Build a winning 4-month product launch timeline with a task-by-task breakdown

Commerce

Updated: June 20, 2024

Build a winning 4-month product launch timeline with a task-by-task breakdown

Dana Nicole

19 min read

What kind of creators need a timeline for launching a new product?

Every type of creator (and every type of new product) benefits from a thorough product launch timeline.

Product launches can help:

Course creators enroll more students in their courses or membership programs
Authors sell more books during each launch
Musicians sell more songs, EPs, and albums
Podcasters sell merch and other physical products
Freelancers book more clients for newly launched services
Creators sell more digital products (like printables or templates)

And more.

A task-by-task breakdown of the 3 stages of a product launch

The average timeline for a product launch takes roughly four months for creators with an audience and an email list.

Here are the three stages of a launch (we’ll get into more details next):

Product pre-launch stage (this stage takes around 3.5 months or 15 weeks): This stage helps you validate your idea and outline what’s needed for a successful launch.
Product launch stage (this stage takes around one week): You launch your product during this stage.
Product post-launch stage (this stage takes around one week): The post-launch stage is when you’ll crunch the numbers and evaluate your launch.

To help you stay on track, we’ve also listed how much time you should allocate to each stage.

Phase #1: Product pre-launch timeline and tasks

The pre-launch phase takes roughly three and a half months to complete.

At this stage, you should already have an email list.

Why?

Because a quality list filled with people who know, like, and trust you will be more willing to buy your products than strangers on the internet.

But good news—your list doesn’t need to be big. You can still have a profitable launch with a small list.

So, before moving forward, focus on starting and growing your email subscribers. You’ll be thankful you did.

1. Idea to product: map out your core concept

Your first step is to develop your product idea. You’ll want to complete this step 15 weeks before you hope to launch your product (in step six, you’ll nail down the exact date. For now, a rough estimate is fine).

However, you aren’t developing your actual product at this stage (that comes later).

Think of this stage as a wireframe for what you hope to develop.

To turn your idea into a product, answer these questions:

What goal does your audience have?
How does your idea help them reach that goal?
What format of product would be best to help your audience achieve that goal (i.e., ebook, course, template, etc.)
What will separate this product from other similar ones? Put another way, what’s your unique selling proposition?
When satisfied with your answers, move to the next step.

2. Set your product idea free and validate it

Before creating your product, find out if the product you want to create is something your customers need. This validation ensures that people will be lining up to buy your product on launch day.

You should aim to complete this step roughly 14 weeks before your estimated launch.

Here are some ways you can talk to potential customers to validate your product idea:

Join Facebook groups where your audience spends time. For example, if you’re a rock musician, join Facebook groups for rock music fans.
Join Slack channels where your audience hangs out (search “YOUR NICHE” + “Slack channel” in Google to find relevant Slack channels).
Speak with past customers and clients and ask for their thoughts.
Survey followers on social media with polls (for example, create a poll in your Instagram Stories).
Survey email subscribers and get their feedback.

Tonia Emanuel is a lifestyle and legacy strategist. While developing her product, she used past clients and her Facebook group to help her refine it:

I used my current clients and Facebook group to develop my product. I asked 3 questions: “Were they in a mastermind, why they did not participate in one, and what would they need to spend a few hours a month that was of value in a mastermind group?” By asking why they did not join a mastermind, I was able to take that data and add what was missing to my mastermind.

-Tonia Emanuel

At this stage, it’s OK to go back to the previous step if you realize that your initial product idea missed the mark.

The goal is to develop an irresistible offer for your target market, which often means tweaking your offer until it’s just right.

Pro tip: Further along our product launch timeline, you will pick advertising channels to focus your marketing efforts on. While speaking to your potential customers, ask them where they hang out online, so you know where to invest money for paid ads.

3. Create your product

Next, block some time off to develop your offer.

This step might take more or less time, depending on what you decide to create. As such, adjust the rest of the timeline as necessary.

If three weeks is enough to create your product, you’ll aim to start this step 12 weeks before your launch.

4. Beta-test your product and gather reviews

Test your product with several people in your ideal audience nine weeks before launch.

Find product testers by contacting your followers on social media and your most engaged email subscribers.

Offer testers a free or discounted rate in exchange for their feedback. Then, take their feedback and iron out any kinks to perfect your offering.

Even better, ask your beta testers to provide social proof, such as written or video testimonials. These can elevate your sales page and convert more fence-sitters into buyers.

5. Write down your product’s positioning and messaging

Come up with your product’s messaging seven weeks before your launch.

Think about:

Who your product is for
What your product does
Why it’s better than similar products

You’ve already answered these questions above, but it helps to go through this exercise again and nail down the who, what, and why of your product. Your answers will guide your launch moving forward and make the next steps easier.

6. Pick a launch date

Now it’s time to pick a date for your launch.

Aim to pick a date that’s seven weeks away. This gives you plenty of time to stay on track and work through the remaining steps.

And pick a date when your audience is online. For example, if you target other business owners, you likely don’t want your launch to occur on a Saturday when people log off for the weekend.

