Starting the ‘groundswell,’ or the initial buzz and viral growth of your online initiative, program, or launch is easier and cheaper than ever.
Here are 5 simple ways that I’ve seen work effectively for starting the groundswell and/or promoting your upcoming launch for your new ministry initiative, site, blog, or whatever:
- Sneak Peeks or holding “true” BETA Testing are always fun and give particularly strong-voiced people in your target community a first-hand taste of the product or new site. Give them the freedom to blog about it, take screenshots, and share their experiences. This gives them a platform of “importance” while providing excitement for their respective communities. What I mean by “true” BETA Testing is that you make it “closed” off from the general public for a bit.
- Blog About the Process of the launch. Building the narrative and story behind the initiative as it unfolds. Give the general public an inside “look” and invite them to participate.
- Ask for Feedback and actually use the findings. This is probably one of the most important in terms of gaining credibility with your future audience. By asking for their feedback and actually acting upon it embeds a deep sense of authenticity and helps engender a culture of contribution.
- Have a Firm Launch Date and make a party out of it. Ever launch a product or new ministry service without ever telling anyone? What’s so surprising is that some of these people get frustrated when they aren’t successful. If you’re going to have a party, invite people to it, plan ahead, and get it on their calendar!
- Give it Away as much as you can. People love free stuff, but more importantly you want to establish a culture around your new initiative that is generally seen as beneficial to everyone who sets foot on it. Enhance the online space around you and people will come, they will talk, and they will generate buzz for you.
What else have you seen work effectively?
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John Saddington
I am the CEO of 8BIT and a Full Time Entrepreneur/a>. I like what I do.
I will definitely try those out leading to the launch of my new blog synapticlight_v2.0 😉
launch date still to be decided but I will blog about that – get the buzz going.
I like the idea of sneak peaks, will grab some screenshots for sure.
as for free stuff, hmmm I can give away digital autographs from me, no wait – doh, I am not famous yet
🙂
my blog is going to rock – thanks to all the great advise man.
of course! you're awesome my friend. keep it up.
After not following your advice about never mucking with your live site, and not backing up my database to boot I am working on Issachar Network V4.1. Ack not planned, but okay there were some things that just weren't working.
Perhaps a rabbit trail, but any thoughts on how combining opensource license ideas with Christian copyrights might be approached? This could apply to everything from sermons, to worship songs, to recent Bible translations…..
that would be interesting… defiintely. let me think about that.
these are helpful goodies to the one man band