First Impressions: Great Results Take Great Effort
Making the decision to launch a product, brand or business can be a monumental task… and then the real work begins. If you have high expectations around the impression your new business or brand will make, you absolutely need to devote the time and energy required to ensure your story is clear, your product is solid, and your strategy is sound. You may have been living in “launch mode” for what feels like an eternity, but the rest of the world has no idea who you are or what you do. This is your one shot to make your first, best impression.
I recently collaborated with JonesHaus on the re-brand and web launch for Amanda Jewel Floral + Design. This labor of love for owner/founder Amanda Lankford is the result of dedicating the time and effort necessary to make a first, best impression. Months of planning, writing, and designing led up to this beautiful showcase of stunning artistry and breathtaking photography, while holding each other accountable to meet budgets and hit timelines.
A Life-Changing Experience
Working on a launch is one of the most exhilarating experiences you can have in your career. Those of you who have spent any time in this area can relate when you hear about a launch, re-launch or re-brand being compared to giving birth. It’s not necessarily the actual physical pain you hear about, but the planning, the excitement, the exhaustion, and the emotional tidal wave are definitely on par with such a life-altering event.
When the pressure is on and there are high expectations for a new launch, the temptation looms large for endless iterations and last-minute changes. While staying nimble in business is admirable, keeping your strategy in your back pocket is always a safe bet. Just like giving birth, once the process starts, you better have a plan.
Patience is a Virtue
Benjamin Franklin said, “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” Many companies are often impatient for a new launch, and skim the surface of the many moving parts and pieces that make up a launch. What is intended to circumvent a potentially slow-moving process could end up short-circuiting long term success instead. Whether your organization is a brand new start-up or a legacy enterprise, a bit of patience and planning will bring great value to what feels like a speeding bullet train.
If you find the terms “strategy” or “planning” are offensive to your group or induce eye rolls, simply call them something else. The truth is, strategy is purely a roadmap, a game plan, a checklist for sanity (yours and those around you). Without a plan, frustration takes center stage and your path to success will never really be clear.
Helpful Hints
While there is no official “oracle of the launch” who will guarantee success, putting a plan in place to help navigate the gauntlet of launch surprises is never a bad idea. Why not stack the deck in your favor? For the launch of Amanda Jewel Floral + Design, we followed our own advice and the results speak for themselves:
1. Share the Vision
An extraordinary vision does no one any good if it’s locked in someone’s head or lost on a scrap piece of paper somewhere. When the vision for a launch isn’t published, shared or communicated, there can’t be an expectation of action. This inevitably results in finger-pointing and fur flying. When your whole team shares the vision, they also share the drive to bring that vision to life.
2. Stick to the Plan
There is merit in the idea that your first impulse or plan is the best one, so stick to your guns and let your voice be heard. While everyone wants to be celebrated as nimble and opportunistic, saying “no” is sometimes necessary for the greater good. Likely your original play or strategy was based on good insights and strong business imperatives. Bringing the group back to the original plan or strategy helps to prioritize the activities and the workload of the entire organization.
3. Ask for Help Know your limits and know your capabilities. As my great Aunt Millie used to say, “You wouldn’t give yourself a root canal, would you?” Yet another benefit of sharing the vision and strategy is the opportunity to map out the activities leading up to the launch, identify the potential gaps, and plug the holes. This is your chance to cover your bases with competencies and specialized skill sets you might need to outsource or get additional support for.
4. Hold Each Other Accountable
Check in with the team early and often. Don’t wait until the final hour to poke holes and change the plan. By holding regularly scheduled meetings focused on checkpoints and milestones, you are setting clear expectations of each person’s responsibilities. Once you’re aligned on the launch vision and timeframe, support each other in the deliverables and challenge each other when they are missed.
5. Stress Test the Story The number of different ways your launch will be experienced is enough to make your head spin. Extensive though the list may be, it’s critical that all of the touchpoints are finalized, proofed and critiqued before you unveil your launch to the world. Begin sharing internally before introducing it to the world at large. Your colleagues, employees and team members are your brand’s most important ambassadors. Once you’re comfortable that your internal team and a few select friends and advisors can authentically share the launch story, you’re ready to share openly.