The Ultimate Guide to Creating a Launch Strategy

What does it mean to ‘launch’?

Every brand must consider the best way to get their product into the hands of their consumers. For some, that’s as simple as stocking shelves and waiting for people to show up and buy. For others, an elevated strategy pays off. 

A ‘launch’ is an approach to selling a new or in-demand product that’s focused on building excitement, creating urgency, and connecting with customers on a deeper level, ultimately, turning them into fans. 

Launches aren't just intended to make a big splash, effective launches are about generating demand and turning all of that energy into meaningful outcomes for both fans and brands. Ultimately, the way you sell impacts how you build community and a business around fandom.

For clarity, let’s get some definitions straight. The terms below are commonly associated with the sale of in-demand products so let’s look at what they all mean and how they differ from (or fit into) a launch model.

And no, these aren’t “Webster-approved” definitions, but for the purposes of this guide and how to think about launches, they’re going to be helpful. 

Launch: The complete lifecycle for an in-demand product release, encompassing the entire fan experience and outcomes for the brand doing the selling.

Drop: This term has been used interchangeably with launches in the past, but focuses more on the moment of entry or purchase, and not the entire fan experience. 

Raffle: A method for selling in-demand products by randomly selecting winners when participants outnumber available products.

First-come first-serve (FCFS): Alternate method of selling in-demand products by selling products to fans that attempt to buy first until sellout occurs.

Launch strategy isn’t meant to replace any of these existing methods of selling — it’s just a broader way of thinking through the entire moment or lifecycle around an in-demand product, not just the sale. 

How does a launch strategy differ from a regular ecommerce strategy?

Ecommerce is an even broader term, referring to any type of commercial transaction conducted electronically on the internet. Launches are a sales channel that’s complementary to your ecommerce.

As we compiled this report, we spent some time with Jean-Michel Lemieux, former CTO of Shopify and founder of Build Right Side. His experience working so deeply in ecommerce while also understanding the uniqueness of launches provides a unique point of view on their relationship. 

According to Lemieux:

“A channel is defined by the way products are sold on it and the way consumers interact with the retailer on it. People generally know what to expect from each channel they purchase from — the process of choosing an item, checking out, engaging with the seller.”

People seek out different channels for different products. You visit a store to choose a product based on feel or being able to try it on. You buy from Amazon when you want the convenience of fast home delivery. And you generally know what to expect from each of those channels when you go into it.

What’s unique about the launch channel?

Every sales channel is better suited to certain types of products than others. And the associated technology needs to prioritize different things. 

For example, according to Lemieux, “In a launch scenario, the fans need to be treated as the most important users of a platform. A lot of platforms prioritize the merchants — making sure the merchant can set up easily, sell through, that things don’t crash. But at the end of the day, what’s most important is that the fans are having a trusted, fun experience.”

The launch channel is unique from other sales channels in a few ways:

• Selling product is not the end-all-be-all. When only a small percentage of fans will get to purchase from each launch, brands need to consider other ways of engaging.
• The fan experience should be the retailer’s biggest priority. Fan enthusiasm is the lifeblood of launches.
• In a space with a massive secondary market, brands need to earn trust and make purchasing fair and fun for fans, which will help the brand garner trust from customers and turn them into lifelong fans. 

Considering these points makes it easy to see how launch strategy must differ from other sales channels. 

The goal isn’t just selling out — it’s about creating connection and maximizing each phase of the product sale cycle and the customer experience.

Lemieux thinks of it as bringing a “Disneyland experience” to ecommerce. “I’ve always been fascinated by creating the Disney experience online,” he said. “There are plenty of things you can buy at Disneyland — concessions, souvenirs — but you could easily go to Disneyland and not buy a single thing all day, and have an amazing time. What I’m interested in is, how do we replicate that digitally?”

Where do launches fit in with overall sales strategy?

For a business, launches won’t compete with their existing sales channels — they’ll complement them. 

“It’s the same way your brick-and-mortar store works great with your online store,” Lemieux explains. 

