Anyone care for a debrief?

[Anna Johnson]

Given the focus of this forum, I thought it might be a great opportunity for an open discussion about what has worked... and what has not worked... in recent launches.

We hear so much "rah, rah" about various launches... but are they always as successful as they are made out to be?

In the movie business box office sales soon indicate whether a movie has had a successful or unsuccessful launch, but it's impossible to really know in the understandably private IM world.

Is anyone game to share what has worked / what has not worked in their own launches or launches they have participated in? From either the launcher's perspective or the JVer's/affiliate's perspective? No need to name names if you don't want to, but it would be great if some lessons could be shared.

To get the ball rolling, I will say that, as an affiliate, I have participated in a handful of launches since the start of the year. The most successful for me was the launch of the Million Dollar Roadmap program. I was able to conduct a series of interviews between myself and the creator of the program and publish these over a week or so. I also used my own emails (rather than the templates) to build up excitement. I think my own involvement and endorsement of the product (I was a paying customer) was what made a big difference.

Mark Joyner's book Simpleology was another success. Again, I used my own emails and endorsement (since I had gone through the program myself). Plus it was a perfect fit with my list, which is very diverse but generally interested in personal development.

I have decided to steer away from IM specific launches as they don't suit my list. One failed attempt at this was enough to convince me. So another lesson re-learned (which is really the most important lesson of all when it comes to these kinds of JVs): you need to offer the right product to the right list.

(I should note that I will be looking to promote more IM specific products in the future with a new list I am building.)

Anyone care to share their experiences or insights?

[Mike Merz]

Nice topic, Anna.

In my own personal experiences over the last year, there has been one glaring variable that has stood out like a sore thumb in regards to whether a launch blasts off ... or fizzles.

Personal interaction via email and phone with each legitimate JV Partner.

(I know you probably would say beta testing and tweaking ... and you'd be right, but that should honestly be a no brainer ... and brainstorming should actually be part of the pre launch personal interaction)

I've seen more launches blown by those that have just assumed that a JV blast every other day was going to squeeze every possible sale out of their JV Partners ... rather than reaching out to them well in advance to introduce themselves, ask them their opinion on the product and the promotion, ask if they need any unique promotional tools, if they would like to set up a personal call to their lists, etc. In this day and age, new products are coming out every day ... you simply can't rest on your laurels and assume ... you must assure.

Other variables will affect how much hand holding you'll need to do, like merchant and product brand 'celebrity' (John Reese doesn't have to hold too many hands ... but most of us will), previous merchant - partner relationship (because you were smart enough to create the relationship, first ... in the past), and a serious need for the product in the marketplace (though an unknown will still have to hold some hands ... or convince a few top dogs to offer social proof to accomplish same).

If I were a merchant setting up a product launch right now, I'd work on the aforementioned a good 4 - 6 weeks before launch ... giving 'A' Listers the chance to schedule well in advance, and advise folks to set up any pages, blogs, sub domains, domains, and Web 2.0 in advance so the buzz is already growing going into pre launch, find out through personal interaction who is going to be on board and who isn't by pre launch, and focus on keeping everyone (prospect and partner) in the know, with all tools within hands reach in every automated JV mailing through pre launch and launch.

Geez ... I have to stop here! LOL

Give me a break, folks ... it's early on the East Coast.

Best,

Mike

[charleskirkland]

Mike

You are once again right on the $money$ with your last post.

Personal interaction is the golden key that is wraped up in WORK.

When it comes down to it we buy from people we KNOW like and trust. This also goes for our JV partners to. It is your job to get them to know, like and trust you.

A very good example of this right now is with Jermaine Griggs. I have gotten a few post cards and phone calls from him. I knew him before his NGM project but now I feel that I know him much better.

Since there is a new product launch every week when it comes time to mail my list, who do you think I’m going to mail for Jermaine or somebody else?

Jermaine hands down.

A great example of this is Harris the “Site Stealer”. He did different videos for a lot of his JV partners that would make you laugh till you hurt. I mean his videos were so funny you would not believe it. I watched them all just laughing.

But because of this you get the feeling that you know him. Plus if you needed anything before the launch he was more then happy to help.

Now lets talk about making connections with other people.

Who is Charles Kirkland? I’m a nationally recognized home designer with house plans in books and magazine but in the Internet marketing world no body knows who I am for the most part.

So what did I do? I went out and contributed to forums and worked hard to help other people first.

Did it work?

Yes. I’m sure that Mike would recognize Charles Kirkland now.

I told Keith Wellman about AdsenseCodebreaker and he believes in it enough to meet me for 4 day this month and to go over everything for my launch. He is going to be a huge help for me in getting some of his high profile JV partners on board to help me.

Could I have launched it own my on? Yes but not to the scale that I could do it with his help.

Everything has been done for AdsenseCodebreaker for months. It has been so long that I have had to go back and redo some of the videos because things have changed since they were original done.

I delayed the launch because I didn’t have the relationships in place to make it as big as I wanted it to be.

In case you are wondering how big I want AdsenseCodebreaker to be?

It has to break every Clickbank sales record. The only way I’m going to be able to do that is by getting JV to know and like me. I’m going to mail, call, and interview, email and make personal videos for about anybody that wants it.

Will I make it? If you shoot for the moon and don’t hit it at least you will hit a star.

Thanks
Charles Kirkland