Launch afterthought: mistakes and takeaways

Elena Tairova
10 replies
Hi guys, I had my first launch last Monday, and frankly, I find the results a bit underwhelming, considering all the preparation, time, and effort the team and I put into it. While we did get some valuable insights, stress-tested the application performance, and received a fair share of support (a huge thank you for that to everyone involved šŸ’™! ), our upvote count is one of the lowest per day. This makes me wonder about the cause(s) and what our takeaways should be. #1 Mistake I Can Think Of: Launch Timing Scheduling the launch for 00:07 (mostly for fun) seems like a misstep. Apparently, most launches happen at 00:00. This put us at the bottom of the list from the beginning, even during the crucial first few hours when votes are hidden ("to give equal opportunity to everyone"). People would have had to scroll all the way down to see the project, putting us at a disadvantage. I thought Product Hunt would randomize and mix up the top 5 projects shown in the early hours for equal exposure. Apparently, that's not the case. So, we ended up at the bottom of the list for the rest of the day. I can't help but feel we definitely missed out on visibility during this launch. #2 Complex Product / Unclear Value Proposition From what I've seen, brand-new product launches that perform best have something in common - they focus on a single, clear value proposition a.k.a meant to do just one thing. We, on the other hand, have a complex many-featured product and this complexity might have made it harder for us to transmit, and for other hunters to grasp its core benefit. #3 Product is not relevant (enough)? Our products are our babies and we tend to love them unconditionally. So I'm obviously biased here... but, as with any launch, there's always the possibility that the product itself might not resonate with the target audience. While we haven't received direct criticism, I'd love to hear some honest feedback on this. While might be tough to digest, that's what helps us improve and iterate. So I'm asking for your critical opinion. What do you think could be improved about the Macula launch: https://www.producthunt.com/posts/macula launch ? Is it the issue of the presentation, the product itself, or just tough luck? Or, perhaps a combo of all the above? šŸ¤” Please share your thoughts! P.S. I hope these observations will also help others with their upcoming PH launches. Let's all crush it next time! šŸ™Œ

Replies

Elena, your reflections on the launch provide invaluable insights for anyone in the startup space. Learning from these experiences is what truly drives progress and innovation.
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Coral Lauren
Very useful insights, thanks for sharing @eltairovy I also think product with 1 clear unique value proposition are better placed to attract the attention of the PH community. I understand what Macula does, it is true that the product is more sophisticated than others on PH. Too bad that launching a few minutes later would result in a disadvantage. Very much appreciate you sharing this specific detail, we'll make sure to launch at 00:00!! The launch is just the beginning, good luck with the next step of your journey!
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Elena Tairova
@laurencoral Thanks Coral, Appreciate the feedback! Yes, it seems like a bit of an oversight from the Product Hunt team, let's hope they'll pick up on it and even it up somehow soon
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Jose Garrido
Wow thanks for your postmortem Elena. Iā€™m sorry to hear the launch was a lackluster for you. Your product does look really cool though. What about the day of the week? Would you rather have launched on a day other than Monday?
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Elena Tairova
@josej30 I wouldn't change Monday, actually. Following the same principle, the earlier you launch in the week or day, the longer your project gets exposure. We were still getting some leads and votes even two days later. That said, for maximum visibility, I recommend Monday to Wednesday. At the same time, these days are also the most competitive. So, if you're aiming for a "product of the day" title, consider launching on the weekend instead.
Varun
@eltairovy excellent observations! Thanks for sharing I think the value proposition is actually strong... but the 101 rule to new product launch is KISS: keep it simple,stuipid ;) I think a CLEAR H1, H2 and H3 on the launch post and website would make a difference. I checked out your product, and I think there is a lot of value, but it is all nested into too much info that can be overwhelming / confusing / both. I spent a good 10 minutes seeing the website and only then was I wowed by the idea. It's not the end of the world... give it another go on PH, or other platforms like G2 and Trust Radius. Don't be afraid to make mistakes ;)
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Varun
@divine_rivers1 Sure thing! Will keep an eye out
Elena Tairova
@varun1616 Thank you! Love the KISS rule, and yes, can't agree more now, it seems to be the key :D Well, we learn by trial and error, so mistakes are good - just learning opportunities. P.S. I haven't heard of G2 and Trust Radius, will have a look, thanks!
Divine Rivers
@varun1616 Great feedback, would love it if you gave ours some as well when we launch on Monday as we are first-time founders šŸ˜ƒ
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Varun
@eltairovy sure thing, happy to help in other ways. BTW - We are launching our product in 5 weeks, and we have a short survey to evaluate how clear our USP is. Would be grateful if you can fill it out - https://form.typeform.com/to/S6W... Thanks!
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