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Launching WSO's

by Ross Petal
31 replies
We all know it's crucial to get it all right on the pre, during and post launch stages. What are the most important factors you have to consider when launching a WSO?
#advice #launching #wso
  • Profile picture of the author LexiB
    A great product and great support.
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    • Profile picture of the author Ross Petal
      Hey Lexi,

      That sounds great. It's always good to get feedback to see what is important and what isn't.

      Cheers

      Originally Posted by LexiB View Post

      A great product and great support.
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      • Profile picture of the author LexiB
        Originally Posted by Ross Petal View Post

        Hey Lexi,

        That sounds great. It's always good to get feedback to see what is important and what isn't.

        Cheers
        I've never done a WSO but I've done quite a few launches outside of WF and they've all been pretty successful. If the buyers LOVE IT, it always works. If they hate it, it never works.

        I've seen the same thing with the few WSOs that I bought. If it starts to get good reviews, everything else falls into place. Solid copy is important as well but nothing sells better than strong social proof and strong social proof comes from having a great product and great support.
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  • Profile picture of the author Usdachoice
    Finding good affiliates to help you with your launch. Using their influence and followers to leverage in helping create a buzz for your product. Getting some good testimonials from reputable people on forums and related websites. Send out some review copies to help get feedback on things you may be overlooking. Start building a list and communicate to list that your product is coming and what they can expect. And like Lexi said make sure you have a good product or all the effort is wasted on trying to promote dead wood.
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    • Profile picture of the author Ross Petal
      Great advice! Finding affiliates and using the power of leveraging plays a crucial part.

      Originally Posted by Usdachoice View Post

      Finding good affiliates to help you with your launch. Using their influence and followers to leverage in helping create a buzz for your product. Getting some good testimonials from reputable people on forums and related websites. Send out some review copies to help get feedback on things you may be overlooking. Start building a list and communicate to list that your product is coming and what they can expect. And like Lexi said make sure you have a good product or all the effort is wasted on trying to promote dead wood.
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  • Profile picture of the author arranrice
    Getting the sales page right to make sure you make lots of sales, this needs to be backed up with an outstanding product.
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    • Profile picture of the author Ross Petal
      Totally agree

      Originally Posted by arranrice View Post

      Getting the sales page right to make sure you make lots of sales, this needs to be backed up with an outstanding product.
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  • Profile picture of the author Stuart Walker
    Good product. Good sales page. Pre-Launch to build a buzz. Email list in place to capture buyers email addys. OTO / special offer in place. Follow up email series in place. Lots of affiliates promoting (probably one of the most important yet often over looked ones).
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    • Profile picture of the author Ross Petal
      You also have the secret ingredients

      Originally Posted by RockingLastsForever View Post

      Good product. Good sales page. Pre-Launch to build a buzz. Email list in place to capture buyers email addys. OTO / special offer in place. Follow up email series in place. Lots of affiliates promoting (probably one of the most important yet often over looked ones).
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  • Profile picture of the author Bukmedia
    I wouldn't say there is ONE thing that stands out as 'the most important'...
    • You can have a GREAT product but without a good sales page... no-one will see it.
    • You can have a GREAT product and GREAT sales page but without some affiliates... you won't reach the people you want too.

    I think you should focus on over delivering on the product, your first launch isn't going to be huge 9 times out of 10 but if you build yourself a good reputation, the second and third ones will work even better as people will know who you are and will want to promote your products...

    So...
    • Affiliates
    • Great product
    • Great sales page
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    • Profile picture of the author Ross Petal
      Pricesless information Bukmedia. Many thanks

      Originally Posted by Bukmedia View Post

      I wouldn't say there is ONE thing that stands out as 'the most important'...
      • You can have a GREAT product but without a good sales page... no-one will see it.
      • You can have a GREAT product and GREAT sales page but without some affiliates... you won't reach the people you want too.

      I think you should focus on over delivering on the product, your first launch isn't going to be huge 9 times out of 10 but if you build yourself a good reputation, the second and third ones will work even better as people will know who you are and will want to promote your products...

      So...
      • Affiliates
      • Great product
      • Great sales page
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    • Profile picture of the author LexiB
      Originally Posted by Bukmedia View Post


      So...
      • Affiliates
      • Great product
      • Great sales page
      And THIS is why a lot of people/products have a bad name in the MMO industry. I'm sure the IPod went through some serious testing and trials before Jobs went all crazy hiring salespeople.

      Recruiting affiliates before having a great product is a huge mistake in my opinion. If you have the affiliates and your product turns out to be bad OR your sales page doesn't convert, your in trouble.

      Market first
      Product second (that provides value to the market)
      Sales page third
      Affiliates fourth

      I know quite a few big name JVs, 1 or 2 in the IM space. I don't know any of them that will promote anything without numbers first. The ones who will blindly promote without knowing the product quality or the metrics aren't worth the time and effort.
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      • Profile picture of the author Bukmedia
        Originally Posted by LexiB View Post

        And THIS is why a lot of people/products have a bad name in the MMO industry. I'm sure the IPod went through some serious testing and trials before Jobs went all crazy hiring salespeople.

