Product Launch Formula 2 Members Area

Frequently Asked Questions

General Questions

Q: “Do we have to watch all the videos at once?”

A: No, the videos are going to stay up for at least 6 months after I release the course. You can refer to the modules at your own pace. It's best if you can keep up, so we can work through it together.

Q: “How many hours of video will there be?”

A: The first module is a really long one – it’s almost four hours of video. It covers defining the process, the tactics, and the strategies.

Each module covers a different part of the process, and the modules will vary in length.

Q: “Will you cover launching a subscription based web site?”

A: Yes! I initially developed the Product Launch Formula to sell subscription products. PLF works for all kinds of products, all kinds of markets, and a subscription product is one of the best...

Q: “Is there any market this will definitely not work for?”

A: If you are a crash victim lawyer or a locksmith, this might not work for you. However, you can use the launch process with products that you are selling related to those emergency needs.

Q: “Do I need a list or can I just use other people's lists?"

A: I cover both topics in Product Launch Formula, but building a list is very important. We cover many techniques that you can use with any launch strategy.

Q: “What is the best way to send email?”

A: You should NOT try to manage your email lists on your local computer. Your email list is too important to do anything other than have it managed by a professional service.

There are all kinds of different list hosts where your list resides on another server and they actually send the mail for you. I highly recommend Aweber or Profollow. Profollow is my own "private label" service of Aweber.

The benefit of using one of these services, is that you know your email will be delivered with a high degree of confidence. That might sound like a simple, obvious thing… but it’s not. And it’s critically important.

When you hit send and your email is supposed to go out to thousands of people, it’s important that it is sent timely and that it doesn't get flagged as spam at Yahoo, Gmail or MSN.

There are some list hosts that might delay sending your email for 24 hours or more...

When you are in a launch, you need to get your e-mails out timely. Say you are going to send a notice that your launch is closing in 24 hours, “It's closing down at 2:00 p.m. Tomorrow. Go buy” If that email is delayed by 24 hours, well you just shot yourself in the foot.

Q: “If I already have Aweber can I switch to ProFollow?”

A: Yes, you can call or open a support ticket with Aweber and they will walk you through the process.

Q: “What type of blog should I use?”

A: I like WordPress and you can download their free software at www.WordPress.org. If you are a complete newbie and you don't know how to install stuff, it's very easy or you can get people to install it from Craigslist or Rentacoder for around $30.00.

Q: “What do you use for your videos?”

A: You don't need a high tech video camera, I shoot most of my video with a digital camera. The tools to take that video and put it on your web site are very inexpensive and very simple to use.

You can also use IshowU on a Mac or Camtasia on a f PC to screen capture videos.

Teleseminars

Q: “What are the benefits of teleseminars?”

A: Teleseminars are great for interviews. They also make great launch bonuses when you are putting together your offer. It's also one of the best ways to position yourself as an expert in your niche.

Q: “What are your preferred resources for recording calls?”

A: You can use a bridge line such as www.FreeConference.com. They offer a free conference line or for a small fee, they will record it for you. They make recording your audio fast and easy.

A more expensive service is www.AccuConference.com but they do tend to have better quality.

The other option is to buy a little device at Radio Shack that you plug into your phone line and your computer and allows you to record direct. The problem is you end up sounding much louder than your guest and it's not the greatest quality.

Q: “Can you use teleseminars as part of your launch?”

A: Yes! You can send people to a squeeze page where they register to be on the teleseminar if they join your list. You can post the replay after the call and offer the call transcribed.

Q: “Do I have to do a live teleseminar or can I use a recorded one?”

A: There are people that are intimidated by teleseminars, especially if they haven't done a lot of them. You can record it then play it back at a specific time or you can just supply them with the recording.

Q: “Can I still do a teleseminar if I'm not technical?”

A: They are not difficult to do at all. You dial in a number and enter a passcode, hit the pound sign, and you're a moderator. Most of the services I recommend take care of the technical details.

Q: “Do teleseminar experts need to complete an agreement or a release?”

A: There are some basic releases you can use regarding retaining rights but I recommend contacting a lawyer. Bob Silber is a lawyer who is also an internet marketer so he understands the industry.

List Building

Q: “Can I use forums to build my list and will they be responsive to a signature link that goes to a squeeze page?”

A: This is one of the best ways to build a list. You end up with quality subscribers who are active in your niche. It is not a way to build a huge list quickly but the list tends to be very responsive.

