Tips for a Successful Mobile App Launch

"Tell them what you're going to tell them, tell them, then tell them what you told them." Growing up, when my dad would coach me on writing assignments, he often gave this Aristotelian advice. The saying is most applicable to speech writing, but I see its merit when developing digital marketing strategies as well. Here's an example of what a cross-channel marketing plan would look like for the launch of a new product, channeling this ancient wisdom 👇 1️⃣ Pre-launch phase — set the stage -Run teaser ads that hint at what’s coming, sparking curiosity and setting expectations. -Drop hints or sneak peeks about the upcoming content or product across your social handles. -Collaborate with influencers to create buzz around the launch. 2️⃣ Launch phase — deliver the core message -Roll out the main paid social campaign with clear, compelling visuals and copy that convey the primary message. -Share detailed content on your channels, like posts, videos, or live sessions, to get into the specifics of your message or offering. -Have influencers share their experiences and reviews, focusing on the key aspects of your campaign. 3️⃣ Post-launch phase — reinforce, remind, CTA -Retarget users who interacted with your initial ads but didn’t convert. -Share additional posts, user-generated content, or FAQs. -Have influencers post again on their feed and stories. Applying this structured approach ensures that your audience is ✅ primed for the message ✅ fully informed when it's delivered, and then ✅ reminded of it to reinforce recall and called to take action. In the crowded space of social media, make sure you're cutting through the noise to deliver comprehensive & iterative narratives that ensure message retention. Also — check out this post structure...see what I did there? 😉 #writingtips #marketing #digitalamarketing #socialemediamarketing

The most common issue I see with GTM launch plans is going after too many channels, aka using the laundry list approach. We need to remember the Power Law of Distribution, which is that most of your results will come from 1 or 2 top channels. And the more channels you add, the more work you have for potentially little gain. So when you think of your promotional/channel plans (whether at work or for an assignment), do the following: 1️⃣ Pick out 1 or 2 top channels you believe will be the most effective. This is usually based on your launch goal and where it's best to meet them during their journey. For instance, if your launch is focused on adoption, then email and in-app comm will likely be your top channels. 2️⃣ Double down on those channels to make them as good as you can. Instead of just checking off the box on “writing some emails” - can you work with your team to create the best email journey to maximize effectiveness for that channel instead? 3️⃣ Pick a couple more channels to experiment and supplement with to reach your goal. If you have additional resources, you can find a few other channels to test and observe how they can contribute to the goal. The bottom line is, it’s better to go deep than go wide when it comes to channels and business strategy. Unless you are doing a mega launch for an entirely new product, most feature or product launches won’t need you to boil the ocean. What do you think? What's been your personal experience? #productmarketing #productlaunch #gtm #saas #coaching

The biggest mistake I see brands make when launching something after 20 years of leading marketing teams: Treating a launch like a moment and not journey. A bad launch strategy looks like this (it seems silly but I've watched many companies execute like this) - Decide what to launch - Decide when to launch - Launch - Rest - Decide what to launch next They are just focused on climbing to the top of the mountain. Instead.....launches should include climbing 4 peaks: Peak 1: Get buy-in Peak 2: Seeding Peak 3: Launch with Buzz Peak 4: Post-launch Buzz Let's dissect these 4 peaks: Getting buy-in Get feedback from a group of people that are familiar with your brand and mission. Allow them to feel like they are putting their fingerprint on the product. Seeding: This is your pre-launch to those people who felt part of the building process. Bring them BTS and allow them early access. Get testimonials and start to find your affiliate ambassadors at this time. Launch with Buzz: Now you will use those people to launch your product. Now instead of your channels doing all the heavy lifting, you launch with a crew of people emotionally connected to the success of the launch. Post-Launch Buzz: Take all the success and buzz from launch day and feed the top of the funnel. Repurpose the testimonials on social, your website and paid marketing. Ask for others to join the next launch BTS beta process to fuel the next launch. This 4 peak approached has helped me launch dozens of products. Hope this was helpful!

I am tired of watching people lose thousands of dollars! Building an app is exciting, but between the brainstorming sessions and the launch day, there's a minefield of pitfalls waiting to trip you up. Here are the top 5 mistakes I see CEOs make, along with some tips that can help: 1. Not setting up clear goals Crystal clear requirements are the foundation of your app. Would you build a house without a blueprint - nope. Before you dive into coding, work with your development team to outline exactly what your app should do, how it should function, and who it's for. This keeps everyone on the same page and avoids costly change orders down the line. Tip: Hold brainstorming sessions with your team to define the app's core functionalities. Then, work with a UX designer to craft user flows that map out how users will navigate the app. 2. Finding A/B testing too expensive to invest in This is a recipe for disaster. Users won't be kind towards your app's dysfunctionalities, and your reputation will be toast before it even gets started. Thorough testing across different devices and scenarios is crucial. Tip: Allocate a dedicated budget for testing and bug fixing. It's far cheaper to iron out kinks before launch than to scramble after bad reviews start pouring in. 3. Becoming greedy for features There's a fine line between feature-rich and feature overload. An app jam-packed with complex features can overwhelm users and make it difficult to navigate. Focus on building a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) that addresses the core needs of your target audience. You can always introduce new features later based on user feedback. Tip: Start with a laser focus on solving one core problem for your users. Once you've got a solid foundation, you can build upon it with new features based on user feedback and market trends. 4. Developing for all platforms in one go Developing for multiple platforms can double your workload and budget. Research your target market to see which platform they predominantly use. It's always better to launch a stellar app on one platform before introducing it on others. Tip: Start by focusing on the platform where your target audience is most concentrated. You can always expand to other platforms later when resources and market demand allow. 5. Ignoring the need for updates Building a successful app is a marathon, not a sprint. Once your app is live, the real work begins! Gather user feedback, analyze usage data, and be prepared to iterate and improve your app based on user needs. Tip: Treat launch day as the beginning, not the end. Continuously monitor user feedback, fix bugs, and add new features to keep your app relevant and engaging. By avoiding these common pitfalls and focusing on clear requirements, rigorous testing, a user-centric approach, and a data-driven development process, you'll be well on your way to launching a successful app that dominates the market. #appdevelopment #startup #entrepreneurship #businessfails