30. Product Launch Marketing Plan: A Practical, Heart-Centered Guide to Launching with Confidence with Amanda Wilson-Ciocci
- Brittany Miller
- Oct 9, 2023
- 12 min read
Updated: Jan 15
Creating a product launch marketing plan or a launch in your service-based business can feel overwhelming — especially if you're juggling life, family, and a to-do list that never ends. But launching doesn't need to be a high-budget, Hollywood-level production. With a clear launch plan, an authentic message, and a runway long enough to build momentum, you can get your work into the world, serve your people, and grow your business without burning out.
If we haven't met yet, I’m Brittany, an online marketing strategist for female entrepreneurs. I teach women how to make their entrepreneurial dreams a reality through smart, actionable marketing strategies that get them seen, loved, and paid. Whether you’re eager to DIY your way to success or hire professionals to help you along the way–my goal is to make sure you walk away with the clarity you need to see the results you desire and build a life you love.
Joining me this week is Amanda Wilson-Ciocci. She is the best-selling author of The Monarch: The Signature 8 Method for Launching Your Dream Business with Clarity, Confidence & Love and the genius behind The Monarch & Co., Monarch Business Academy, and the Monarch Momentum Community.
With over two decades of experience, Amanda specializes in helping heart-centered entrepreneurs uncover their authentic stories, passions, and purpose. She's on a mission to empower you to shine your brightest, magnify your impact, and leave a lasting legacy through your work. Her experience and advice is pure gold so let's dive in!
Table of Contents
Why a product launch marketing plan matters (and why most entrepreneurs skip it)
The Five Phases of a Launch: A product launch marketing plan that actually works
Launch essentials: the tech and tools your product launch marketing plan actually needs
Metrics that define success in your product launch marketing plan
Evergreen vs live launches: when to automate and when to show up live
Why a product launch marketing plan matters (and why most entrepreneurs skip it)
Amanda an I both know that if you own a business, you’re launching something all the time — even if you don’t call it a launch. A new social post, a lead magnet, a webinar, or a refreshed service page is a mini launch. Still, many entrepreneurs treat big launches like mythical events that require perfect timing and flawless tech. That mindset stalls growth.
A practical product launch marketing plan gives you a repeatable framework so you can:
Share your offers consistently and confidently
Prepare your audience to buy (not ambush them)
Measure what worked and make better choices next time
Protect your time, energy, and relationships during intense work periods
When you treat launching like a system rather than a one-off performance, you give yourself permission to launch messy, learn quickly, and improve smartly. That’s the fastest route to results.
Listen to our full conversation here 👇🏻
What is launching, exactly?
At its simplest, launching is a system you use to get your offers, services, or products in front of people in a way that converts. A product launch marketing plan maps the steps — from idea to sell-through — and gives you predictable ways to attract, nurture, and convert the right people.
Launches can look different depending on your business model:
Product-based businesses launch new SKUs or seasonal lines
Service-based businesses launch packages or signature offers
Coaches and educators launch courses, groups, or programs
Creators and authors launch books, workshops, and lead magnets
And yes — even a new freebie is a launch. If you’re promoting anything at all, it’s worth thinking through a launch marketing plan so you can maximize impact without reinventing the wheel each time.
The Five Phases of a Launch: A product launch marketing plan that actually works
Think of launching like building and flying a plane. Amanda's favourite expression is "The longer the runway, the better your takeoff". Your product launch marketing plan should include five phases, each with its own focus and timeline so you have a long enough runway to launch confidently and see conversions.
1. Pre-work (build the plane)
This is the ideation and creation stage. It’s where you:
Validate your idea
Create content, curriculum, or product components
Set up tech and systems (at least the essentials)
Typical timeframe: 60–90 days for most big launches, though it can be longer for books, like Amanda's The Monarch: The Signature 8 Method for Launching Your Dream Business with Clarity, Confidence & Love (which outlines this launch process in much more detail!) or high-touch offers.