        Recruiting affiliates before having a great product is a huge mistake in my opinion. If you have the affiliates and your product turns out to be bad OR your sales page doesn't convert, your in trouble.

        Market first
        Product second (that provides value to the market)
        Sales page third
        Affiliates fourth

        I know quite a few big name JVs, 1 or 2 in the IM space. I don't know any of them that will promote anything without numbers first. The ones who will blindly promote without knowing the product quality or the metrics aren't worth the time and effort.
        Hey Lexi,

        Sorry if my post wasn't clear - I meant to say in no particular order, those are just the 3 most important things.

        I agree 100% with what you're saying... which reminds me,

        It's always good to get an 'early bird' launch... get some people on your list that you can send to the offer as soon as it's live, that way you can get some initial data and if numbers are good you'll get a TON more affiliates jump on board!
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  • Profile picture of the author thedanbrown
    Affiliates are pretty crucial to a successful launch. To recruit affiliates your sales page has to convert, your product has to solve a real problem and deliver value, and lastly great customer support.
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    • Profile picture of the author PvPGuy
      Major fallacy #1: You need a great product to have a successful WSO launch

      And I back that statement up by all the negative and cynical comments one will inevitably come across about the WSO section.

      But how do you define success?
      Compelling headline and sales copy = more conversions
      Well designed graphics = more conversions
      Posting Positive Reviews = more conversions

      Affiliates obviously can magnify the above elements by driving traffic.
      A good backend offer = more affiliates
      More affiliates = more traffic
      More traffic = more conversions

      And somewhere in there, ideally, you should have a good product which, in theory, will lead to more conversions.
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      • Profile picture of the author LexiB
        Originally Posted by PvPGuy View Post

        Major fallacy #1: You need a great product to have a successful WSO launch

        And I back that statement up by all the negative and cynical comments one will inevitably come across about the WSO section.

        But how do you define success?
        Compelling headline and sales copy = more conversions
        Well designed graphics = more conversions
        Posting Positive Reviews = more conversions

        Affiliates obviously can magnify the above elements by driving traffic.
        A good backend offer = more affiliates
        More affiliates = more traffic
        More traffic = more conversions

        And somewhere in there, ideally, you should have a good product which, in theory, will lead to more conversions.
        I'll point out another reason why so many IMers get a bad rap.

        Without being a complete fraud (and I'm not talking about you, I'm just saying in general), how does one get positive reviews with a bad product?

        I would think, in the real world, in order to get positive feedback the product must be good...right?

        And I agree with you that you don't need a great product to have a successful launch. But you do need to create great products if you plan on building a business.
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        • Profile picture of the author Andyhenry
          Originally Posted by LexiB View Post

          I'll point out another reason why so many IMers get a bad rap.

          Without being a complete fraud (and I'm not talking about you, I'm just saying in general), how does one get positive reviews with a bad product?

          I would think, in the real world, in order to get positive feedback the product must be good...right?
          You'd think wouldn't you.

          But when it comes to making money some people will happily sell you a pack of lies to get your money.
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          • Profile picture of the author mervp
            Originally Posted by Andyhenry View Post

            You'd think wouldn't you.

            But when it comes to making money some people will happily sell you a pack of lies to get your money.
            It can be put a different way. A product campaign is a mini business system, meaning the actual quality of the product is only a component of the money making machine. A "good" core product is not as important as having a good system through which it is promoted.

            The classic example is the McDonald's burger. There are specialty chefs and restaurants all over that make a much better hamburger than McD's, but it's irrelevant from the point of view of having a better business system to sell the burger. Other factors like, reliable cleanliness, being priced to move in mass volume, average speed of service, convenience in commuting, etc, contribute to make the burger it sells be deemed "good," when it might not be deemed good by itself, outside of those delivery considerations.

            So the promoter may not be "lying" in selling a hyped up WSO, just following the grammar of completing a successful launch of the product. All that's required, in that context, is for the product to be good enough in terms of the total marketing system in which it is packaged.
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            • Profile picture of the author CDarklock
              Originally Posted by mervp View Post

              The classic example is the McDonald's burger. There are specialty chefs and restaurants all over that make a much better hamburger than McD's, but it's irrelevant from the point of view of having a better business system to sell the burger.
              Which is the very definition of bullsh!t: the truth is irrelevant, you just have to say what makes people buy and deliver what keeps them from refunding.

              And if that's the business you want to be in, by all means, sell WSOs.
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              "The Golden Town is the Golden Town no longer. They have sold their pillars for brass and their temples for money, they have made coins out of their golden doors. It is become a dark town full of trouble, there is no ease in its streets, beauty has left it and the old songs are gone." - Lord Dunsany, The Messengers
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              • Profile picture of the author Andyhenry
                Originally Posted by CDarklock View Post

                Which is the very definition of bullsh!t: the truth is irrelevant, you just have to say what makes people buy and deliver what keeps them from refunding.