Most retailers who do product launches don’t exclusively sell high-heat products. Using a separate launch channel for the hottest, most in-demand product lines allows them to apply different rules and processes where they make sense. 

“Having a specific channel for launches allows merchants to be super creative, knowing it’s not going to impact your other product lines. You can do something very different with each of the channels your company sells through,” Lemieux said.

The bottom line: Selling is different to launching, and there's an opportunity in launching that differs to just selling. Traditional ecommerce tools are good at what they do, but they don't drive connection to fans, help you tell stories, and (that checklist above). 

If the product matters to fans, launch it. Take the excess demand and get more from it. If you're new to launching, experiment with it. we'll show you how later in this guide.

Which brands should use a launch strategy?

When you think of product launches, you likely imagine scenarios like Tim Cook on stage presenting the latest Apple product, or a hot new Jordans collab. 

But, while tech and footwear are two of the biggest verticals that lean into launch strategy, they’re far from the only ones that it makes sense for.

Launches feed off of — and feed into — passion. That means that any brand who knows how to (or can learn to) connect with fans in a meaningful way should consider launches. Some may have just discovered their products went viral in some corner of the internet, or they’ve tapped into a new fandom through a licensing or a collaboration. No matter how it happens, if your brand gets people talking and brings folks together over shared passion, a launch can help you capitalize on that energy and take it to the next level.

Some of the most popular launches of the last 10 years include:

What products are best for a launch?

No matter how hot your brand is, launches typically don’t make sense for your entire product line. Most in-demand brands sell the majority of their products via more traditional sales channels, and run launches for just a small selection of products throughout the year. 

This allows brands to devote extensive time and resources to each launch they do, prevents fatigue from fans, and ensures that every launch makes a unique impact.

So how do you choose which products to launch?

There are two elements that matter most: storytelling and exclusivity. That means that if you’re considering whether it makes sense to run a launch for an upcoming product release, ask yourself these questions: 

Is there an interesting story to tell about this product? 

Will we have more potential buyers than inventory?

Why is storytelling so important? Having a solid narrative around a product allows the brand to craft a compelling launch campaign and imbue an item with more meaning than it might possess at face value. Exclusivity without a great story feels more like a cash grab to fans than an actual shot at connection. 

Brian Lange, co-founder and CRO of Future Commerce, a publication that analyzes commerce trends, shared his thoughts on how brands can craft stories about products that draw fans in: 

“I think it’s not so much about the product itself, the content, as it is about what it means to people,” he said. 

“You have to think through the indirect consequences of the product. What it does in people’s lives, how it shapes them. The primary function of a shoe is to protect people’s feet, yes. But in reality, shoes mean so much more to us than just feet protection. And brands can feed into that by building a narrative around the product that actually has nothing to do with the shoe itself.”

Above all, there must be an opportunity to tell a story about the product that’s relevant to the consumer — even if that’s not the story the brand might want to tell, Lange added. 

“A shoe brand might try to give you a story about the founder, or the craftsmanship. Those things are often important, but they don’t necessarily give the product life in a way that people can resonate with. But working with a runner to tell a story about the shoe? That can give it life in a way that people get. It’s a reason to go and tell their own story about that shoe.”

What do brands gain from a launch?

As we’ve covered, the primary goal of a launch isn’t just selling product. With only a fraction of interested parties able to successfully purchase, brands need to think about how they can still impact and engage fans to make launches pay off in broader ways. 

When you’re a brand with a product in massive demand, it’s unnecessarily limiting to think only in terms of selling through inventory. Launch strategy encourages brands to think through the less obvious — but still highly lucrative — ways that a new product release can stoke the flames of passion and serve as a long-term investment in fan fervor.

When done right, a product launch turns buyers into lifelong fans. Even more, it creates community. Love of the brand becomes part of fans’ identities and drives rewarding connections. This kind of diehard loyalty is the holy grail for retailers.

Let’s explore a few of the things brands can accomplish with a well-done launch.

Engage existing audiences

A launch is an opportunity to shine a spotlight on your brand. Launches capture attention and get people engaged and excited — especially those who are already followers. It’s an opportunity to re-energize existing fan bases and remind them why they love the brand. New launches keep fandom from feeling stale and give audiences something to look forward to.