Validation prevents the crickets. Instead of creating what you think people need, ask them first. Here are practical validation steps that belong in every product launch marketing plan:
Talk to your audience: DMs, surveys, and discovery calls.
Run a low-ticket pilot or beta for 6–12 people. Charge a reduced price and collect feedback.
Use live events like masterclasses to test messaging and collect direct responses.
Beta doesn’t mean free. Offer a discount in exchange for feedback. If your full price would be $1,000, a beta price of $400–$600 is reasonable for early testers who will help refine the experience.
2. Pre-launch (prepare the runway)
Use this month (roughly 30 days) to plan your promotional strategy and start warming your audience. In a product launch marketing plan, the pre-launch is where you choose your marketing channels and begin building awareness. Most often this looks like creating social media content.
3. Launch (open cart / showtime)
The active selling window is usually 7–15 days. This is the time to run your masterclass, open cart, and offer the calls-to-action that lead to conversions. Consistency here is key: people often need to see your message multiple times before they buy.
4. Post-launch (debrief and report)
After the cart closes, gather data. What converted? What didn’t? Which messages landed? The post-launch phase is the best time to mine real insights so your next product launch marketing plan is smarter.
5. Launch hangover (recover and reset)
Launching is emotional and physical work. Plan for rest. Use the hangover phase to recover, appreciate the wins, and plan improvements without rushing straight into the next sprint.
How to build your roadmap: a step-by-step product launch marketing plan
Below is a practical sequence you can use as a baseline for most offers. Think of it as a template you can adapt to the size and complexity of your launch.
Ideation & Validation (pre-work) — 8–12 weeks before: research, talk to your audience, run polls, and test concepts.
Build & Create — 6–8 weeks before: create the core product, outline modules, craft core messaging, and draft the landing page.
Pre-launch Promotion — 30–60 days before: publish content that raises awareness; run lead magnets and webinars.
Open Cart — 7–15 days: host live events, answer objections, and provide personal outreach.
Post-launch Review — 1–2 weeks after: analyze metrics and collect testimonials.
Recovery — 1–2 weeks: rest, then plan the next cycle.
This structure is the backbone of a reliable product launch marketing plan. Use it as a living document and refine it after each launch.
Promotion tactics that actually move the needle
Social media is a powerful, accessible channel in any product launch marketing plan, but it’s rarely enough on its own. The best launches combine several tactics that match your audience’s habits and your capacity:
Masterclasses and webinars: These are high-converting because they provide value, build trust, and let you answer questions in real time.
Live events and workshops: In-person or virtual, these deepen relationships and speed buying decisions.
Email marketing: The backbone of most product launch marketing plans. Use segmented sequences and purposeful CTAs.
Lead magnets: Low-entry freebies that build your list and feed the top of your funnel.
Content and social posts: Use posts that educate, inspire, and nudge prospective buyers through awareness to action.
Partnerships and affiliates: When you reach scale, leverage trusted partners to expand reach.
Old-school tactics: Direct mail, in-person networking, or community outreach can work beautifully for niche audiences.
In your product launch marketing plan, choose two to three primary channels you can do well and consistently rather than doing every tactic half-heartedly.
How often do people need to see you? The visibility math
One rule of thumb to build into your product launch marketing plan: people usually need 7–12 meaningful interactions before they make a purchasing decision. That means your promotion window and posting cadence must align so you can deliver those interactions across channels.
If you can only post once a week, your promotional runway should be longer — think months rather than weeks. If you post daily or run ads and emails, a shorter runway can still do the job. The key is consistency and layered touch points.
Overcoming the mindset hurdles in your product launch marketing plan
Vulnerability is one of the biggest blockers entrepreneurs face during a launch. You may feel like you’re “talking too much,” or you worry about being seen as pushy. Reframe that discomfort:
You are solving a real problem. Not sharing is a disservice to someone who needs what you offer.
Think of promotion as service. You’re telling people how to fix something.
Lead with value: free trainings, worksheets, and workshops help people decide without pressure.
