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How do you deal with the emotional rollercoaster of a product launch?
First there wasn't a product. Then there was a path to one. Then nothing seemed possible. Then it started coming together. Then everything broke. Then it was fixed. Then it broke again...all the way up to the launch day trying to get some traction. How do you deal with ups and downs of the launch cycle?
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Collin Thompson
Stop thinking of it as a singular event that defines your company. It doesn't. you can launch, and launch again. in fact it's probably better that you do. It's better to think of it as a "release" with many more "releases" to come. Your goal is to get as much feedback on your product so you can make the next release better
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@techronin this is such great advice! I've been thinking about that all day and like what were our real goals with this launch. Feedback is definitely top of the list
I'm in the same boat a few days before PH launch, going through an emotional rollercoaster myself. I think what reduces my nerves and any tension about the launch is setting clear checklists and goals I can focus on. I'm very action-oriented so having clear steps ahead of me keeps me on track and helps me with managing my emotions.
However, if the process becomes difficult, I embrace those emotions and ensure I've taken steps to understand why I'm feeling the way I do. This can in turn lead to better ways of approaching situations and more effective solutions.
Biggest takeaways: create a plan and take the time to understand how you're feeling about the process.
I really like the approach YC takes to launch. They say, don't take a launch as a big event. Start and if it works that's great! But if not, you always can launch again :)
Everyone started off being wrong about something. Uber wanted to work with limos at first. Instagram started with a location based social networking feature before they stripped everything and focused on photos.
I think as long as you keep the long term in mind (you will succeed, you just don't know what the final product will look like) it'll help you reduce some stress from a ProductHunt launch. It may not go well at all, but you'll learn something that'll help you on your journey.