Depending on the forum/niche, most people won't have a problem with the squeeze page. Even if you don't have a squeeze page and are sending them to content or a video, you still want something on that page which gives them the opportunity to subscribe.

Q: “I have an ecommerce store but I do not have a list. What is the best way to begin my list building campaign?”

A: You can either put an opt-in box somewhere in your navigation or I think it's very important to use the golden triangle. That is the upper left corner of your site. If you put a subscription box there you will start to get sign ups. A slide in or a popover sign up box are also very effective.

Q: “How often should I be mailing my list to warm them?”

A: I suggest you email your list once a week or every four or five days in general.

Q: “Is it worth hiring a company to send the initial opt-in to get thousands of demographically suitable people?”

A: Buying any type of an e-mail list should always be approached with caution. Reputation is important because you want to avoid any hint of spam. It comes down to dollars. How many of those are going to click through to your site? How many are going to opt-in?

If using a purchased list is something you are interested in, I recommend you do a small test first. Some of those email lists can be effective but you may also be risking your reputation by being reported as a spammer.

Q: “I'm not sure my market will accept all these emails”

A: Some markets are less tolerant of multiple emails but I challenge anyone that thinks they only want one email a week. A product launch is about sharing information so someone can make the right decision. If you are putting out compelling, good information, especially if it is educational or entertaining, then you can email them more often than you think.

Q: “I want to start building my list, but I haven't finalized my story yet”

A: It's okay to start with a basic, “Something is Coming” message. It is often a survey, but you don't have to tell your story in the survey.

Q: “Is it a bad idea to have a drawing for a high ticket product to get people to opt in to my list?

A: I suggest you talk to a lawyer about the legalities before promoting a contest or giveaway, but offering a high ticket product is a great way to build your list quickly.

Opt-in Pages

Q: “What exactly are squeeze pages, how do they work?”

A: Squeeze pages are very simple web pages that give people two choices. They can either leave the page or they subscribe to your list.

You should design the page so it convinces people to join your list. Test it over time and make small changes like changing the headline or the offer.

Remember that you have to make them some type of a promise, why are they going to opt-in? Keep it simple, you want to help them make the decision to subscribe by not making it complicated.

Q: “Do you recommend confirmed opt-in or do you just use single opt-in?”

A: A single opt-in is if someone goes to your website, they fill out a form with their name and their email address, and are subscribed to your list.

For a double opt-in, they do the same thing except after they subscribe they have to re-confirm by clicking an email link to approve their subscription. The double opt-in is a safer way to go.

Q: “When it comes to landing pages is it better to have a long or short page with opt-in?”

A: For these types of questions, the answer is always to test it out. Generally, if you have two landing pages, it's really to test one against the other.

Videos are working really well with opt-in pages. , Add a three to ten minute video that tells people why they should opt-in. It doesn't need to be a fancy video, just a simple message from you will work.

A winning combination is if you create a short page with a video, maybe a headline, and then a little bit of text that urges them to opt-in.

Launch Related Questions

Q: “For the e-commerce/affiliate launch, is it better to have a bonus interview with the product creator as a bonus once the people buy, or as a free pre-call?”

A: I would do both. If you get the product creator on the phone, most people can talk about something for an hour, especially when they are passionate about it.

Q: “What are the best ways to use scarcity?”

A: There are three primary ways to use scarcity. 1. The price goes up at the end of the launch. 2. the offer goes away or you take it off the market3. the bonuses go away.

Taking away the bonuses, especially if they are very valuable bonuses with a high perceived value, can often be the easiest option.

Q: “If you are brand new to your niche and have no list, no customers, where do you send your prospects after the survey?”

A: If you use Survey Monkey you can re-direct them to an opt-in page. When they go through Survey Monkey even if they provide their email address they aren't opting into anything.

Send them to a thank you page with an opt-in where it tells them a little bit more information.

“You just went through this survey. Thanks so much, we really appreciate it. If you want to get advanced notice about this and get a free something-or-other (a free report or a review copy), then subscribe here.”

Q: “What's the best strategy for launching a product at a seminar you are speaking at?”

A: Generally, if you are speaking at a seminar and you intend to sell something, then you should have a structured pitch and offer ready. Be prepared to pitch from stage or let them know something is coming.

Q: “I'm bootstrapping my first launch and would like your suggestions on the best way to launch without a 30-day sequence using pay per click articles and anything else you suggest?”