Also, remember the “why” behind your launch. When your intention is to help, your messages land differently — with compassion and clarity rather than noise.
Launch essentials: the tech and tools your product launch marketing plan actually needs
Keep tech simple. Your product launch marketing plan doesn’t require a long list of tools to start; it needs the right ones for speed and clarity:
Email marketing platform: The single most important tool. Use it to capture, nurture, and sell.
Landing page / opt-in page: A place to describe the offer and collect emails (or payments).
Design platform: Canva or similar for creating social assets, slides, and lead magnets.
Payment processor: Stripe, PayPal, or another provider to accept payments smoothly.
As you scale, consider adding a course platform, membership site (like the Monarch community that's hosted in Kajabi), or automation tools like ManyChat— but only when they serve the experience you want to create. Your product launch marketing plan should be built to simplify, not complicate.
Learn more about Amanda's community, Monarch Momentum. I've been a member for over 2 years now, it's the best investment I've made in my business! I love it so much I wrote a blog post about it, you can read it here.
What to add for round two: improving your second launch
After your first live run, don’t rush to upgrade tech. Focus on improving the experience. Add what improves clarity and conversion:
Clearer sales messaging based on live feedback
Recorded testimonials and case studies
Refined webinar slides or demo content
Automations that reduce manual follow-up
Your product launch marketing plan should evolve from your learnings. Every launch teaches you what to keep, stop, or start doing.
Metrics that define success in your product launch marketing plan
Start measuring before you launch. Define your goal and your KPIs up front so you can judge results fairly.
Primary KPI: Did you hit your sales goal? (e.g., sell 10 spots in a program)
Audience growth: New subscribers or leads from the launch funnel
Engagement: Webinar attendance, open rates, or live event participation
Conversion rates: Industry averages give context. For email-driven launches, a 2–3% conversion rate of your list is considered an industry standard. A 20% conversion rate from webinar attendees to buyers is excellent for many creators.
Remember: metrics only matter in relation to your stated goal. A successful product launch marketing plan starts with clarity about what success looks like for you, just make sure you set realistic KPI's otherwise you've "failed" before you started.
Evergreen vs live launches: when to automate and when to show up live
Evergreen funnels feel magical: set it up and let money flow in continuously. But evergreen is not a “set it and forget it” strategy. In your product launch marketing plan, treat evergreen as a tool you turn to only after validating your offer.
Best practice: run your program live 2–3 times to collect feedback, refine messaging, and measure outcomes. That real-time data will inform your evergreen funnel copy, email sequences, and landing page offers. Once automation is in place, monitor open rates, CTRs, and conversion rates regularly — evergreen needs ongoing care.
Common launch missteps and how to avoid them
Learn from other people’s mistakes so you don’t repeat them. Here are the launch pitfalls Amanda sees most often — and how to sidestep them in your product launch marketing plan:
Underestimating time: Build a runway. Expect everything to take longer than planned.
Perfectionism: Ship the imperfect version and iterate — “done” beats “perfect” every time.
Skipping validation: Test the idea live before building the deluxe product.
Neglecting follow-up: Have a clear email sequence and outreach plan for leads who show interest but don’t buy.
Launching too often: Big, signature offers are best launched strategically — one to three times a year depending on program length.
Setting evergreen too soon: Run live cohorts first to collect testimonials and fix friction points.
Timing: the best moments to run your launch
Timing matters. Certain seasons are higher conversion windows for many industries. Add these to your product launch marketing plan calendar:
End of November: Black Friday / Cyber Monday — high purchasing intent for digital products
Early January: New Year energy for courses, coaching, and habit-based programs
Seasonal opportunities: Plan around industry-specific peaks (e.g., fitness in January)
Other peak months: March, June, and September can also be strong depending on your niche
Ultimately, pick windows that align with your audience’s needs and your capacity to show up during the launch runway and open-cart days.