Building new audiences

All that attention generated by a launch will reach further than just existing fans. Brands can expand their impact and bring new fans on board. In EQL’s 8000+ launches run, 48% of entrants are new fans to the brand who is launching.

Creating community

Being a fan isn’t about buying stuff. At its core, it’s about finding your tribe and building connections with other fans. 

Launches get fans talking and connecting with each other. Brands can use launches to bring follower communities closer together, ultimately making it more fun and rewarding to be a fan. When people are having a good time, they’ll stick around, so investing in community helps brands ensure their fans’ loyalty.

A recent survey of more than 1000+ EQL entrants showed 90% feel they have made friends or become a part of a community because of the products they’re passionate about.

Inspiring collaborations

Fans aren’t the only ones that brands aim to attract. Launches also get attention from other creators — which can lead to lucrative collabs. 

Collaborations offer the potential to elevate both brands and bring innovative new products and ideas into the space, and many of them get their start from one brand’s launch that gets attention and intrigues other creators.

Understanding demand

As we’ve covered, relatively few fans get a W and manage to purchase from any given product launch. That’s a bummer for them, but also problematic for brands who only have visibility into the people that complete a purchase (and we hate to break it to you, but a LOT of those are typically bots - typically up to 30%). 

However, by using tools built for launches — like EQL — brands can capture details about everyone who was interested in the launch, not just those who got to buy. That’s a golden opportunity to better understand the audience and what fans like.

Phases of a launch

Launches prove highly effective for brands because they’re not just focused on the single moment of a product drop. 

If you imagine a space shuttle launch — a big, much-anticipated event that happens fast and occurs in a finite amount of time — the launch includes the building of the rocket, the safety procedures, the mission planning, the liftoff and landing, too. And, the team’s assessment of what worked (and what didn’t). 

In order to fully maximize the impact of a launch, brands can think of them as occurring in three main stages, each of which involve a specific strategic approach.

How do brands launch?

Let’s uncover the specifics of what a launch should look like and how brands can plan a successful launch. 

In this section, we’ll look at the planning involved for each stage of the launch: before, during, and after the drop.

Planning for distribution 

Planning the sequence of distribution for your launch is important, especially if you’re a collaborator or have inventory being divided between multiple parties. Normally, it’s best practice for the owner of the story (aka the brand or creator) to be the first to launch, followed by the collaboration partner or 3rd party distribution partners. 

Promoting a product launch

The whole point of following a launch model is to maximize fan connection and enthusiasm, extending it far beyond the moment of the drop, and turning what could just be a transaction into so much more. But to take advantage of launch benefits, promotion strategy must be on point.

Here are some techniques employed by brands who have run highly successful launches in the past:

• Tease it out. Sprinkle little sneak peeks across your brand communications to start building interest and curiosity before you formally announce the launch.
  

• Give the launch its own hard launch. Make a splash when you finally share all the details — this could be a piece of content like a short film, a live event (online or in person), or a contest offering early access to a lucky fan or two.
  

• Get a conversation started. Incentivize fans to share, comment, and otherwise engage — then make sure to respond and keep the conversation going. This builds buzz organically and increases your reach in the best possible way.
  

Of course, smart strategy is going to look wildly different from one brand to the next. Above all else, it’s essential to understand your audience and what will resonate with them most. Here are some questions to ask when you’re planning out your launch communications and content.

• What demographics do our biggest fans fall into? (Or, if you’re just starting out, what demographics would describe your ideal audience?)
• What social media channels do most of our fans use? What other types of media do they consume?
• How familiar are our fans with product launches? What do they need to know to make this as clear and stress-free as possible?
• What is the primary purpose of this launch? What do we want existing fans to learn about the brand? What impression do we want to make on new fans?
• What other brands, celebrities, or influencers do our fans like? How can we involve them in cross-promotion or collaboration?
• What have we learned from past campaigns?

