Gotta make this quick because we're already into the GPS program and my coaching students are chomping at the bit to bust through another constraint...
But I wanted to point something out regarding my latest launch...something I never saw coming, but you could certainly learn from.
You see, my launch model is very simple. It's all based around the free report loaded with solid, actionable content. This is the foundation of my business, going all the way back to the Manifesto. And I wasn't about to deviate from that tried-and-true process.
So I went down the same road again. Only this time, we decided to toss another element into the mix--the 24 hour tele-webcast to promote the report release.
Now, I have to admit: I'm not terribly comfortable on camera. When it comes to writing or speaking them through a phone line, I have no problem. But when the cameras roll, I get a little antsy.
So needless to say, this was a HUGE step for me. I was going to be exposed to the public for 24 hours straight. And who knows what was going to transpire.
But then, something interesting happened...
We got WAY more viewers than we ever thought we would--averaging around 1000 at any given moment (even during the dead of night). And they just kept on comin'.
The video shot straight up to Ustream's #1 position (beating McCain's video), the live chat session was rolling by faster than I could read it, and I was inundated with questions.
However, they weren't necessarily questions about the report. They were all over the map. And that confused me a little.
Because this broadcast was supposed to revolve around "The Uncertainty Syndrome: Entrepreneur's Emergency". We release it, people read it, then they ask me questions about it.
But we quickly saw that the broadcast was actually overshadowing the release. Yes, people were downloading the report, but not taking the time to read it thoroughly at that moment
They were more interested in having direct, one-on-one access to me via live webcast and getting their specific questions answered.
Whoops.
Of course, we seized the opportunity and ran with it. I answered every question you could possibly throw at me over the next 24 (actually 26 hours) and generated a gigantic wave of positive feedback.
And every few minutes, I prompted viewers to download and read my new report.
So what's the takeaway here?
Simple. This is the perfect example of Silver Bullet #1 from "The Uncertainty Syndrome: Entrepreneur's Emergency"...
It says, "Do it wrong fast, because action creates clarity." And in this case, it was clear as a bell--the broadcast was the star of the moment here. And we needed to capitalize on it.
Now, that's not to say the report didn't do as it was supposed to. Backed by the broadcast and our affiliates, it caught fire within the next 24 hours and was downloaded nearly 30,000 times.
But there's a lesson to be learned here...
Sometimes the best laid plans don't turn out exactly like you think they will, and you need to adjust on the fly. This is how successful businesses work.
So don't get caught up in following a set-in-stone plan, no matter what happens. Because opportunity may rise up from out of nowhere and stare you right in the face.
And when it does, you need to be ready to grab it by the throat and squeeze as hard as you can.
Got it?
Great--now back to my coaching students. I got some REALLY cool stuff in store for them today...
To Higher Profits,
Rich
P.S. Follow my lead here and set up your own web broadcast to promote your business.
It's much easier than you think. All you need is a decent webcam and a free online service like Ustream, and you're good to go.
Promote the broadcast using social media outlets in your niche, like blogs and forums. And don't forget places like Twitter and Facebook, where thousands of your potential customers hang out.
You'd be surprised how many people will show up. We certainly were.
Link to this post: If you found this page useful, consider linking to Lessons From A Launch: I Got It Wrong–FAST! ...
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Nice tips Rich. I remember it when I ready to launch my product
Thanks Rich - very timely feedback for me too - my wife’s pre-launch hot yoga “Report” is about to go out and I was thinking about linking it to a free teleseminar/webinar to deepen what’s in the report … now, based on your experience it looks like I’ll have to!
Cheers,
Robert
Rich,
I’ve never felt comfortable on camera either, although I’m very happy speaking to a group of any size in person.
I’m taking the first step and launching a series of short videos in the next few days. Just don’t make me watch myself!!
Grabbing opportunity by the throat and adjusting on the fly. This is what military life is like Rich. I have been in the military for over 9 years now. That is the story of those nine years. I think I will adjust fine to the business online world. I like the stress just not being away from my family…… it is amazing what people learn in different situations.
