Posted by Hubert Lee, May 18, 2010

Over the next few blog posts, I’m going to dive into various aspects of exactly how product launches are done online. Think of these upcoming posts as a mini “How-to” course in online product launches.

I know that many marketers don’t really have a grasp of what exactly I’m talking about when I use the phrase “product launch”. Yes, of course everyone thinks of mass media advertising campaigns for new physical products, in-store promotions, or event-based marketing techniques, but there is a whole other side to this. One that you may find unbelievable. So, I’m going to start off this series by opening your eyes to the potential of the online product launch. I’ll explain what it is, how effective it can be, and how many product owners are using this technique right now to generate huge amounts of revenue in a very condensed marketing cycle.

As currently conducted online, product launches follow a similar formula. As a matter of fact, the most successful technique is universally acknowledged to be that of Jeff Walker. His methodology, called the Product Launch Formula, rocketed to an almost cult-like status among internet marketers years ago when it became known that he pulled in six figures in a seven day product launch. Since then, variations of the technique have accounted for hundreds of millions of dollars of revenue across a variety of niches. Today, million dollar launches are not uncommon.

Wait a minute, I hear you asking. Are you for real? If you are telling me that online product launches bring in such huge revenue, how come I don’t know about this technique?

It’s probably because you live in the world of mainstream marketing. Yes, even if you do web marketing, social media and the other latest web-oriented marketing techniques, it’s probably in what I consider the “mainstream”. That is, you probably deal with big brands, large audiences, and the usual number one goal is to protect the brand and make the client feel good.

Well, the online product launch technique is born of another world – the rough and tumble world of internet marketing. In that world, you are only as good as your email list and the relationship you have with it. In internet marketing, the challenge lies in building a list of potential customers from literally nothing other than some sort of niche interest, engaging them in an email-based and blog-based conversation and ultimately having them purchase a product online. From this extraordinary challenge rose a set of techniques and best practices that are just now being embraced by the mainstream marketer.

I, myself, have my feet in both worlds. I deal everyday with both large Fortune 500 companies and the web solopreneur. The large companies spend millions on single campaigns and the tiny web-based product owner tinkers with various cutting-edge product launch techniques to stay competitive. This is an exciting juncture.

My mission is to bring these product launch techniques from the “proving ground” of the web entrepreneur and into the marketing tool chest of the mainstream marketer. Join me on this journey and I promise that your eyes will be opened.

I know that the online product launch technique works – I have personally witnessed multi-million dollar product launches. I will bring these techniques into the open and walk them through with you. Stay tuned.

Hubert Lee
http://ProductLaunchRocket.com