It’s also important to keep in mind that every launch is an experiment to some degree — and the whole point of conducting experiments is to learn. Back to our rocket launch example, the goal of space exploration is not just to reach a specific destination, it’s what you can learn on the way there. Don’t be afraid to try new things, but make sure that you’re set up to learn from them. What kind of data will you collect when the launch is all done? Will you be able to determine what moved the needle most?

Inviting fans into the conversation

Lange speaks extensively on the value of bringing fans into the narrative around brands and products — a growing phenomenon in retail that he refers to as “multiplayer brands.” 

“‘Multiplayer brands’ refers to this idea that consumers are now a larger part of brand identity and brands’ stories than ever before,” he said. “As new product launches happen, people should have opportunities to engage in discourse about the product — their experience, how they use it, how they think about it, how they engage with it. Everyone’s experiences are so individualized — my Nike is not your Nike. But when one of us gets to share our experience with another person, there can be a bit of worldview transfer, and then that becomes part of the product’s story.”

A multiplayer approach allows fans to engage more deeply with the product and launch, and feel a sense of ownership and inclusion that builds enthusiasm — along with taking the brand’s story to new and interesting places that ultimately create a more engaging experience for followers.

Planning your launch type: online, in-person, or hybrid

Product launches have evolved along with purchasing habits over the years. Once strictly in-store (and often region-specific), launches transitioned to online with the rise of ecommerce. Now, brands can combine the best of convenient modern technology with the excitement of in-person events by offering hybrid launches.

Let’s say by this point in the guide, you understand the value of a launch platform and have decided you won’t be dropping with outdated tech (first–come-first-serve models, queueing, or an underprepared ecommerce site) but you’re still wondering how do you choose the right type of experience for a launch. 

Here’s an overview of the options, along with the important things to consider for each one.

Online launches

How it works

Typically, the product is sold entirely digitally. Consumers can be notified when the launch will go live and can enter for their chance to be successful until the specified launch window closes. 

Benefits

The convenience of purchasing online is something we have all become accustomed to. Nearly everyone has an internet connection and a means of accessing the web. Depending on shipping options, online launches can be open to a global audience, attracting fans from far and wide, and letting them enter at their convenience, without the worries of being online at a specified time and date.

Challenges

Depending on the rate of launches from a brand, fans can potentially get fatigued on the online-only experience. In order to keep things exciting and continually stoke the fires of fandom, brands can mix up both the mechanisms and locations of their launches. Keeping it fresh is key. 

In-person launches

How it works

For an in-person launch, the drop will take place at a specific location and can require the physical attendance of entrants in order to be successful. These could happen at a brick-and-mortar store for the brand — if there are multiple locations, each store could host a small launch event, or there might just be one or two that take place at flagship locations. 

In-person launches can also be held in conjunction with relevant events that attract a lot of people, like at a convention or trade show.

Benefits

• In-person launch events offer lots of opportunities for building excitement and creating a memorable occasion — way more than is possible with a strictly online launch. 
• You might bring in special guests, have live entertainment, or offer refreshments to create a party atmosphere. Getting people together in person naturally builds camaraderie and community. 
• In-person events create the “I was there” feeling that keep people talking for years to come — not likely when being “there” just means sitting in front of a computer screen.

Challenges

Logistics can quickly become complicated with in-person events. Crowd control is important to consider. Creating a stampede will make your event memorable for all the wrong reasons! 

Hybrid launches

How it works

Hybrid events offer tons of flexibility for brands, so they can look quite different from one to the next. One common way that brands pull these off is to only make a product available to participants of an in-person launch, but then manage the ordering process online and ship product later, simplifying some of the day-of logistics. Or, they can prioritize local entries, but depending on inventory, offer any left to their national audience. 

This can be done using geofencing technology that only opens the launch to people in a specific geographic location at a specific time. You could also display QR codes so that attendees can enter the launch from their phones on the spot.

Benefits

• Drive foot traffic to your store while not having to manage crowd control
• Have a moment of in-person connection with fans while enjoying the simplicity of an online launch 

Challenges

• This model can be a little confusing if thorough communication is not used to ensure that everyone is clear on expectations and how things will work.
•  It’s also important to use the right technology to maintain the exclusivity and ensure that only the right people get access to the launch. 

