Launching a Product Before Christmas - Or Next Year?

[Alex Williams]

Hey warriors,

I am about to launch a new product. I have never launched anything before Christmas, and started to think, would it be a better idea to launch it this year, around the middle of December, or should I go for the next year? Maybe the middle of January?

The reason I think about it, is that most people get in that "Christmas mood" in Dec, and buying presents, writing emails to Santa , all that might get a higher priority.

On the other hand, the customers of my product would be Internet Marketers - so I assume this group of people is not into all that "Christmas thing" that much?

I either need to speed it up a little now, or to slow it down. Your experience and suggestions are very welcome.

Thanks,
Alex

[roboticminstrel]

hey Alex,
One of the big things with product launches, is making sure you leave some room in case the launch date needs to slip a little bit. There's all kinds of reasons that can happen of course, everything from merchant account issues to the feedback from your prelaunch content hinting that you need another week to build up the buzz.

Bottom line, you don't want to be launching the week before Christmas and end up backed into a corner and have to launch during Christmas week. I've heard of launches doing just fine even during key holidays, but you definitely want to get all your ducks in a row and give yourself the best chance possible. As far as what your target audience does during Christmas, when it comes to something like this... don't guess! If you really want to know, come up with an excuse to ask them directly. Setting up a short survey to see how much they get into Christmas is pretty easy, and you can pull it off as a relationship building move if you take the time to figure out how you'll do it.

Kind of funny that this would be the first question I saw when I came on here... been a while since I've read in this forum actively, and I've never really posted much. But I just heard Jeff Walker answer this question in the recording of a Q&A he did as part of the training for the new batch of Product Launch Managers he's coaching, so I thought I'd share.

[Chris Pambos]

Since you're asking this question now and you haven't yet started any launch sequence, I would wait until mid Jan to begin launch as everyone at that point of time have made their new years resolutions and are ready and eager to dive into the market.

Unless your launch sequence is a short one then perhaps you could squeeze it in now and finish it just before Christmas.

[Aaron Riddell]

Hi Alex,

All I have to say is, what is your "gut" telling you?

If you start cranking things up now, in the new year people will be ready to buy. They may not buy now, but your "sowing the seed" will get them warming to your product when they are ready to purchase.


Warm Regards




Aaron Riddell

[Alex Williams]

I will be honest and say that my "gut" is telling me to wait for January... For the same reason roboticminstrel was talking about.

Thank you for suggestions!

Alex

[rsantiago]

Hey, Alex

You don't really NEED to think about the dates. What DOES matter is HOW YOUR PRODUCT is related to the date. If you do a proper launch story, then people may get TOTALLY hooked up.

I'll give you an example. A new year's coming. Tell your prospects that they SHOULD give themselves a CHRISTMAS GIFT that may CHANGE THEIR LIVES in the next upcoming year.

A good launch sequence with that can increase your responsiveness A LOT!

As I say, It only depends on how you can relate your product to your prospects PLUS the upcoming events.

Best,
Rodrigo Santiago.
Mass Crawler CEO - Why Twitter Search Is DEAD! FREE Program Uncovers "Free-Per-Click" Technique.

Product Launch Manager in training with Jeff Walker
Frank Kern Mass Control 2.0 Student
Bob Serling Million Dollar Licensing Student

[CliveG]

Depends to an extent on your target market. Are they more or less likely to buy over the holiday period. Given the state of the major economies, I would have thought that in consumer niches January could be a lean time, but 'make money' niches could do well.

[rsantiago]

I totally agree about the january make money sales, CliveG

[opportunites]

Alex!

I would suggest you to analyze the market...
and if the product is related to the Holiday launch right away...
if not, wait until January.

Then, you start thinking about how you can profit from the Christmas time.

[JamesPenn]

One marketer I know who makes over $100k per month has always told me to "just get things going".

He says people always manage to find a reason to put things off for now and to delay taking action.

I'd suggest launching now. You can always do a mini launch to a select few customers and then relaunch in the new year.

James

[davidbowie]

Launch now! The same crowd will be around in Jan. You could also do a double launch. I made the mistake years ago, thinking about waiting until the new year to launch a website. I decided to launch two days before Christmas. The first week, my site mad about two grand and as they say, "The Rest Was History"

Just my two cents.

David

[Alex Williams]

Really appreciate your suggestions. I`ve decided to postpone until Jan, and I believe I`ll have a great launch!

Thanks guys!