Hi Rich-
I’m not sure grabbing opportunity by the throat and squeezing as hard as you can would give you the desired result. Wouldn’t that kill the opportunity? Sorry. I couldn’t resist I’m a non-violent person. Sometimes you macho marketers get carried away in your manly metaphors.
I do understand what you were saying, and as usual, it’s brilliant. I love your brain. And I also love your generousity in giving people information that can help them succeed. That’s why everyone wanted to talk to you, and why people rush to sign up for your programs.
Blessings,
Bonnie
Great tips Rich!
I must say your eBook “The Uncertainty Syndrome” was awesome! You should be charging for content like that! Keep it up!
Hi Rich,
I am grateful to you for sharing so much useful information, and for free! Most want to charge an arm and a leg for info thats of little use.
Sorry I missed out on the actual event, but as usual you give everyone a chance to learn something new and make aplication of it in thier business, kindest regards Pete {:>)
Rich- you didn’t call your company STRATEGIC Profits for nothing! Create & adjust is the momentum model of Ready,Fire Aim- your comments are living proof it works.
I’m not a big TV watcher so I must have missed the cultural clue about Martha Stewart, but you had me thinking you were going to give us a ‘recipe’ for dealing with Uncertainty, or maybe you were had some ‘insider secrets’ to share…in a way I guess you did!
Hi Rich,
I watched most of that broadcast, and I found it very difficult to keep my attention on the report when I knew that you might answer a question that could possibly clear up some of my confusion. Instead I read the report during the breaks, and finished it after the broadcast.
It was incredible watching everything and especially the attention of the public to what you were doing.
My only question is what are you going to do to top this one off?
Michael Blaes
g,day Rich, ive been stuffing up for years, SO why aint a millionaire yet??????? is it the audiance? WHAT!,, YOU HAVE TO DO IT IN PUBLIC?????? interesting thats my constraint im camera SHY oh well back to mediocrety thanks again ,,,,garry from ozz
Rich,
I’m sure you did a magnificent job helping those with questions.
I have a degree in psychology, but it would blow me away to endure that long.
Your analysis of problems is right, however my problem lies in getting the various aspects of the system to do what I need. That is, without it costing me two arms and legs.
Oh, I was so supprised again, You also coach for Jim Edward, I know him also very well, I assisted his product 7days and post own my writing him as promotion and test them. I also had my own ID, I encountered pc crash 4 times and gone it out, I seek for my own for pay it out.
It is easy way to writing work.
He also had aging and smart face became the fat father,
I felt a little shock for my colleague, I was students as same University of Jim, Temple University, but I never met before he suddenly came and sent me the direct contact letter around
the year 2000, I award of that your gene share with me ,
I also be have recuite experienced England CEO panache corporation and I also have experience work at Auther Andersen and I know one consultant profession in there,
His name is Mr. Suetake who was one of the member belong to the System daynamics org in NY albany.Edu .
And testing the system bug etc.
Hello Norico, Are you Norico Andersen from Toronto, Canada?
If so: this is Olga - we met at our Friend Home at Young St. and Davisville Avenue in Toronto. Remember?
I am very happy to see you here. Good Luck and God Bless.
Hi Rich
It is incredible when one door closes another one opens - kind of smacking you in the face as it opens.
Like your video telecast - I did enjoy watching it for awhile.
I am like you - like talking on the phone and love writing. Put me in a group and I am comfortable - in front of a camera, oh boy…nerves start kicking in.
Your reports are awesome and I have printed them both. They are now a permanent fixture in my office along with material from other people such as Clayton Makepeace and Dale Carnegie.
Media is amazing, videos and interactive forums etc are now setting the world on fire. Gone are the days when you weren’t sure you were talking to a real person. Now you get to meet the other person from the other side of the world.
Since reading the “The Uncertainty Syndrome: Entrepreneur’s Emergency”…my life has changed!
Silver Bullet #1
says, “Do it wrong fast, because action creates clarity.”
