Pre-Launch Checklist for Startups

by Startacus Admin

Getting ready to launch your startup? This pre-launch checklist will make sure that you're ready and help you get it right

More startups fail than succeed, and in the vast majority of cases, failure is down to a lack of preparation. No matter how good your idea, failing to have everything in place pre-launch is a surefire way to ensure that you will limit your potential. The good news is that getting everything ready before launch day is a lot easier than you might think. The key is to have a prepped checklist that you can tick off as you go. Set your timetable as you countdown to launch, and don’t move too quickly. If you’re getting ready to launch, here’s the pre-launch checklist that will make success far more likely.

The Perfect Product

It’s easy to get swept in constantly fine-tuning your product. Unfortunately, the perfect product is unlikely to exist (except in very rare cases). It can become a huge time waste to spend hours every day making your product better. The best strategy here is to create an MVP (minimum viable product) that you can release to your test audience. Take the most consistent and important feature suggestions from them and move on to your next task. Once you've launched, you can continue to fine-tune your product.

Have a Professional Website

Have you ever seen a startup start to market their launch, but when you click on their website, there are still pages with ‘under construction’ notices? This is one of the fastest easy to show a lack of professionalism. Under-designed websites (or over-designed ones) can be lethal for a startup, and it can be hard to get the balance right. In most cases, using a local Birmingham web design company will ensure that you make the right online impact long before you launch. That will make it easier to spread the word about your launch while ensuring that you look as professional as possible.

Building Email Lists

Your startup will succeed or fail based on your marketing strategies. There are plenty of digital and traditional marketing strategies that you can utilise, but emails are the option that startups should focus on for their primary efforts. That’s because lean startups will have limited budgets, and email communication is proven to have the best marketing ROI. While content and social media marketing strategies will also need to be a focus, growing your email list should be a priority long before your product is available to buy. Use your email communications to build hype and highlight pain point resolution,

Watch for Trends

A new viral trend can be transformative for businesses. Consider how the stock price of Zoom exploded in 2020. Keeping a closer eye on emerging trends and sudden social shifts is a high-value way to ensure that you stay ahead of what consumers demand. It’s easier than ever to make sure that you're not taken by surprise by a fresh new trend. Follow startup thought leaders on Twitter and LinkedIn, subscribe to relevant newsletters, and set up news alerts for your industry keywords. Take the time to understand how to use Google’s Consumer Barometer, and you’ll never be taken by surprise.

Startups can be a risk. No matter how much trust you have in your idea or your product, it’s a failure to prep that will hinder your potential the most. Utilise a pre-launch checklist, and you’ll be in a much more secure position.

 

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Published on: 8th February 2021