7. Create your product launch content

Your product launch content is everything you need to promote and sell your product.

You’ll have a lot to create, so give yourself at least two weeks for this step and aim to start this step around six and a half weeks out.

Creating content in advance helps you focus on more important things as you get closer to your launch.

Here are a few ideas of assets you might want to create:

Media
- Product images: Add product images (or mockups) to landing pages, emails, social media posts, and more.
- Demo decks: Use demo decks to pitch new services to clients. You might use these for a video chat or add them to your website for potential prospects to flip through.
- Videos: Create various videos (like product explainer videos) to post on social media and add to your landing pages.
Graphics: Create graphics to use on social media to promote your product.
- Copy (our writing exercises are perfect if you have writer’s block)
- Emails: Write and schedule your product launch emails.
- Sales page: Craft a compelling sales page that outlines how your product will benefit your audience.
- Swipe copy: Write swipe copy for emails and social media posts that your affiliates can use (we’ll dive into affiliates in step 10).
Website updates
- Opt-in forms: Create opt-in forms so people can sign up to be on the waitlist for your launch. Add the opt-in to multiple places on your site, like blog posts, your sidebar, and your footer.
- Banners: Make website banners (like banner ads or dropdowns) that advertise your product launch.

Then, consider asking a friend, mentor, or other professional to review everything and ensure it’s launch-worthy.

8. Select your digital marketing channels

Your digital marketing channels are the main areas where you’ll publish promotional content to reach your audience, so make sure you pick places where you can reach your audience.

Choose your channels six and a half weeks before your launch date and perform it alongside the previous step.

Here are some ideas:

Content platforms: Your website/blog or podcast
Influencers/affiliates: People in your niche who your audience trusts and admires
Your email list: People who already know you
Social media channels: Facebook, Instagram, X/Twitter, TikTok, LinkedIn, and YouTube, etc.
Search engines: Google and Bing (for paid ads)
Community forums: Quora, Reddit, or other industry-specific forums where your audience spends time

9. Create your launch plan

Six weeks before your launch, take all the essential info for your launch, and package it up into a tidy document.

You—and your team—can reference this document anytime you have questions about your launch.

Within your launch plan, consider including:

Audience details
Launch date
Key messaging
Selected digital marketing channels
Links to access product launch content and testimonials

10. Prep your team

A strong team will carry you through your product launch marketing timeline.

But your team needs time to prepare. To give your team enough time to get on the same page, prep everyone six weeks before your launch.

If you don’t have a team, review any weak areas in your launch plan. These could be areas you’re uncomfortable handling yourself (like paid ads, for example). Search for an expert or virtual assistant to take over these areas.

For your team to shine, they should have:

The date of your launch
A copy of your launch plan
Your sales positioning and messaging
Access to all your product launch content
Access to software and social accounts (if needed)

11. Find affiliates for your product’s launch

Finding influencers in your industry can significantly improve your reach and give you access to an audience that doesn’t follow you.

In fact, 21% of 18 to 54-year-olds have made a purchase solely based on an influencer’s recommendation.

So, five weeks before your launch, find influencers in your niche and ask if they’d like to be affiliates. You should also ask your beta testers if they want to be affiliates.

Pro tip: Give affiliates access to your product so they can give authentic recommendations.

12. Announce the launch of your product to build anticipation

The best time to announce your product is four weeks before your launch date.

When you build anticipation around your launch the month prior, your audience has time to think about your product—and decide if it’s the right product for them.

Here are some examples of building anticipation:

Create a product landing page about the product with a waitlist opt-in form for subscribers to find out more about your launch
Put a banner on your site and social media platforms to hype up your new product
Add an exit-intent email pop-up to collect leads on your site
Create social media posts teasing your launch
Update your social media bios to mention your launch
Send out a series of emails to your subscribers asking them to sign up for a product launch waitlist
Post about your launch on your blog

13. Check-in with your affiliates and kick-start your social media promotion

Around three weeks before your launch, you’ll want to make sure your promoters have everything they need to spread the news about your product, such as:

Imagery
Social media post copy
Email swipe files
Links to your sales page
The correct launch date so they don’t post on the wrong day

Consider adding these promotional materials in a shared online folder so your affiliates can access them as needed.

14. Set up your online store

Spend some time three weeks before your launch gearing up your online storefront.

You can choose from many different ecommerce platforms, including our own ecommerce platform: Kit Commerce.

Kit Commerce makes it easy to grow your email list and sell your products (without the hassle of setting up a complex ecommerce shop).

Here’s how simple it is to sell your products with Kit Commerce.

When logged into Kit, click Earn > Products > + New product.

Fill out the product details (your product’s name, type, and price).

Then, design your product’s landing page and click Publish.

15. Research paid ads

Paid ads can extend your reach and improve sales.

And because you already have media and messaging, assembling a conversion-worthy ad campaign won’t take long.

Decide if you want to run paid ads two weeks before you launch.