Something I have always been interested and passionate about is marketing and public relations.
So I took a gamble, started a website and am amazed at the response of people! Within 4 weeks without trying to get
big results - I somehow fell into the top ten listings of Google.
We are consistently at 2 - 4 places out of 300,000,000.
Not bad going for a site I started out of an interest
Anyways, I shall be listing you as a resource you can count on that!
Congratulations and keep up the great work!
Sue in Aus
http://www.marketingforlife.com.au
We never know how the public will react to what we do. The most important thing is to go with the flow downstream with the response, rather than pretend to be salmon and try to force ourselves upstream.
I could see and feel some of your frustration.
Oh, well another lesson learned.
Thank you for sharing this…
Bill
Hi Rich,
I only had time to briefly watch your show as I was at work when it was firing along, and then not near a computer afterwards.
However, it was a very cool experience to participate in, AND, gave me a live example of how I could help my clients do this sort of thing for their businesses as well (I’m a search engine marketing consultant, specialising in Google AdWords).
It was pretty brave putting yourself out there in front of all your clients & fans like that - it could have easily turned ugly, but you handled it with class & style, so congrats to you for taking the risk. I’d say it did a darn fine job of strengthening your bond with your client & fan base.
Now, I just need to make time to finish reading the report myself. It’s been a madhouse lately, and it just keeps getting pushed down the list, but no more! I will tackle it by the end of next week.
Great question by Michael B: How on earth are you going to top this one!?!?!??!?!
Eran in Australia.
First: SeanB - Thank you for putting your life on the line for our freedom & security!!
Rich,
Again you’ve given me a nugget! With 19 yrs of Project Management under my belt, I completely agree you MUST NOT cast anything in stone. Coming from an old salty PM may surprise some, but being able to adapt is what allows a business to thrive…
Cheers,
Ross
Love your decision-making on the run abilities Rich. Recognising and responding to extra opportunies certainly can pay dividends but can drop you in the smelly stuff too, with lots of ‘potential’ and not much completion.
Now as for your challenge -do your own webcast - its coming up real soon. We’ll be focusing on digital leverage for coaches - including case studies of how the great coaches use leverage. No anyone I should feature? Wink wink.
Or perhaps I should ask, do you …
KNOW anyone I should feature?
Hey Rich,
when i,m here i always know it will be the best ,
and i,m never dissapointed it is always better than
than the best ,and i still wish i was in the the GPS program
but it wasen,t because i was holding off to see what the economy
would do,and it diden,t surprise me for you to beat McCain there was no question,incredible performance,Talk Soon*
Rich,
Great insight on how to avoid the wrong launch strategy.
Thanks a bunch for the insight Rich..
Mike in Las Vegas
Great advice, Rich.
Not everyone can change on a dime.
Knowing that you learned from the experience and
shared the information with us makes it even more sweet.
Keep up the good work! Many eyes are on you to
continue to lead the way to our financial freedom.
Cynthia,
Stay In Biz Coach
Hi Rich
It was interesting to hear you are a bit camera shy. I have to say a live 24 hour broadcast is one way to break through this.
I caught some of the broadcast you did and found it was the novelty value that attracted me. It is not everyday that someone of your stature shows up live like that.
Thanks for your insights. Now I have to do as you did and overcome my reluctance to get on cam.
cheers
Rob
Hey Rich, I think you moddled another constraint buster with outeven thinking about it. sence and respond to tneeds of your market. You realised that people wanted more of you, and then you gave it to them. I think that’s sing that we could all learn from.
Thanks for the exampl please keep itcommg.
God bless,Teresa Blaes
Thanks rich. You are just great.
Rich and SP Team,
I want to take a minute to respond to the importance behind this post I just read and tell my story in complete agreement.
“Do it wrong; Fast!”
I’ve been in this industry roaming and learning for a little more than 3 years. In those 3 years, it wasn’t until last January that I took Action and did something.
That something was sitting down and writing an entry to a contest that Rich was having here on his blog to win a VIP ticket to Orlando for his “New Beginnings” seminar.
