(Reading time: 4 – 6 minutes)
A while back I picked up a copy of Dave Navarro and Naomi Dunford’s “How to Launch the **** Out of Your Ebook.”
“How hard could it be?” I thought to myself, as I clicked the PDF file open, took my usual quick scan… and immediately wanted to jump off a bridge (we have a really great bridge close by).
Golden Gate Bridge
I also knew right away that this was a product I would whole-heartedly endorse to anyone wanting to launch any information product (not just an ebook).
Especially when I read Dave explaining that the ebook distilled out just the few relevant bits from Jeff Walker’s Product Launch Formula. If this is the reader’s digest version, I’m glad I passed (for now) on Walker’s full Product Launch Formula! I’m really happy Dave ponied up the cash for it.
Now, I’m a big believer in tasks, todo lists, goals and deadlines.
But I also like to sort of trundle along and just get stuff done without worrying about all that pressure.
So after reading through “Launch the ****” I sucked it up and declared a deadline. “I can do this!” I thought.
Why not, right?
Give myself a little pressure, a little motivation to just Get ‘er Done. Dave and Naomi gave me all the lists and worksheets, just fill in the blanks. Plug and chug.
Well, it didn’t turn out so well.
It turns out that there really are a lot of moving parts to this “Launch the ****” business, and you hafta make sure you’re getting them all moving in the same direction – at the same time.
Like herding cats.
Easier said than done.
About a week before my (ha ha) “hard deadline,” it all went pear shaped. I figured out there was no way I was going to get the testimonials, the reviews, the sales letters, the affiliation codes, the graphics and everything else all wrapped up at the same time.
Even worse, trying to do all these tasks simultaneously rendered me practically catatonic, paralysis by analysis gripped my very soul. Spreadsheets and tasks lists, messing up my chakras.
That’s just no darn good at all.
So I unlaunched it.
“What’s an unlaunch you say?”
Excellent question.
An unlaunch is when you hear your hard deadline approach at the speed of sound… and you let it whoosh on by.
So instead of “Launch the ****” out of my ebook, I wrote a spiffy little blog post, and still made some sales. Life turned out well anyway.
Lessons learned: many.
Now, it turns out I’m pretty good at multitasking and plate spinning. Frankly, I regard both abilities as integral to the success I’m enjoying right now. Modest success, to be sure, but success none-the-less.
Faced with new challenges working in areas where I do NOT feel comfortable, I dropped a lot of plates.
Example: I hate asking people to do stuff for me. (I have lots of ideas for you though, which I’m delighted to share. But I digress…). I don’t like guest posting; I have an Oprah-like attachment to my own content (Oprah hates syndication). The list goes on.
Given all this emotional turmoil, I’ve reset everything. Instead of multitasking, I’m plowing through everything linearly, not trying to handle guest posting, testimonials, reviews, graphics etc. etc. all at the same time.
Right now, it’s testimonials. I’m getting them knocked them out one by one.
After testimonials, I’ll start into the reviews. It turns out that some of the people giving me testimonials have provided really excellent reviews as well. That’s like two birds with one stone. Nice to do something right for a change… even if by accident.
Then I’ll figure out the affiliate system. I’m a pretty smart guy, but occasionally I have severe cognitive difficulty with technical documentation. That is, I don’t understand it. So I’ll have to budget the time and money to test it thoroughly. P.I.T.A. but there’s no help for it.
So that’s my “Launch the ****” experience. Hopefully, you’re smarter than I was and you picked up your copy of Dave and Naomi’s “How to Launch the **** Out of Your Ebook” long before you plan to launch.
I wish I had bought it months before.
It’s worth every penny. Get your copy, read it, write yourself out a plan and a schedule. But whatever you do, don’t wait!
Seeing as I don’t that the $97 for this fabulous ebook, I’m going to have to do it the slow way and learn from your ‘mistakes’. ;)
But as an aside, you really need to practice asking people to do stuff for you. It’s very liberating and a huge amount of fun when they say yes :D
Eleanor Edwards´s last post ..1 Minute Motivator: Thankfulness
P.S. Nice bridge :)
Eleanor… that’s a good idea about asking for stuff. Watch your email.
Be warned Dave, I don’t have a lot of ‘stuff’ but looking out for that email. I’ll do my best ;)
Eleanor Edwards´s last post ..Thank you :) Especially @TheDrEgg, @Websiteweekend, @6aliens & @TylinaVespart
I have to chime in to agree with El. Asking for help is well worth it. I have been surprised at how many people will say yes to a well phrased request. For example, I’ve had 3 people read my freebie to be ebook (one still hasn’t gotten back to me, but she’s on vaca–and not El, she’s back obviously). Got some awesome suggestions on making the book more valuable and increasing the readability. Stuff I’d have never thought of on my own! So…I now have something better to give away when the time comes, and I am happily anticipating being able to return the favor somehow. :)
A lot of times it is ask and you will receive. So…start doing it, silly ;)
Gurl´s last post ..My Bucket List for the next two years
1. This e-book is probably the most useful one I’ve got in my downloads file. (It is tied with Danielle LaPorte’s The FireStarter Sessions.) Normally I have a profound aversion to paying more than ~$20 for a pdf, but this is one that is worth it.
2. I too have a Big Problem asking people for help or even accepting it when it is offered. But I LOVE being asked for help and being able to help…and so I’ve realized: in fact you’re honouring someone when you ask them for their help. You’re inviting them in. And that’s a privilege, all around.
I’m right with you on point #2, Kelly! Gah – it is so fun to be helpful! Why don’t we give others the PLEASURE of helping us?!
And Dave, I love the casualness of your approach to BPE. I think Navarro’s techniques are TOP NOTCH too – but there’s something to be said for winging it with grace & dignity – and a whole lotta heart.
