idea to fully mapped and ready to execute, so when September arrives, you're not building the plane while flying it, you're just flying it.