Practical checklist: your go-to product launch marketing plan items
Clear launch goal (sales, sign-ups, subscribers)
Defined target audience (one step behind where you are)
Validated offer (conversations, poll results, beta group)
Landing page for opt-in and sales
Email sequence for nurture and cart
Masterclass or webinar outline (if you’re using one)
Design assets (Canva templates for social posts and ads)
Payment processing set up (Stripe, PayPal, or equivalent)
Schedule for pre-launch, launch, and post-launch activities
Recovery time planned for launch hangover
How to price your beta and collect feedback as part of your product launch marketing plan
Beta testing gives you social proof and product clarity. Offer the beta at a meaningful discount (often 30%–50% off), and set clear expectations about feedback. Ask beta participants to complete short surveys, attend group check-ins, and share one or two sentences you can use as a testimonial.
Beta participants want two things: results and a voice in shaping the program. Deliver both and your product launch marketing plan will be richer for it.
Small business realities: launch while life keeps happening
Many entrepreneurs — especially parents — launch while handling family life, full-time jobs, or community responsibilities. Build your product launch marketing plan with human constraints in mind:
Designate quiet hours where you can focus on creation
Let partners and families know when the runway requires extra support
Plan simpler launches during busier life seasons
Expect the launch hangover and block downtime afterward
Launching should adapt to your life, not the other way around. That’s how you sustain momentum long-term.
FAQs About Launching
How long should I plan for before my launch?
Plan a minimum runway of 60–90 days for big launches (signature programs, courses). Pre-launch promotion typically benefits from 30 days, and active selling windows are often 7–15 days. For mini launches or lead magnets, timelines can be shorter — 1–3 weeks.
What tools are essential for a product launch marketing plan?
Start with email marketing, a landing page for opt-in or sales, a design tool like Canva, and a payment processor such as Stripe or PayPal. Add course platforms and automations only if they serve the experience you want to create.
How do I know if my launch was successful?
Define your goal before you launch. Measure against that goal. Common KPIs include sales, conversion rates, new subscribers, and webinar attendance. Industry averages: 2–3% list-to-sale conversion is a standard baseline; 20% webinar-to-sale is a strong result for many creators.
When should I make my offer evergreen?
Run your program live 2–3 times first to collect feedback, testimonials, and conversion data. Only then set up an evergreen funnel — and remember to monitor it regularly; evergreen is automated, but not passive.
What size should a beta group be and should I charge?
A beta group of 6–12 people is ideal for early testing. Charge a reduced rate rather than offering it free — this establishes commitment and gives you revenue while you refine the offer.
How often should I launch a signature offer?
For signature, high-touch programs, aim for 1–3 launches per year depending on program length and your bandwidth. Frequent launches can fatigue your audience and team, so plan rest periods between big pushes.
What are the best months to launch?
High-launch months include late November (Black Friday/Cyber Monday), early January (New Year energy), and other seasonal peaks like March, June, and September depending on your niche.
Final thoughts: launch with heart, plan with clarity
Creating a product launch marketing plan doesn’t have to be complicated. Start with clear goals, a validation mindset, and a runway long enough for your audience to warm up. Prioritize email, a solid landing page, and one high-conversion event like a masterclass or webinar. Run things live first, collect feedback, then scale or make evergreen once you’ve proven the product.
And one last reminder: done beats perfect. Launch messy, learn fast, and iterate smarter. With a thoughtful product launch marketing plan and steady consistency, you’ll stop feeling like every launch is a panic and start treating launches as predictable, repeatable growth machines. For support planning or executing your launch book a 90 min hot seat coaching call with me or Amanda.
Episode References
Connect with Amanda
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00:00 Intro
3:23 Monarch book
4:35 What is "launching"?
6:55 The phases of launching
12:40 How to promote your launches
14:00 Overcoming mindset hurdles to launch effectively
17:55 8-week launch accelerator
19:30 Launch essentials
21:00 Second launches
23:10 Metrics for success
26:30 Tips for going Evergreen
32:00 How to validate your content
40:40 Launch missteps you want to avoid
42:00 launch timelines from start to finish
47:25 Connect with Amanda
49:25 Wrap up
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