I think the same thing about launches and deadlines that I do about creativity and writing: it is better to just do something – anything! – than to stall yourself in overwhelm because you want to do it all, perfectly.
I’m convinced that procrastination and perfectionism are in bed with each other. The more perfectly I want to do something, the less I’m able to actually do.
When I focus on the just-doing-it, I can do a lot more, and usually better.
Because doing something is always better than thinking about it.
Tara, I love helping people out! I even wrote an article for Kelly’s blog about it.
Thanks for your encouragement on BPE. I have the next edition finished, but as you know, the actual shipping and testing part takes time as well, and I am just starting into that part this week.
Ampersand didn’t make into this one; it’s a candidate for the edition after this one.
And I just thought a really subversive, totally suck up way to brand these releases, which carries right over from software development. Thanks for that.
Dave Doolin´s last post ..Building Communities – Writing and Graphics with Heather Craik
I have less of an aversion, more like a hubby who doesn’t really get ebooks and zero cash ;) The more I hear about Danielle’s stuff, the more I want it. In fact, between you and me, I sent a rather unplanned email this morning asking if she’d donate a copy to GAB. Perhaps, with the benefit of a few hours thought, I should have engaged my brain before being so cheeky :oops: I just got inspired by hearing her talk of all she’s done with non-profits. I bet she could help GAB be even more awesome :)
It’s not the help you ask for, is it… it’s how you ask for the help…
We need to move fast on that. Gold mine there. Going into technical fugue to knock out some client work for a few hours, will swing by later.
Dave Doolin´s last post ..Quick note on Twitter and followers… (drama-free zone)
So you think that I asked her very nicely might count for something, even if she has to say no? ;)
Being nice always counts!
Good to hear. That’s what I rely on. Trouble is, there was never a box on application forms for being lovely. This is probably the first time in my life where it counts ;)
Eleanor, pretty much everyone commenting here has been tremendously helpful, for this unlaunch and for other things.
Nice is good, lovely even better.
One at a time, up the rungs of the ladder.
It was a pretty nice unlaunch. I need to get used to unlaunching my stuff.
Sean´s last post ..Through the Fiery Furnace and the View from the Partition
Given all the “launch fatigue” right now, I think I’m going to continue unlaunching. It makes more sense to me. Differentiator.
Once I can shoot video like Kern and Jenkins (heh… hate those guys… put the bar in the stratosphere), stand by!
Dave Doolin´s last post ..Focus on one blog or juggle several blogs?
I can relate to setting a deadline to force yourself to produce. I can also relate to the anxiety you feel when that deadline is bearing down on you and you know you’re not going to make it.
It’s a fine line between creating just enough tension to force myself over the finish line and creating so much tension I give up and redirect my energy to something I think I have a chance of actually accomplishing.
I do hope you get everything figured out soon though because I’m going to ask you to explain it to me.
Siddhartha´s last post ..When You Shouldn’t Give 110%
I can definitely say that setting aside 1 hour per day, without compromise, and grinding away, will get the job done for me. As Kelly might say, inspiration is overrated.
It doesn’t matter if I sit and stare at the screen for 55 minutes. The 5 minutes of work I get done are worth it.
YMMV.
Dave Doolin´s last post ..WordPress Widget Plugin – Super easy customization (Tuesday means technical)
You know, I think if you actually asked for help you’d have people jumping to do so. Not something that comes easily to me either though so I can relate (worth getting better at, trust me there).
And I agree with Kelly; being asked for help is a sign of trust in a way. Usually you’re not going to ask from just anyone, you’re going to ask someone you know (or have a fair idea) can help you. In a way you’re complimenting them. Nice happy feelings all round. :)
Heather´s last post ..Summer Schedule
Watch this space, there’s more to the asking than meets the eye.
Oh yeah, I’m expecting great things from you this summer. No way you’re going to just sit around lollygagging. I know you well enough, and you’re Scottish. You’d sooner put out an eye than be thought lazy.
Dave Doolin´s last post ..Passion is the New Cool – Saturday Morning Surfing
I’m suddenly feeling awfully tempted to email you what I’m planning.
Anyway no, the short answer is I’ll be just as busy, if not busier, over the summer on my blog than I have been up until now. Mostly so I can make things explode when I’m ‘back’.
Intrigued by this ‘asking’ deal though. ;)
Heather´s last post ..Summer Schedule
You know you have been incredibly helpful here at very little cost. I know I would gladly respond to a request for help if there was anything that felt I could contribute. Now I feel much better.
Ralph´s last post ..Wake up and smell the – Verbena Bonariensis
I confess that I am really slow on the pickup. You sly dog. Your product unlaunch is a product launch.
Why yes, a launch is a launch by any other name.
But let’s just keep that between us.
Your secret is safe with me.
I’d venture to say it’s easier said than done. Congrats on your launch! (However big or small it’s still a launch and something to be proud of especially if you have sales and some lessons to be learned).
Recently, I did a test drive so-to-speak. I wrote a free ebook interviewing several successful real estate bloggers (since it’s my niche). I didn’t write it with the intent of selling it but rather with the intention of building/growing my existing list. It was an interesting exercise with lots of lessons learned. LOTS!!
I’ll be applying those lessons to round two of my next campaign…
Ricardo Bueno´s last post ..Repetitive Awareness Marketing
Ricardo, there really are a lot of moving pieces.
I’m going to keep digging into it, because the value (to me) in learning this process isn’t just in the product launch itself, it’s more about learning how to coordinate a whole bunch of people and make stuff happen.
Makes a big difference whether you are herding cats or sheep.
Ralph´s last post ..How to keep your health in balance as you age.
Hi. Great post. I purchased the ebook too but the task lists were missing. How can I get them. Do you think you can email me them?
You should contact Dave Navarro. Thanks.