Product Launch Frequency

9 replies
I have a bunch of sites--most are niche sites with only a few pages. Company revenue is split between advertising and product sales.

FastEffectiveCopy has a monthly interview series. I think it was Mike Morgan who said one thing that separates his company from competitors is they release considerably more product. He said it is was a cornerstone of their profitability.

I notice that some marketers release a lot of product without much buildup for each one. Others have less products, but have more elaborate launches--along the lines of Product Launch Formula.

I'm laying out my product and marketing calendar for 2013. Right now I have plans for around 10x the amount of products than I currently offer.

Here's my question--for your own products/sites, do you release fewer products with more pre-launch promotion, or do you tend to publish a lot of product with less emphasis on each individual title?
#frequency #launch #product
  • Hi Joe,

    It depends (that's helpful isn't it?).

    What I mean is - if you have 10 exceptionally brilliant products then sell them.

    But if you only have 1 or 2 exceptionally brilliant products do launches for them.


    Steve
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    • Profile picture of the author ewenmack
      Over at Strategic Profits, they got off the treadmill on having
      to come up with new products all the time.

      They had customers coming in through so many front doors
      that it came a nightmare on optimization for profits.

      They took the brave move and stopped new product creation
      and concentrated on driving more traffic through a continually optimized
      funnel.

      That funnel starts out with a choice of 3 dates for a webinar.

      It's a recorded one, which people think is a live one.

      Now they have created a predictable system.

      Not a product factory.

      Best,
      Ewen
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  • Profile picture of the author ThomasOMalley
    The more good products you can offer your customers and prospects, the better, especially when you have a good list of customers.

    Just don't overwhelm yourself.

    You might want to review Jeffrey Lant's How To Make A Lot More Than $1,000,000 Commissioning, Publishing and Selling How To Information.

    He has some solid info. on building your information empire.

    Best,

    Thomas O'Malley
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  • Profile picture of the author Don Grace
    I'm leaning towards an optimized funnel now. I've done the product factory for quite some time with a client... Yes, we generated eight figures in sales so it does work.

    Thing is, you gotta play your cards right. I believe we had the highest lifetime customer value. But eventually you will burn through your list.

    Personally it was a pain in the ass even though we made a lot of money.
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  • Originally Posted by Joe Ditzel View Post

    FastEffectiveCopy has a monthly interview series. I think it was Mike Morgan who said one thing that separates his company from competitors is they release considerably more product. He said it is was a cornerstone of their profitability.
    OK, my copywriting resources are blending together in my cerebellum. I was actually thinking of a Jim Curley interview with Kevin Rogers. (Thank you, Evernote!) Jim said that his FightFast/TRS operation has more than one hundred self-defense products. A major benefit is they can offer many bonuses for each product. So some dude coming out with a single self-defense product with no bonuses pales in comparison.

    Expert Interview: Jim Curley (The greatest copywriter you’ve never heard of…) | Kevin Rogers|Direct Response Copywriting Expert|Marketing Consultant|The Copywriter's Edge
    Approximately 10:30 minutes in.
    Signature
    Marketing is not a battle of products. It is a battle of perceptions.
    - Jack Trout
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    • Profile picture of the author gjabiz
      Joe, I've been online since 1986. On www since day one.

      There are scores of success models to follow, in fact, too many.

      So my best advice is...what do you want? Who do you want for customers?
      How much TIME will you spend?

      I found MY answer in 1998. Fewer customers, low cost products, and continuous support.

      I have less than 3500 buyers on my list, hardly any compared to the big guns. I offer them a product about once a quarter, and get a huge % to buy.

      It was the model I felt would serve me. And it has. See, I want time. Money is pretty easy to come by, but no one gets to add more time to their day.

      I'd rather have 500 buyers who repeat buy, than 5000 "launch" buyers.

      I have customers who have been with me for over 15 years. And they don't hesitate to spend that 24.95 or so 4 times a year.

      The lifetime value of my customer exceeds 500 dollars. It is mere peanuts to the launch guys. My refund rate is less than 1/4 of a percent for over 15 years.

      Because that is what I wanted. Fewer customers, limited offers, repeat buyers and a decent lifetime value.

      So Joe, I encourage you to start at Square One and determine what you want and how to make it happen in 2013 with the least amount of time/effort and for maximum results.

      You've found several great Models to choose from, which model suits your goals the best? Hope this has been food for thought.

      gjabiz



      Originally Posted by Joe Ditzel View Post

      OK, my copywriting resources are blending together in my cerebellum. I was actually thinking of a Jim Curley interview with Kevin Rogers. (Thank you, Evernote!) Jim said that his FightFast/TRS operation has more than one hundred self-defense products. A major benefit is they can offer many bonuses for each product. So some dude coming out with a single self-defense product with no bonuses pales in comparison.

      Expert Interview: Jim Curley (The greatest copywriter you've never heard of...) | Kevin Rogers|Direct Response Copywriting Expert|Marketing Consultant|The Copywriter's Edge
      Approximately 10:30 minutes in.
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  • ...I agree with Gordon, great low priced products, loyal customers, happily buying 4 times a year with virtually no refunds - perfect.

    Lots of money and plenty of time.

    Rather than big launches with massive organisational hassles. Ongoing newsletters, membership programs, seminars and insider meetings at £2,500 - £5,000 once or twice a year. With lots of refunds - not good.

    Constant work with the inevitable technology nightmares and no time to enjoy the money. Even if you make shedfuls of it, many have found their merchants accounts get frozen or closed down.


    Steve
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    • Profile picture of the author ewenmack
      The model Jimmy is part of is they bring in experts,
      as do the big mailers like, Healthy Directions and Agora.

      For the model where there is one expert,
      then churning out continual new products becomes
      a much tougher ask.

      Product launches can bring in big wads of revenue then you run dry,
      so you have to get off the beach and start all over again.

      It suits some personalities.

      Then there is the evergreen model where it just keeps on churning out boring,
      predictable cash.

      Best,
      Ewen
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  • Great stuff! Thanks for the feedback. Right now I write a lot of product very fast, and put it out to see how it flies. It's maybe not the most efficient way, but I like to get it out on the market first, get a sales letter up, and tweak, trim and twist it from there.
    Signature
    Marketing is not a battle of products. It is a battle of perceptions.
    - Jack Trout
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