When to pre-launch

Hello,
I have talked about my Holiday Toy Selling Guide that I will be releasing this Fall - and you all have been incredibly helpful as I work to make this year's launch the biggest one yet (This will be my 3rd year with this time-sensitive product).

This month I am building my affiliate toolbox - filling it with articles, short e-courses, banners and solo mailings for affiliate partners to use in their promotion efforts for Holiday Toy Selling Guide. I would also like to have a promotion plan layed out that maps out how to use the tools... My question is - are there any suggestions as to how early pre-launch efforts should begin with affiliates before a product release?

My product will be available the last week of October - is mid-September too early/late to announce my affiliate toolbox to affiliates?

Thanks yet again...
Jenni

Hi, Jennifer.

I like to run a 7 day pre launch, and 7 day launch period.

I've found that pre launch periods longer than 7 - 10 days have a tendency to peter out, prematurely, but that's just my opinion.

I'm not saying that you can't allude to the project's arrival to start the buzz process long before that, I'm talking about partner involvement.

That's assuming that everything is in place prior to the 7 day period ... campaign management software is in place, JV partners on board, comps delivered, promo tools ready to go, at least a rough of the final sales page is available, etc.

I also find holding a 7 day affiliate contest to run, commensurately, with the 7 day launch period is usually very effective.

Best,

Mike

Hi Jennifer,

I agree with Mike that 7 days is a good time to announce your affiliate toolbox to your affiliates. I'd say 10 days is fine too.

It's also a good idea to launch your website several days before launching your actual product, and invite your affiliates to let people know about this pre-launch site.

The key is making your pre-launch website interesting somehow. For example you can give away free gifts to people (like related ebooks), or a poll that invites people to participate and so makes your site interactive.

You can also add a countdown script to your home page to build anticipation about your launch.

Just make sure you tell you affiliates that they will get credit for visitors they send to your pre-launch website too (by simply adding a cookie to the visitor's computer and tracking later purchases).

By the way, what you've decided to do (letting your affiliates know about your product beforehand) is a fantastic idea, Jennifer. Because not only it lets them set their schedule to be able to promote your product when it's launched, it will also make them feel special because you're letting them know about your new product before everyone else finds out.

Wish you the best of luck,

Ladan

Yes,

A 7 day pre-launch is quite nice.

But nowadays, I am seeing pre-launches of maybe 2, 3,4 or 5 days only.

They seem to be working too!



Hope it helps

The "standard" pre-launch sequence has its drawbacks, especially since so many marketers are using it. The biggest drawback is that all of those pre-launch emails can get annoying to your list, whether it's a list of consumers or affiliates. Only you know what the breaking point of your list is. For me, a seven day series of pre-launch emails is way too much.

Agree with Brian, pre-launch emails can get annoying
especially if you have multipule people promoting a
product who's list you have subscribed too. Must be
another way to keep it noise down and yet keep the
buzz up??

Thanks for sharing guys.

My own prelaunch will be 5 days, but i'm not sure about launch. I was thinking with 7, but might go with 10.

I agree with Brian here, sometimes long prelaunches can really piss you off. I remember 1 article software came out 2 years ago and my mailbox was full of prelaunch emails.

And also it was funny to see 2-3 guys sending exactly the same emails.. ;D