A: Follow the seed launch strategy and build a small list with articles and pay per click and that will set you up for a re-launch.

Q: “Do I focus on content or frustrations for the launch process?”

A: Depending on the niche, you don't always have to give away a ton of great content. If you can focus on the frustrations and then give them the content that answers some of those frustrations to a certain degree, that would be a great combination.

Q: “How do you know when to pull back or revise a launch?”

A: The real sign is when you are not getting any response at all. If you are sending out emails or content and not getting any response back, then that is a real danger sign.

Web 2.0

Q: “What is the advantage of using web 2.0 accounts and having friends?”

A: There are several modules where we cover leveraging web 2.0. Having connections in those networks will help you with exposure, branding and opportunities.

Think of your web 2.0 connections as another way of building your list. Having a good foundation of friends and followers on Facebook or Twitter, means instant access to people who are not directly on your email distribution.

Q: “Is Twitter really worth the time?”

A: You should have a plan with all your online networking. Understanding why you are using the social networks will ensure you get the best results. Are you there to find JV partners, build website traffic, get leads?

I find it's a great way to get people talking about you or build a buzz. If you establish any type of brand or authority role, no matter what your market is, people are going to be talking about you.

There is a conversation that happens on Twitter. You cannot control that conversation but you can participate in it, then you can try to shape that conversation so it's more favorable to you.

You can also use it as a marketing tool to watch the marketplace and watch what other people are doing and what they think of your products or brand.

Content

Q: “How can I use the swipe files you give out?”

A: I'm giving you my actual swipe files so you can use in your own launches. They are not there for you to publish, sell or give away to your clients.

Q: “Do you have any advice on the best method for creating content for info products, like an e-book?”

A: Creating info products is very easy and depending on your skills, some info products are easier to make than others. Creating audio or video may work better for you than writing.

To create a fast audio product you can do interviews with experts on your topic. Search Amazon or Google for your niche contact the top 10 authors of relevant books, and ask if you can interview them. Just one hour long audio and you’re on your way to having an info product to sell or use as a bonus.

Joint Ventures

Q: “How do you handle refunds if you already paid the JV partners?”

A: This is a fairly technical question but you have a couple options. You can hold some commssions back,(10-15%), in escrow for returns. Make sure you communicate this to your partners and tell them that once the refund period is over they will receive the remainder of their commissions.

The other option is to not pay partners until after the refund period is over. Of course, there are many variables to the question, but there are a couple different strategies.

Q: “How do you approach partners?”

A: Creating a relationship with a partner is no different than creating a relationship with new friends. Some of my most significant JV relationships have been face to face introductions at live events.

If you aren't going to live events then look around the web and join the lists of everyone in your niche. Watch their mailings -they could be partners for you.

Once you find a good potential match the best way is to contact them by calling them on the telephone for an introduction or sending them a FedEx letter and start building a relationship.

Q: “How do you get JV partners to mail their list?”

A: It can be a challenge to work with JV partners, but there are a few key points.

First, I suggest you show them the value they are going to get from your partnership. Break down the numbers and show them how much money they can expect.

I also suggest you call them e and have a personal conversation verses sending a generic, out of the box email. During that conversation get a commitment of when they are going to mail then follow up with them a couple days before they mail.

Remember that the more pre-launch content you can give them, the more they will mail so keep the fresh content rolling to them.

Resources

Q: “Lunarpages includes a shopping cart with their business option. Can I still use 1ShoppingCart if I go with Lunarpages?”

A: I highly recommend Lunarpages and they offer a number of options depending on your business needs. Generally speaking, you can add 1ShoppingCart and Aweber/ProFollow to most websites.

For additional web hosting recommendations, I suggest futurequest.net, and rackspace hosting for dedicated servers.

Q: “Can I use PayPal for my launches?”

A: You can use PayPal, keeping in mind there are some countries that do not have access to PayPal. There is the chance that you could have issues with PayPal if you don't have a history with them or start taking large sums of money quickly, they can freeze your account.

I recommend using ProPay.biz. It is the merchant account I use and they understand the process of product launches.

Q: “Can I use ClickBank to handle affiliates?”

A: ClickBank is a great option for some people, especially when they are just starting out. ClickBank specializes in digital products but simplifies the process because they handle all the payment processing and returns. ClickBank also comes with its own affiliate force and they manage commission payments for you.