How To Launch Your Startup

How To Launch Your Startup or Business | In this video, I go over the 3 types of "Launches" and how to use each to build upon the previous to grow out your media outreach. Launching your startup is probably one of the most important things to get right so you get as much momentum going in the beginning and have as many people as possible show up to use your product or service.

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Twitter: @danmartell

[danmartell]

Are you launching a startup? Tell me about it below...

[aster]

I absolutely love the idea of a soft opening to get feedback and to build confidence in the service and process offered 👍 thanks for the great advice

[llamamama]

Finally found someone that knows what they're talking about-wish there was more! I'm a small biz launching a maternity skin care line in Sept. and need to generate some "buzz". Wish me luck.

[corysivell]

Love the idea of soft launch to get feedback. I think going for the big launch sounds sexy but can cause more challenges than benefits. Thanks for sharing those insights :)

[freakyfe]

Awesome video ... Great great advice!!! Soft launch followed by main launch. Before main launch, get investors, and then story with news about partnerships and company investment or human interest story!!! That's amazing. Love it!!

[annezdesahntis]

Thank you, brilliant advice. The answer I was looking for.

[ericjonespga]

My Highlights: How To Launch Your Startup
1. Soft Launch = Get a few early adopters to buy the product using minimal fanfare and existing assets (like email list, groups, crowdfunding, etc.) that have shown interest. Good time to test the purchase process, as well as the on-boarding process, and fix issues before a major launch.
could mean the distribution model, business model or the solution itself
2. News sources = 2 typical sources are major Biz: product announcements, fundraising, partnerships, etc. Second is human interest story, detailing the impact. Origin story (from founder), or customer success story.
Seven-step framework for starting a company:
1. Call it a project
2. Give it a name
3. Sell something
4. Convince someone else to join
5. Set a goal that will inspire you
6. Live 6 months into the future
7. Fall in love with the problem, not your solution
Takeaways: If you have a new product to launch, start small and work your way up to a big launch. A soft launch to a small number of customers will help you validate your solution, as well as work out the kinks in the product, the purchase process, onboarding, and customer service. If you have to pivot because of what you learn through a soft launch, it won't be as dramatic or expensive as it would be after a major launch.

[LynnFinancial]

awesome tips, thank you Dan! Soft launch is a natural fit for me because I am not ready for the real launch. Works well with your video of not keeping the business idea a secret.

[mslikenootha]

This is awesome I’m doing a soft launch pilot program for an after school program in a week and need to know how I should be prepared 🤨

[hamiltonmascioli]

Great takeaway regarding finding your product/business/customer story to leverage press.

[scottthompson]

Is there a blueprint for this that you can recommend?

[Tarrzn]

Thanks a lot Dan, this was very helpful and I've taken tons of notes. Can't wait to check out more of your videos.

[LydiaSugarman]

Watched this late last night and again this morning. We are just releasing PersonalHealthCloud.com next week to about 20 friends to set up accounts and come back with comments, recommendations, and criticisms. We were giving ourselves a couple weeks to implement the ones that make sense right now before releasing a "private" Beta. 

I'm so grateful to get your advice on the slow, measured rollout. As much as anything else, it alleviated a lot of my stress and performance anxiety!

[AndrisMerkulovs]

Wau, 2015? In comparison with today's videos, a ton has improved. Most importantly the quality of the content is always high!

[sureshram]

Hi Dan, amazing info. I am sure your insights will be very helpful to my new startup ! Thanks again.

[gregoryhorne]

A newsworthy soft-launch approach to launching a product or service sounds similar to the minimal viable product (MVP) followed by the public release after refinement based upon feedback from the MVP early adopters. Are there any fundamental differences or two sides of the same coin?

[RaymonvanderVelde]

Morning Dan, Thanks for the video! Interestingly this is something i'm right in the middle of with my company, so great timing!

Question:
I've raised my seed in early Dec '14 and currently building the final version of my corporate website to replace the temp site. Can I wait till end of January to finish my website and then do a press release on the funding or will I loose news worthiness.

Comment:
I believe adding simple text to the video will allow your message to resonate longer with your audience. Not constantly but e.g. when introducing a concept "soft launch" or key points etc. 

Till next week!

[qimag]

Dan. We have a prototype. 100 companies have seen it, but no sales are closed. We don´t have funds to build a real commercial product. Recommendations?

[shanvi]

Thank you sir, I just love it. But if you could break those thing into point that would be easier for us.