Best regards,
Alex

[MarketingSPY]

I over heard a millionaire Internet Marketer say the other day..." I don't do product launches anymore, especially the ones that SCREAM scarcity - buy now. Once 500 units are gone - then they are gone forever."

He said - that method has lost him thousands of dollars. He said, why should I stop selling product ? Why not keep selling products. He says - that's just nuts to tell people to buy on a certain date and you're only going to sell 500 units. Why not keep selling and sell 5,000 units?

[anuj291]

If your product is something of a FMCD then before else after!!

[dmarze]

Do it right now. By the Christmas you can have another product ready.

[Aaron Riddell]

Originally Posted by Alex Williams

I will be honest and say that my "gut" is telling me to wait for January... For the same reason roboticminstrel was talking about.

Hi Alex,
Just had a thought...do you have an existing list you can send a broadcast message to now to get the word out?

Warm Regards


Aaron Riddell

[Kevin Riley]

Originally Posted by Alex Williams

Hey warriors,

I am about to launch a new product. I have never launched anything before Christmas, and started to think, would it be a better idea to launch it this year, around the middle of December, or should I go for the next year? Maybe the middle of January?

It depends on the product. I just launched a guide, but it's topic is making money before Christmas, so it's been a big hit. On the other hand, I'm doing a big project with Michael Brown and we won't launch that until January/February. I wouldn't do a big launch right now.

[VegasVince]

Originally Posted by Kevin Riley

It depends on the product. I just launched a guide, but it's topic is making money before Christmas, so it's been a big hit. On the other hand, I'm doing a big project with Michael Brown and we won't launch that until January/February. I wouldn't do a big launch right now.

Nice waffle, Riley. You'se are in December, January, and February.....so don't go out on a limb.

My product launch....should have gone out September 15th..it didn't. October 15th it didn't. November......? Yeah, right.

And now that it's all in the can and finally wrapped up....I'm guessing I'm gonna launch this sucker on the December 24th.....just because nobody else in marketing would be that dumb...except Vinnie here. Cuz I think it makes an interesting case study.

(And cuz I'd like to snipe some of Riley's traffic he'll forget about over the holidays.)

The fact is.....unless you've been around long enough to really know what your list does....or what somebody else's list does....you might be just better off "getting in the game"... rather then waiting for the sun, moon, and stars to align perfectly in the sky.

That's why so many IM'ers....never get out of the gate....they spend a lifetime worrying about every friggin' condition being absolutely "perfect."

That "day" seldom ever arrives.


xxx Vegas Vince
Legend.

[Kevin Riley]

Originally Posted by VegasVince

My product launch....should have gone out September 15th..it didn't. October 15th it didn't. November......? Yeah, right.

All that over a 3-page e-book entitled "The Intelligence Of Vegas Vince"

[VegasVince]

Originally Posted by Kevin Riley

All that over a 3-page e-book entitled "The Intelligence Of Vegas Vince"

If you'se wasn't in Japan right now.....we'd be boxing.



xxx Vegas Vince
Legend.

p.s. It's actually a 3 page ebook on exploiting Hampsters....for fun and profit.

[tush]

I would launch it now. I don't like procrastinating. You can add something in Jan to raise the price or something. Some people when they put off things, they do it forever..... If you really fail to get things moving, at least warm your people that there is something coming in Jan....

After 15th though is not a very good time.

[Karan Goel]

Well, here is my suggestion:

Since, it's the holiday time,
most people will not turn on
their computer. And so, your
product won't get enough
exposure.

So, it will be a wise decision
to launch in the mid-Jan.

Just my 2 cents.

[SeanfromVanCity]

im launching my first product december 15th! i aggree with the comment some one made to keep the ball rolling, you can always just do a few minor changes and relaunch it again

[OllieGo]

Originally Posted by MarketingSPY

I over heard a millionaire Internet Marketer say the other day..." I don't do product launches anymore, especially the ones that SCREAM scarcity - buy now. Once 500 units are gone - then they are gone forever."

He said - that method has lost him thousands of dollars. He said, why should I stop selling product ? Why not keep selling products. He says - that's just nuts to tell people to buy on a certain date and you're only going to sell 500 units. Why not keep selling and sell 5,000 units?

The scarcity must be believable. If it is, it works. If it sounds like BS it can kill your whole campaign. And certainly if your offer is converting at the desired level while remaining on the market...keep it there. You don't see them pulling ipods off the market.

The reason to pull it off the market and then do re-launches is to get people to act...when normally they wouldn't.