I haven’t always been a believer of The Law of Attraction…but today I can’t even deny it. I won the grand-prize of Rich’s contest. This was the first step of action that started bringing crazy things into my life.
During that seminar I was able to meet hundreds of determined entrepreneurs and business owners who I became friends with. I was able to meet 11 of the most successful business experts in their respective fields and talk to them in person.
That week I spent in Orlando made everything “real” for me. I knew that this wasn’t just some hobby I liked to learn and read about….but that this confirmed that I was meant to be doing this.
After that event, I joined a mobile marketing company and was able to grow the company from 5 to 25 workers, and was able to achieve a Google PR of 3 in less than 4 weeks. I was able to test different forms of promotion and SEO and saw what worked….but more importantly, what did NOT work.
You see, being able to determine why we would had problems and why certain strategies didn’t work completely changed how I looked at business systems. It didn’t matter that something worked…to me it only mattered what didn’t work and getting to the bottom of WHY it didn’t work.
I eventually left this company because of disagreements with the CEO and his style of advertising. I simply knew that he was making wrong moves and wouldn’t listen to me.
I spent the next 3 months going over everything that I had learned from Rich’s event, re-reading all of his reports and watching clips from him, Frank Kern, Jeff Walker, John Carlton, etc…
When I was in Orlando, Rich took me aside and told me that all of this might take a few months to sink in since I’m so young and new to everything.
He was right…it did take a a little while to sink in, and now my entire life is changing quickly.
In August, I partnered with my best friend to create a video blog dedicated to teaching people how to trade currency on the Forex.
This is a huge market similar to the “business opportunity” market. There’s a lot of bullshit in it, and we had to work through all the misconceptions.
We started Sept. 3rd and in the first month we recorded 600,000 hits and had a 1 month Alexa rank average of 184,000. We started accepting registration last week for a members-only continuity program and are already up to 50 members.
The most amazing part of all of it, is that we started with absolutely zero capital and after one month are already making a few thousand monthly.
We also had no design or programming skill whatsoever. I didn’t hire someone to take care of design and programming until 2 weeks ago. We had our original sales page on a tab in our blog and DIDN’T even promote it…and it STILL converted!
So…what I’m trying to say in this long ramble is that it really doesn’t matter if you don’t have all the resources or contacts to launch a product. We had nothing except good content.
Many people, me included for a long time, think that we have to make our product beautiful or have Rich’s design team on board before we can launch a successful product/business and that’s simply not true.
We did everything wrong in our launch and it still worked. Now, we can see exactly what went wrong and WHY, and fix everything to be REALLY successful when we re-launch the service in the future.
One More example….
For part of our service, we have 3 live analysis sessions a day with our members during the trading week. Now..we decided to use Camtasia as we always have with our videos, but broadcast them through Ustream.
Unfortunately as we found out…Ustream is not meant to broadcast fine-quality video of our Currency Charts simultaneously to different parts of the world.
The first 3 broadcasts were terrible. The video and audio were impossible to learn from. I didn’t sleep for 2 days trying to find a better solution and was kicking myself for not testing everything further.
What happened as a result is that we were finally able to find http://www.GoToWebinar.com and now, our broadcasts surpass what we thought was possible.
We have crystal clear video and audio, and now, we have the options of letting our members ask questions with their Mic if we call on them, and also give them the ability of showing their own screen during the conference and show us breakthrough they found on their own charts.
So…that one problem actually made our business BETTER and our members HAPPIER. We’ve had a lot of clients email and call in and tell us not to worry about the early technical problems and that now everything is perfect and they’re really excited!
So I definitely agree with this philosophy of doing it wrong as fast as you can. It’s your ability to correct those problems as quickly as possibly; that is what is going to make you and your ventures successful.
Things are going to happen on the fly, plans aren’t always going to be executed perfectly, and the market can change at any moment.
Once you get used to adapting to those situations and identifying your constraints as Rich says in his latest report, that is when you’re going to experience explosive growth.
