Is Your Offer Ready to Launch? 4 Ways to Validate Before You Go Live
The big question: Is your offer actually ready to launch?
Here’s the thing – you may never feel 100% ready. And the truth is, you shouldn’t wait till your offer’s perfect to launch… or you might never do it.
But you should have some sense of whether your idea has legs. A little clarity and evidence can make the difference between launching with panic and launching with confidence.
Why Validation Matters Before You Launch
Jumping into a launch blind is risky. Not only does it feel scary, but it also makes it nearly impossible to set realistic expectations. And that can lead to wasted time, energy, and emotional bandwidth you definitely don’t have to spare.
You might think people want what you’re selling – but do you have any actual proof? As the saying goes, when you assume…
So, ask yourself:
Do I have any evidence that this launch will be successful?
Are my expectations grounded in reality?
Do I know for usre my audience wants this offer?
If you’re creating a brand new offer, have never launched before, or haven’t seen any clear signs of interest yet, validation becomes even more important. It gives you data, direction and confidence – long before you hit “post” on your launch announcements.
So… how do you know your offer is truly ready?
Four Steps to Validate Your Offer Before You Launch
Before you launch, you want to make sure your offer is actually something people want – and the best way to do that is to validate it. This helps you gather real evidence so you can make confident decisions before you invest a ton of time and energy.
Your goal here is to create a minimally viable offer – the simplest, most basic version of what you’re putting out in the world. This doesn’t mean low quality. It means you’re not wasting time and energy creating an entire course with multiple modules and hour-long lessons before you know for sure there’s interest.
Once you know you have interest – you’ve validated your idea and confirmed people want it – then you can create your full, best-version offer.
Step 1 – Do Initial Research & Gauge Interest
To make sure there is actually interest in your offer, start with a little research. Look at competitors and similar offers. Dig through reviews and comments in search of patterns in your audience’s pain points and desires. Are people actively looking for the solution you’re about to provide?
Next, test interest directly with a simple waitlist or interest form. Keep it simple and easy for people to say yes. A quick Typeform or Google Form works perfectly.
If no one joins the waitlist or shows interest, it doesn’t necessarily mean your offer is bad. But you may want to tweak something – your offer itself, the messaging, your audience, or how they’re all connected. Ask yourself: Am I reaching the right people with the right offer… and talking about it in the right way?
Step 2 – Use Pre-Launch Teasers
Start dropping hints about your upcoming program before you actually announce it. Share small teasers in your newsletters, social media posts, or email. When you tease your offer in pre-launch, it gives you a chance to test messaging, see which benefits resonate with your audience, and make adjustments before your official launch.
You might share a tip that relates to your offer, small teaching moments, behind-the-scenes photos, or quick stories that hint at what’s to come. Pay attention to what gets engagement and what type of response you get, and gather feedback from your audience. Are people excited and asking questions? Or are you hearing crickets? Both are data.
Step 3 – Create a Minimal Email + Sales Sequence
To further test your offer, build a simple sales flow. This can be a short email sequence that educates your audience, teases the offer, and directs people to a basic sales page. Don’t bother with a full-blown, long-form sales page until you know what resonates. You don’t need a polished 12-email sequence yet either.
Start small and see what works. Then build out your funnel from there.
Step 4 – Offer Founding Member Perks
Now’s the time for beta testing, early access, and founding member perks. When you offer a discount, bonus, or extra support to your first students, members, or clients, you’ll make it more enticing for people to say yes early.
Not only does this help you validate demand, but it also gives you invaluable social proof, feedback, and testimonials you can use to promote your offer as you move into a full-scale launch.
Keep your perks simple (just like the first version of the offer itself), but make sure they’re meanginful enough to make people feel special, valued, and excited to join.
Conclusion
Validating your offer before you launch sets you up for success. You’ll go into your launch with realistic expectations, more confidence, and less stress, knowing there’s interest in your offer. And that clarity gives you a stronger foundation to present, refine, and grow your offer.
By taking these steps to validate your offer, you’ll launch smarter, not harder.
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