Your Launch is Not an Event
Most entrepreneurial articles portray the product launch as an event. Sometimes the launch “event” goes well, sometimes it doesn’t. I think talking about the launch “event” misrepresents how most successful product launches actually work.
Your launch isn’t an event. Launching is a series of small validations, feedback from alpha and beta users, tweaks, course corrections, and more validations.
You don’t launch so much as become known to more people—people who’s reaction you can already predict based on the iterative feedback you’ve been getting all along.
Your launch isn’t an event, it’s a process.
Damage Being Done
The more we talk about launch as an event, the more we reinforce the notion that it’s a watershed moment. We’re doing damage to new entrepreneurs by setting unrealistic expectations. I would love to see fewer blog posts and Hacker News discussions about Techcrunch coverage on launch day—that’s just not what it’s about.
You Might be the Exception
Yes, you might be an unusual case. You may build something in secret, hone it to perfection, unveil it with a flurry of press releases and Techcrunch coverage, and be propelled to success and profitability.
But I wouldn’t bet on it.