Thanks to this entire philosophy, I’m actually experiencing this right now. A year ago, I never would have imagined it was possible; now, my partner and I are looking for an office to open in Athens, Greece!
I encourage anybody reading this post to really study not only Rich’s blog, but also his whole business process.
The way him and his team write their emails; the way they tell stories in their marketing; the pre-launch of their programs; the kinds of partnerships he develops with others’ in the industry; and on and on…
Let Rich influence you as much as possible, because this stuff really works. In the past 12 months of reading Rich’s stuff, my entire life has literally changed.
…and it all started with making mistakes as quickly as possible!
Thanks again for everything Rich!
-Dan Ricci
As Usual Rich you are my go to when I need to research something that will either propel, or derail my efforts.
Once again after taking a play out of your playbook, I score a touchdown of my own. (You can see here http://www.givemegreatcredit.com whether I am comfortable in FRONT of a camera) LOL
I shot and directed my own video for Credit Control today and had it on my website in about 45 min start to finish. It was fun, and easy to do. The best part is it has played BRILLIANTLY according to the response I am getting so far. (With the possible exception of my Mother who noticed I have gained weight)
I could not possibly concur more with the take action first ask questions later system. The #1 killer of progress toward any goal has to be inaction. In other words YOU CAN FAIL YOUR WAY TO SUCCESS!! Lucky for me eh?
GOD Speed, And GOD Bless
Wayne Altman
http://www.givemegreatcredit.com
Thank you, Rich, for your excellent leadership in being willing to step out ahead of us, your peeps, snd bestow guidance upon us.
Yup, I said it; the “g” woid! As a newbie, I have have been the recipient of AT LEAST twice as much hype as guidance and it has left me confused, at best. I also truly appreciate you acknowledging that action = clarity. It may seem like a “no brainer” but as a newbie, I often need permission to proceed in a forward direction because, due to all the hype, I have actually lost confidence in my ability to make good, effective, and cost-effective decisions.
Now, please go back to creating more wisdom to impart to us.
Respectfully,
Arieljoy
Hi Rich,
The GPS program seemed intriguing… it’s just not something I can do right now. But your comment about getting things wrong fast, then fixing them later echoes what I’ve gotten from many gurus whom I respect. I look forward to your next launch (and hopefully I’ll be able to participate in that one!)
Kind Regards,
Marc
Sexual Power Tools
Hi Rich,
Thanks again for sharing that insight. I was listening in for hours on that call-in and saw how the conversation went all over the place. Being flexible and addressing what the customer wants, not what you want, was a great take away for me.
Stewart
Thank you very much, it was more than useful!
Best regards:Gabor
Rich,
“Do it wrong fast–action creates clarity”. A huge constraint of mine-putting off making a decision and not having the confidence to make a mistake. Thanks Rich–Keep it coming–We’re listening.
Hi Rich,
Thank you for all the great information that you give us! I’ve always been terrified of public speaking and have never been on camera but on Wed night a friend of mine shot a video of me interviewing a very successful friend of mine that I will be putting on my website for the world to see.
Once I actually started doing it, it wasn’t hard at all and it felt good.
As Mike Litman always says, “You Don’t have to get it right, you just have to get it going”
Have a great day Rich!
Robert Garcia
Thanks Rich,
I was very impressed. Keep up the good work.
Alice
Remember, we are thinking of you at http://www.thinkingofyouinc.com.
Hi Rich - so true at every stage of our business. The faster we can put a plan into action AND the more we build feedback into the process the quicker we’ll find the golden nuggets.
Overcoming fear of criticism, screwing up and feedback is the biggest obstacle for most people - but when you change your mind toward thinking that feedback is the LIFEBLOOD of your business, you begin to automatically take action just to progress.
Jeff
Hi Rich,
You are out on the point leading the way, that’s leadership. I have just got the business up running.
Have a good day,
Harold
Hi Rich,
Very interesting insight, great tips to build up buzz to your free report.