                And if that's the business you want to be in, by all means, sell WSOs.
                Much as I like to disagree with Caliban on some things - I think we see this in a similar way.

                I totally get the marketing machine model, but at some point you have to look at WHY you're doing what you do with your life and whether you actions are completely selfish.

                Take this forum as an example - sure you can come here and rehash other people's stuff, constantly run WSOs and create completely hyped-up sales pages and keep cranking the handle with no care in the world about the community here - and some people are happy to do that.

                However, the members here are actually real people, with real hopes and dreams and real problems - not just a potential pay-off.

                So, unless some of the members actually give a crap about others the community would be gone and this would have turned into nothing but a marketplace for junk and lies.

                Fortunately this place, despite the push from people trying to abuse it, has been able to largely keep the community intact. Some of the members here have become close personal friends of mine, and I've met hundreds of them offline.

                There's always this talk of "launching WSO's" and it's a symptom of the way the WSO section has changed over the years and the fact that affiliates pushing product after product have de-personalised it and taken the "special" out of the name.

                Times change and some people will always just be about the money rather than the people they're trying to get it from, but we don't all have to be like that - it's NOT essential in order to be successful.

                Andy
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                • Profile picture of the author Tony Marriott
                  Originally Posted by Robin Blinds View Post

                  If you're planning to launch a WSO, then I think being a War Room member is a start, unless of course you are planning on teaming up with an established Warrior
                  Being a war room member is pre-requisit. You cannot run a WSO if you are not a War Room member.

                  Yes, you can run successful without affiliates. (Depending on your definition of success) A good quality product can make you a few thousand dollar without a single affiliate sale. Of course good affiliates can 10X that.

                  I emphasis GOOD PRODUCT. Yes you can run a (financially) successful WSO with a rubbish product but your long term success will be limited.

                  If it is your first WSO I would not worry to much about "getting everything right". I would jut make sure you have a graet product and a, good price, a decent sales copy, make sure your delivery and support are in place and tested. Give out a few review copies before launching to try and get some good testimonials.

                  Beyond that just do it. As fistt time WO you may not braek te bank but if you deliver quality and good support that will be a great foundation for the next one. Look at it more in the long term rather than what you get today.
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  • Profile picture of the author Stuart Walker
    Testing your sales page and conversions is pretty essential for a big launch where you're expecting lots of affiliates to promote.
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  • Profile picture of the author Robin Blinds
    If you're planning to launch a WSO, then I think being a War Room member is a start, unless of course you are planning on teaming up with an established Warrior
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  • Profile picture of the author CDarklock
    Originally Posted by Ross Petal View Post

    What are the most important factors you have to consider when launching a WSO?
    "Is my product a good fit for the WSO forum?"

    It's been about a year and a half since that answer came back "yes" for me, partially because the forum is different and partially because my products are, so that's about as far as I go.
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    "The Golden Town is the Golden Town no longer. They have sold their pillars for brass and their temples for money, they have made coins out of their golden doors. It is become a dark town full of trouble, there is no ease in its streets, beauty has left it and the old songs are gone." - Lord Dunsany, The Messengers
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  • Profile picture of the author Gengis
    Over delivering is HUGE because people will keep buying from you when they know you over deliver as far as quality and support.

    Once you have put together the product your copy is the most important part of it all because an amazing product with an average sales copy will convert alright, but a good product with amazing copy will convert very good.
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  • Profile picture of the author Bill_Z
    1) Affiliates...get them
    2) Your funnel. Make sure you have a good OTO in place that is related to your front-end and make sure you have a strategy for follow-ups and broadcasts for your buyers
    3) Make sure you have proper support in place
    4) Make sure you deliver what you say you will in the salespage
    5) Copy must be on point
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  • Profile picture of the author Devin X
    Banned
    Interesting answers. Has anyone not used affiliates for WSO's and done well? I keep hearing people say that WSO's are turning into a monster.
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  • Profile picture of the author Evocess
    Here are some tips for successful WSO's:
    1. Affiliates
    2. Compelling copy
    3. Great FE and OTO design
    4. Followup emails
    5. Great support

    Hope it helps.
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  • Profile picture of the author stubo1903
    Really learning a lot with this thread guys, great info. How important would you say building up a good reputation on the forum prior to launch is? Or is it more important to get your sales copy tight?
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  • Profile picture of the author Dave37
    I would say the most important factor depends on the desired outcome.
    Anyway, anyone would like to launch a successful WSO; in that case one of the most important element one should pay attention to is the ssalesletter.

    A visitor can open your WSO page and if the Headline is not appealing enough, he/she might leave the page before even looking at the first paragraph.
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  • Profile picture of the author Qamar
    I think a good price point and products offered are two crucial things to a successful WSO lauch. But getting affiliates to promote your product is the actual thing that will skyrocket your sales.



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