What comes first… the list or the launch?

Do you sometimes feel stuck in your business because you’re not sure what to do first?

As a business owner with limited time, you don’t want to spin your wheels. And this means taking the right actions in the right order.

One of the questions clients often ask me is “should I build my list before I launch a program?”

This is an excellent question, and one I’ve wanted to write to you about for a while.

When you spend time and money launching a program, you naturally want some insurance that people will enroll.

Assuming you’re offering a program your ideal clients want, having a successful launch is mostly about getting “in front of” the right people.  And the more people who learn about your program the better.

To answer the question, “should you build your list before you launch a program,” first ask yourself the following questions…

Question #1
How big is your list?

If you plan to promote your program solely by sending emails to your list, you’ll want to have a decent-sized list before launching. You’ll also want to make sure you have a list that is engaged – meaning they open and read your emails.

What’s considered a decent-sized list is relative.

We have one client who uses emails to launch her programs to a list of 200 people. She regularly enrolls 10-20 people in her programs.  She has a high conversion rate (5-10%) because her list is very engaged.

On the flip side, if you have a list of 500, but they’re not very engaged, you might find it difficult to enroll 10 people.

Question #2:
How are you planning to promote the program you’re launching?

If you plan to promote your program through speaking, social media, or partners, you don’t have to be concerned about your list size before you launch.

As you may already know, I’m a big fan of using speaking as a way to both build your list and enroll participants in your programs.

For example, if you have a small list (or no list), line up a few speaking engagements before you launch your program.  Provide valuable content and then, at the end of the talk, make an invitation to your program. You’ll also want to follow-up with attendees via email.

Question #3
How quickly do you want to bring in revenue?

While there are list building activities that can produce results quickly, such as contests and Facebook advertising, list building is generally something that happens steadily over time.

If you’re looking to bring in additional revenue in the next 30-60 days, you’re more likely to reach your goals by focusing on a launch (vs. list building).

If you have more time to bring in additional revenue, then you’ll benefit from focusing your energy on list building for 2-4 months before launching your program.

As you can see, there’s no one right answer to this question. To determine what’s right for you, consider your current list size, your promotional plans, and your revenue goals.

Now I’d love to hear from you.
Post your questions about launching and list building below so I can support you.