But I’ll prefer to stick with making money from ‘below the radar’ investments. Its safer, less time consuming, requires less work and everyone can make money consistently.
Online business is for folks who want to run a business and its not for me …ok , I’ll stick with affiliate marketing, not creating and releasing products with all the support that goes with it.
That requires team effort with different talent ….98% fail because they try to do it on their own or don’t get a good team.
Hi Rich,
Perhaps you could have stated reading the report is a prerequisite to watching the broadcast and emphasize the limited focus of the broadcast so that it makes the proceedings a lot more easier and understandable? (otherwise blackout the non-readers…just kidding)
Rich,
What a great take away and suggestion to use video broadcasting.
I am currently running a Blog Talk Radio program and its’ starting to gain
traction. Here is my last show: http://snipurl.com/im-today
I think video is great and I was one of the thousands who stayed with you, mesmerized that someone of your stature would broadcast coherent, helpful content for 26 hours!
Not only was that broadcast memorable and historical, but it showed that when you have quality content, especially in video format, people show up.
Bravo, to you and your team, I plan on being a client and not a bystander soon.
Anthony Whyms
Moving4ward Marketing
Sounds like you got it right Rich.
The excitement and energy of live, real time events are profoundly powerful opportunities to connect and who cares so much about the upcoming election, when you can recession-proof your business anyway?
thank my dear
i fell you are nice fells and ican deal with you and understand me
please do the realtionshipe between is power
Thanks again, Rich, for a great insight! This is one I will remember!
You do have a way of making difficult things seem so easy!
Good stuff Rich,
That’s something every entrepreneur needs to reminded of on a daily basis.
It’s easy to get caught up thinking everything has to be all lined up a certain way, but the reality is, life, more often than not, doesn’t all line up the way we expect.
Adaptability is a skill every entrepreneur should continually develop and expand upon.
-Jeff
————–
Roofing Dallas
Get the Dallas Roofing Experts on your side!
Dear Rich and readers.
Four years ago I was temporarily paralized from my shoulders to my feet. I also lost internal and external body sensitivity.
Before the sporting accident I wanted to start an online business.
Obviously, it had to be put off until I regained my life and especially the use of my hands.
I’m English, and have lived in Barcelona for 13 years.
I managed to get my product together - it turned out to be a rehabilitation program for sufferers of carpal tunnel syndrome available in English and Spanish.
After reading Rich’s Maven Matrix I completely changed my thinking towards my business management.
In September I made THE enormous psychological leap. After months of hard work with not one single sale I started to apply Rich’s techniques. My first customer was a therapist in Argentina and she bought my program for her patients! How credible is that!
Now it’s not easy to sell health products.
People really need to trust you first.
However, the sale seemed a brease. She strolled in. Furthermore, my product wasn’t available as I was concentrating on giving out great free content to gain trust and credibility.
She simply wrote to me saying she liked my stuff and wanted to buy my product. Viola!
That happened several times with other customers whilst my product was not available for the general public. I was busy building trust.
When I made my product available I made repeated sales in the first day and proved the business has a future. I’ve now got a whole community if over 1000 people who like reading and watching my communications.
Since then I’ve applied Rich’s techniques in my day time job in the distribution of polymers here is Spain. The plan was the same. I gave out good free stuff and BANG 150 leads in 3 weeks from the spanish polypropylene market. Including major petrochemical companies. I’ve created a real buzz and will soon be following up with some really cool products we know are useful for our customers.
I’m not here to plug my own websites - they’re is spanish anyway.
Neither am I here to have a day job for someone else for the rest of my life. That’s changing!
I’m just here to say THANKS RICH. You said you were enthusiastic about reading about the success of applying the knowledge of the Maven Matrix - well here you go.
Now, i’d like to here from you as I will be buying one of your monthly coaching programs in order to hopefully one day give up my day time job.
For anyone else reading
Keep the faith. This works,
and with practise it really works!
Hope you enjoyed my little story!
All the best
Blake Schofield
+34 628.233.393