Getting Nekkid... with my last launch- List stats, money metrics, and all
Just in case you’re awkwardly covering your screen, lest your boss/significant other/judgey feline friend walk past, let me reassure you there are no nips or bits here—
Just a no-holds-barred, potentially-too-much-detail debrief of my most recent launch.
Y’see, as I was taking myself through my debrief process (yeah, I’m nerdy like that) I realised this wasn’t just a great learning opportunity for me, but potentially a neat little one for you, especially if you’re someone who launches things *or* is thinking about launching A THING (caps because I bet it is GLORIOUS!) in the not-too-distant future.
Let’s start with some context…
The thing I launched was Brain Camp: my course on the psychology behind high-performing copy
And, as one of my current Campers told me yesterday, a course that also teaches the psychology behind high-performing copywriters: a reframe I am wildly in love with and shall be using everywhere from here on in… PREPARE YOURSELF!
The launch I’m talking about went down in September, the week I got back from honeymoon (because #YOLO).
After launching a beta version of Brain Camp back in February at USD $1297 a pop for a 12-person, 8 week program, I felt like I had the insight, social proof, add-ons, and capacity to change the offer to USD $2249 for a 12 week program, with 25 places up for grabs.
Here’s how the launch panned out in terms of numbers
(IMPORTANT SIDE NOTE: EVEN THOUGH I CHARGE IN USD, I REPORT IN AUD, BECAUSE IT MAKES EVERYTHING EASIER IN TERMS OF PAYING TAX AND TRACKING EXPENSES)
People stats
272 people exposed to offer
88 people registered for webinar
11 people converted from webinar (but this needs more context: stick with me and I’ll walk you through it)
12 people converted in total
Conversion rates
4.41% overall i.e. people purchased/people who saw the offer
12.5% webinar to purchase
85% checkout page to purchase
Unfortunately, Squarespace doesn’t give me the ability to calculate sales page to checkout page conversions, which would be a super handy metric to have, because — as you may already know — each piece of a launch funnel has a specific job to do, so being able to see which bits aren’t pulling their weight helps you pinpoint what to focus on next time around.
Money metrics
$38,532 in revenue (compared to $20,254.62 for the 1st launch… which is a 90% increase)
$76.99 in expenses... I upgraded my Zoom subscription so I could host the webinar #bigspender 😉
$38,455.01 profit
I’m just going to pause here to point out a few things in the hope they might change the conversations about launching that are happening all over the internet...
Thing #1: When you’re working out whether you’re ready to launch, forget about the size of your list
Big, small, elephantine — it really doesn’t matter. The metrics that DO are how engaged it is and how targeted it is in relation to your offer. And, in my humble opinion, you need both of these factors together, because a list that loves you but isn’t a great fit for your offer = a disappointing launch, just as a list that IS a great fit for your offer, but won’t respond to it because they’re not opening, clicking, or replying to your emails = a disappointing launch.
Both scenarios are likely to end with you, your sofa, a multipack of mini Oreos, and that deflating feeling that sets up camp somewhere in the pit of your stomach (I mean, maybe it’s the 34 teeny tiny Oreos you shoved down there, but either way, my point still stands).
So let’s start asking better questions and honing in more valuable metrics. Yes?
Excellent. Moving right along...
Thing #2: Launches don’t HAVE to be complex
Seriously. I know there are a lot of available bells and whistles out there (Facebook Ads, complex tripwires, upsells, downsells, high-end VSLs…) but that doesn’t mean you have to use them.
Your funnel should be built with the specific purpose of magnifying the opportunities and overcoming the challenges your current launch has; NOT in order to accommodate a certain type of tool or replicate what everyone else is doing.
In a lot of cases, I advise my clients against things like paid traffic — especially when they have an engaged, targeted list, a high-ticket offer, and a new, more powerful way to talk about it — because there’s a point at which the expenses/profit trade-off bottoms out, and you’re left with nothing more than a vanity-based revenue metric.
Sorry... I know that might have hurt a bit, but it's like ripping off a bandaid: ouchy now, much better once the sting wears off 😉
Thing #3: The very best thing your launch can be is responsive
This *kinda* fits in with Thing #2, but it’s worth expanding on. Because while I say launches can be simple, I don’t mean you can just slap something together — especially on the back of a template (*ooo* controversial), hit send, and hope for the best.
You need to take the time to get to know who you’re selling to, what your product actually offers, and how you can effectively match-make between the two.
A big ol’ chunk of this can be done pre-launch, by setting aside time to talk with your existing customers and/or prospects, so you get a solid handle on their pains, objections, big hairy goals, and how your offer can speak to all of those things. This research can be bolstered by making yourself available during the launch to genuinely, thoughtfully respond to people who reach out with questions and concerns, AND feeding the information and themes from these 1:1 conversations back into your funnel in real time.
Ooof, ok. Ranty truthbomb section complete!
Let’s jump back into the debrief so I can provide some intel on what went well, what didn’t, and what I’ll be focusing on next time around —
WHICH, OF COURSE, YOU’RE FREE TO USE FOR YOUR OWN BENEFIT
First up, I want to congratulate myself for creating time and space to be present in the launch (*administers self-five*)
I kept the full launch period free of client work (aside from answering a few questions for a client who was also in a live launch), and had the pre-launch emails, sales page, and cart-open emails ready to go before I shut up shop for wedding + honeymoon. As well as getting to roll into launch week full of French cheese, Italian wine, and a nice backlog of siestas, it also meant I got to write every email after cart open on the fly, responding to things as they were unfolding.