Here are some examples of ads you might want to run:

Search engine ads that target people searching for your product (i.e., “meditation ebook”). These people are looking for a solution, and you want your ads to be front and center.
Social media ads that target people on your email list. Your subscribers already know you and will be more likely to buy.
Advertisements in newsletters of influencers in your niche (through direct collaboration). These ads let you reach a highly targeted audience similar to yours.
Display ads on the websites of popular bloggers in your niche (through direct collaboration). Leverage targeted traffic from reputable bloggers in your niche and drive that traffic back to your product page.

16. Make sure your creator flywheel is running smoothly

Check your flywheel the week before your launch and make sure there are no areas of friction.

A flywheel marketing model is a customer-centric approach to attracting, retaining, and delighting customers.

Rather than a traditional funnel, which emphasizes taking people from the top to the bottom (and stops there), flywheels focus on retaining customers and delighting them post-purchase. This helps customers turn into brand fans who will recommend your products to others and keep your business growing.

Polishing your flywheel at this stage is necessary.

Why?

Because not everyone will become a customer the day you launch—and that’s ok. With a flywheel in place, people who don’t buy your products will be more likely to down the road, after you’ve nurtured them through engaging content.

And people who do buy will be more likely to refer your products during your next launch.

17. Test, test, and test again

You made it—the final few days before your launch! A few days before your launch, make sure everything works properly.

Check that your:

Links and buttons work
Forms function
Copy is error-free
Imagery loads
Affiliate links go to your sales page and track clicks
Team is ready to go

Phase #2: Product launch and tasks

Time to launch your product. This phase is much shorter than the pre-launch phase and lasts only one week.

18. Launch your product and make it an event

Think of your launch as an entire week and not just one day.

If you only share your product once, you’ll miss out on people who might not check social media or their emails on that particular day.

Here are some ideas to get you through the week:

Host an informational webinar
Be a guest on a podcast (since podcasts are pre-recorded, make sure your podcast episode goes live during your launch week)
Hop on a live video to chat about your product and answer any questions your audience might have
Create a dedicated community group for people interested in your product to connect and learn more
Highlight testimonials from your beta testers
Share behind-the-scene content (like team introductions) to further connect with your audience

Make note of which initiatives bring the most engagement. Doing so helps you plan future launches.

Phase #3: Product post-launch timeline and tasks

Use your post-launch to reflect on your campaign. Here are some tasks to consider:

19. Analyze your product launch numbers

After closing the cart to your launch, take a step back and analyze your metrics. These numbers tell a story of what went well (and which areas you can improve for the next launch):

Conversion rate: Check the conversion rate of your landing page to see how well your copy converts. To give you an idea, the average landing page conversion rate for creators is around 2%.
ROI: Review your ROI and look for areas that didn’t contribute to a high ROI. See how you can tweak these areas for a higher ROI next launch.
Email click-through rates (CTR): Email metrics like your CTR help you gauge the copy in your emails. A high CTR means your emails are targeted and your copy is on-point. Find emails with low CTRs to improve for next time.

20. Send a follow-up email for testimonials

Use Kit’s automations to send out testimonial requests via email to anyone who purchased your product.

Get the testimonial request automation here

Time your emails to send around the time people will finish up with your offer.

For example, if you sold an ebook, people might finish reading it within a few days. But if you sold a course, your audience may need several weeks to go through it.

Add these testimonials to your landing page as social proof for your next launch.

21. Take all insights and make your product better (5 days)

Your launch metrics tell you what happened during your launch (i.e., 1,000 people viewed your landing page and 30 turned into buyers).

But these numbers don’t explain why something happened. For that insight, review user and customer feedback.

Figure out what you did right—and double down on that for your next launch—and identify weak areas to improve for next time.

A few more product launch-related tips

How to price a new product

Setting a price for the first time is tricky. But there are a few elements to consider to get the price right:

The time and emotional labor invested
Materials, fees, and costs of tools
Competitor and market prices
The client’s perception of the value you are adding to their life or business with your product

And here’s a secret about pricing: It can always change.

Did you unintentionally set it higher than the market will respond to? Provide a discount code to your email subscribers or offer a payment plan.

What if you priced it a bit low? Call it an introductory price and let people know the price will increase during your next launch.

Tools for successfully executing your product launch timeline

Keep yourself—and your team—on the same page at all times with a product management tool. These tools help you create and track tasks, store files and documents, and interact with your team.

Consider:

Secure and protect your hard work

Once you’ve built your product, it’s time to protect it by registering it with your country’s copyright bureau. (You can do that at copyright.gov in the United States.)

Registering your work gives you a better leg to stand on if someone copies it.

Create a successful timeline for a product launch with Kit

Marketing a new product is a big task, but using tools like Kit makes launching a new product easy.

And following our product launch timeline ensures your launch goes off without a hitch.

Share your next big idea with Kit Commerce— get started for free today!

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As a creator, you deserve to get paid for your work. Kit Commerce is ready-made to help you sell digital products.

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Dana Nicole

Dana is a freelance writer who works closely with B2B SaaS brands to create content people enjoy reading. When she’s not working, you’ll find her sipping on a warm cup of tea and reading a good book (the scarier, the better). See what she’s up to at www.dananicoledesigns.com (Read more by Dana)