Launch Distribution Channels

Ever been handed a million-dollar launch target you know you can't hit?

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I’ve got a template that I use often for product launches.

It’s not really a template — more like a rough calculator.

The purpose is to estimate the potential reach and revenue from a launch given the marketing channels we have available, and plan to use.

I don’t use it to create any sort of deliverable — it’s mainly a tool I use to ground myself (and others) in reality.

What I’ve found in past launches, and those of the PMMs I work with, is that leadership passes down totally unrealistic goals.

Not rooted in reality at all.

Like “generate $1 million in pipeline next quarter.”

Meanwhile your company has:

• no social following
• a small email list you’re not allowed to email more than once
• a sales team that’s motivated to sell other flagship products
• a CS team that’s too busy trying to keep customers happy to actually pitch them on something new

You’re doomed from the start. So you’re forced to focus on unrealistic strategies like “going viral” or “getting #1 on Product Hunt” or “getting picked up by Techcrunch.”

None of which are reliable launch strategies btw. Sure, they can turn out great in some cases, but you have very little control over that.

So that inspired my simple calculator. It’s a way for me to take stock in what channels we have at our disposal and, based on past performance, what we can realistically expect in terms of impressions, traffic, conversions, etc.

It’s usually a pretty sobering exercise, but it’s helped me understand a few important things:

1️⃣ You can only reliably market to an audience you already have

↳ You can’t base your goals on a press release. You need to work with the channels you already have and consider everything else as a bonus.

2️⃣ PMMs should care about building channels

↳ Social, email, partners, community — you likely have other people at your company that own building these channels, but you damn sure should care about growing them. They are your launch channels.

3️⃣ Once you build them, don’t be afraid to use them

↳ I think most companies are under-marketing their products. I understand not wanting to spam your prospects and customers with emails and social posts about your new thing, but I think that pendulum has to swing back a bit.

4️⃣ Give enablement the time it deserves

If you have a large SDR, AE, CS, and AM team — those are some of your most reliable channels. Enablement is a must, but you also need to make sure that incentives align, so your reps are motivated to promote your new stuff.

5️⃣ Launches are rolling thunder, not lightning strikes

This goes back to my point about most companies under-marketing their products. A one-and-done launch campaign isn’t enough to drive any meaningful results. Your marketing calendar needs to have space for continuing to promote your product in interesting ways.

The big lesson here?

Stop chasing fantasies. Build on what’s real and focus on making each launch better than the last. That how you win with launches.