Perhaps most importantly, it also meant I had a bloody good time —
Which, yes, on one hand is a bit weird, given launches are notoriously stressful, but on the other is a good and useful argument for clearing the decks and giving yourself space to focus solely on your launchy bits.
The second thing that went really well was I absolutely, 100% attracted the right people.
For real — every single person who joined is a complete and utter legend AND came in with goals that were perfectly aligned with what the course can offer. Part of this comes down to the way I framed the offer, and part of it comes down to the fact that I had a bunch of legends from the beta round of the course who attracted the right people for me, either through the social proof they provided or the friends they sent my way. In case you need it, this is your reminder to never ever underestimate the power of a good referral.
The final went-well-would-do-again element was the decision I made to send out the first video of Module 1 to ‘engaged fence-sitters’
AKA those people who had clicked through to the sales page multiple times and reached out to ask a question.
I sent the video out to 3 people and all of them converted, which goes to show that sometimes a sneak peek of the course itself is the most persuasive tool you have at your disposal.
Now to what didn’t work so well… starting with the webinar
Which was just 30 minutes, FYI. I have this theory that people are (rightfully so) tiring of setting aside 60 or 90 minutes of their time only to have a large percentage of it chewed up with horn-tooting and scene-setting. So I figured I’d cut all that and just get straight to the point, reducing the friction involved in both signing up and showing up.
Now…
I know the webinar technically converted at 12.5%, but (with the exception of 3 converting Campers) I’m almost certain it didn’t work this magic on its own.
It turns out I’m not very good at webinars.
Because, while the teaching portion went well, the sell was (to pull the words directly from my debrief doc) "dodgy AF".
I hadn’t practised this piece of the puzzle, and felt so strange talking to myself (i.e. without someone to bounce off, like I usually have when I’m making a pitch) that I rushed over things, missed important points, and was about as convincing as a mouldy potato.
"I’M OFFENDED!"
But hey — you live, you learn, and I’ll be using a different launch trigger next time around.
The second thing that didn’t go so well this launch was that I only sold half the available spots
And yes, I know attempting to fill 25 with a high-ticket offer was a bold move, but I think it would have been possible, had I put more time and effort into building my list since the last launch.
And before you’re like"BUT KIRSTY, YOU SAID LIST SIZE DOESN’T MATTER!" I’m not talking about building my list to add numbers: I’m talking about building my list with the specific goal of increasing my access to a targeted audience.
Beeccauuuse…
The most common feedback I got from people who didn’t join Brain Camp when I first launched it back in February was they really liked the look of it, but couldn’t afford it.
So, doubling down and increasing the price by $952 (which *is* a big jump, BUT, between social proof from the beta round, an additional 4 weeks of hands-on support, and a neat little collection of bonuses, I had the means to justify it) meant that there was likely a bigger portion of my list that the offer wasn’t right for.
This piece of hindsight means a key focus for me between now and next launch is getting myself on more podcasts, speaking on stages, and delivering more guest workshops.
And I’m putting emphasis on the last two in particular, because if someone has already invested in an event or a program, chances are they have the budget (and the mindset) to do it again.
The next womp-womp factor in the launch was the timing
I will *never* launch Brain Camp in September again. For real.
I got back from honeymoon, looked at my inbox for the first time in 5 weeks, and had an ‘oh-holy-shit’ moment when I saw how many launches were going down, and — most importantly — how many of them were targeting my ideal prospect.
While I genuinely think Brain Camp is unique enough to stand out, the fact that people had already (and very recently) spent their money on other courses was a challenge, as was the analysis paralysis that was going on.
Y’see, there’s this phenomenon in neuropsych called ‘choice overload’. When you boil it down, it means that too many available options impair decision making, to the point where the most likely outcome is making no decision at all. Do with this nugget what you will...
The final thing that didn’t go so well was the fact that I’d planned to use the number of available places as my urgency trigger, but — about halfway through the launch — it became obvious I wasn’t going to sell out
Luckily, I was able to course-correct a little here, and use the unique opportunities this launch presented, aka:
The current format and price (and I used the changes between what the course looked like this launch and last as proof I'm a big ol' reiterator)
The fact it was only women inside this time around
And who those wonderful women were
As the kick-in-the-bum your fence-sitters always need to make a move now. (Hot tip: if you've got your offer and audience dialled in, procrastination is the biggest killer of sales. Always.)
All in all, I was pretty happy with this launch. I genuinely enjoyed the whole process (for real!), earned some good mulah, and learned a thing or two about myself, which I can use to my advantage moving forward.
BUT the biggest win of all (which, weirdly, no-one seems to talk about in launch land) are the flipping amazing things this round of Brain Campers have already achieved, just under 8 weeks in
Here, have a squiz...
And, I dunno…
The money is nice, but (to me, at least) the impact is ALWAYS the most important thing. It’s what makes my work meaningful, what hits me right in the feels, and what keeps me motivated to do bloody good work every damn day.
Ok, this is where YOU get to choose your own adventure
WEEEEEEE!
If you want to have first dibs at a spot in Brain Camp next time I launch, join the waitlist.
If you want my brain on YOUR most recent launch, so you can get detailed insights like the ones above, and a plan of attack for next time, book in a launch debrief.
Or, if you want neither of these things, but made it all the way down here, give yourself a pat on the back. This post is long, your time is valuable, and I’m chuffed I held your attention.
To better launches, more honest conversations, and appropriate situational nudity 😉