Choosing the right tech for a launch

Depending on how you decide to launch, your tech needs will be slightly different. You might need to prioritize certain features, like solutions to keep your website from crashing if you’re expecting a major traffic spike when your product drops, or geofencing technology to maintain exclusivity for a hybrid launch.

But there are a few points that every brand should look for in their launch technology, no matter what.

Keeping things fair

Fairness is extremely important to fans, who want to feel that the brands they love respect them and care about their experience. This is especially crucial for high-heat launches when fans know there’s a good chance they won’t be successful in purchasing the product. 

That’s disappointing no matter how you slice it, but fans will go from bummed to enraged if they notice that the inventory seemed to have gotten wiped out by people who weren’t playing fair.

The more people want your product, the more some of them will go to shady means to acquire it — or profit off of it. That often means using bots programmed to buy up as much inventory as possible before the real humans can possibly get there themselves. This is a tricky problem to solve, but fans expect brands to take some ownership and do the best they can to keep launches fair and enjoyable for everyone. 

To prevent this, employ a tool like EQL that can block bots and bad actors and limit the launch to only those who should have access.

Prioritizing user experience

Another way to show your fans that you care about them is by doing everything in your power to deliver a smooth, hassle-free user experience. Fans will do a lot to secure the things that matter to them and support the brands they love, but brands would do well not to put that loyalty to the test. 

Some of the poor user experiences that are often associated with high-heat launches include:

• Site crashes due to infrastructure that’s unprepared for a sudden onslaught of traffic
• Queuing, which is done to mitigate traffic and keep sites running but creates a frustrating experience of its own
• Unsynced inventory management that leads to overselling (the worst kind of heartbreak for fans who think they’ve won, only to later receive an order cancellation)
• Complex CAPTCHAs and other clunky methods of verifying that a fan is not a bot

Collecting actionable data

As we’ve covered, one of the main ways brands can benefit from a launch is by gaining useful insights into their fanbase and reactions to their products. However, the extent of these learnings will depend on the launch platform used. Many platforms, unfortunately, only offer visibility into the small percentage of people who successfully purchased the product.

EQL offers a look at the full breadth of interest, delivering data including:

• Demographics on all interested buyers, not just the ones who purchased
• The breakdown of real fans vs bots who attempted to buy
• Which colorways, sizes, and product options were most popular
• Precise timing of launch activity to gauge effectiveness of promotional efforts

Maximizing post-launch capabilities

The beauty of a launch strategy is that it considers all opportunities within the customer lifecycle. And a crucial, yet often-overlooked, one is immediately after the drop.

Passion is still running high, with successful buyers feeling excited and victorious — and unsuccessful ones eager for a consolation prize. To take advantage of that, your platform should offer post-launch sale capabilities, like a call to action for relevant cross-sells to successful buyers or exclusive discounts/access for those who took an L.

EQL’s post-entry CTA capability unlocks incremental additional revenue on every launch. Capitalize on the enthusiasm your launch built up with targeted sales opportunities to an audience that’s primed and ready to buy. Introducing relevant cross-sells builds perfectly on the enthusiasm of successful purchasers, while a well-timed exclusive offer will appeal to unsuccessful fans who don’t want to end launch day empty-handed.

Partnering with EQL on your next launch

When you start thinking of product launches with unique challenges, opportunities, and strategy, it’s easy to see how existing ecommerce solutions fall short. 

EQL was created as a new type of platform, complete with a unique set of capabilities built specifically for launch commerce. Patrick Donelan, Co-Founder and CTO at EQL put it this way: “EQL evolved from a new way of thinking about launches: not as a series of problems to be solved, but as a well of potential to be tapped.”

Through its innovative approach to launch strategy, EQL offers the technology to deliver a smooth, end-to-end experience, and, opens doors for broader and more lasting revenue potential through.

Ready to embark on a launch strategy for your business? Let’s chat. 

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