The Value of Pre-Launch Community Building
Derek Smith
Event & Public Speaking Coach ?? Host & Master of Ceremonies | ?? Business Mentor | Public Relations | Communications | 5,000+ Live & Virtual Events Hosted over 15+ years ?? Portugal & Canada | Gold Medal Winner??
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Like anything worthwhile in life, building a community takes time.
Some clients are weeks away from launching their startup brand and have made the people, customers, clients, subscribers, or what-have-you merely a fleeting, passive thought.
“We’ll focus on the community after launch” are words I’ve heard many times. Don’t make this mistake - get your nest prepared to welcome in the masses when they flock your way.
Luckily, there are some basic activities you can take on in advance of your big launch day.
At the very least, plan to build an online community on their chosen social channel to give your messaging a chance to be seen. And, don’t underestimate your attendance at networking events before launch to generate buzz, especially amongst B2B communities.
1. Develop a Community/Communications Roadmap:
You should always be thinking about who you’re servicing. By the time you come around to creating this plan, many of the answers will already be prepared in your head. Establish objectives, goals and perform a SWOT analysis. Also, consider the purpose of your community and determine why you’re building it. Keep in mind, you don’t need to fully execute your entire community plan immediately, but you should have key messages and buckets prepared for launch. The larger your built-in community is beforehand, the more leads you’ll have once you’re up and running. Plus, you’ll want to have a place to celebrate the launch, and you’d be wise to include your community at that event.
2. Select Where they Engage:
Remember, you don’t need to rollout your entire Community/Communications Roadmap in advance. We’re just getting you ready for launch. So, do your research and figure out where your community lives. Try to avoid being selfish about this. If you love Twitter, but your audience loves Pinterest. It’s time you move on and embrace the platform being used by your new community. This will be the perfect place to start buzzing about pre-launch activities and set expectations in the group.
3. Present your ‘Community Purpose’:
What's the reason we are all in this community together? Well, in most cases, if you’re offering a product or service, it’s because your members/customers are awaiting the solution you’ve crafted to solve their problem. On the other hand, others may not even know why they’re there. Give them a clear reason for being a part of your community. Pump them up and get them excited by highlighting future events and activities in your messaging from key findings you developed in your Community/Communications Roadmap. Let them know what you intend to deliver and present your community guidelines. Remind your people why they engage with your community using informative messages and promises of future glory.
You’ve been working so hard to get your product or service out, consider taking a step back and reminding yourself who you’re doing this for: your people.
A little pre-launch community building will go a long way to your success!
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