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The Big Bang Theory of Launching a Product

Started by Benjamin Yoskovitz · 10 months ago

Many people will tell you the best way to launch a product is to do so early and iterate constantly. I’ve said the same thing, and generally agree with that sentiment. You don’t want to spend a year building a product without any serious customer feedback, without putt ... Continue reading »

15 comments

  • SalineVance

    1 year ago

    Ben,

    What you describe reminds me of the old saying "Ready-Fire-Aim", rather than "paralysis by analysis", or waiting until something is perfect before release. In the digital era, time is compressed, so it strikes me that it's best to get out there sooner rather than later. The primary risk, in my view, is that consumers will tire of the boy who cried "Wolf!" too often, with all the iterative releases. It's a fine line - one that many marketers find challenging in the extreme.
    reply
  • Khalid Saleh

    1 year ago

    Ben,

    The iterative process is usually driven by a software methodology that does always align well with marketing and business goals. You outlined an excellent strategy to get both software and marketing teams on the same page.
    reply
  • Paul Marshall

    1 year ago

    "Perfection is the enemy of good"!

    Get it out, get traction, improve and expand the user experience.

    Well said Ben.
    reply
  • Greg Balanko-Dickson

    1 year ago

    As a user, the release often and iterate constantly is frustrating to me. I have stopped using a software because I think the team is using Rapid Development techniques and I cannot figure out where they are going or why I should keep using it.

    Pisses me off, I run from these apps now.
    reply
  • Li Zhang

    1 year ago

    Agree/10
    reply
  • Carl Mercier

    1 year ago

    Iterating fast is the key. To do that without too much pain/downtime for the users, good developers and good tests really help.
    reply
  • Andy Strote

    1 year ago

    As a marketer and software user, this is something I back away from. Why? Well, often the first release isn't really ready for prime time. It's not really 1.0, it's more like 0.6. Five iterations and much customer pain later, it's somewhere around 1.0. It's exactly the reason I stay about 1 or 2 generations behind on many apps or OS (moving to Mac OS 10.5? - not just yet, it ain't fully baked), and like Greg up in comment 4, bail quickly if I see too frequent updates.

    But hey, if version 1.0 is rock solid and you're just adding great new features, well, have at it!
    reply
  • Ben Koshkin

    1 year ago

    It's easy to succumb to the inaction of waiting till it's perfect. Sometimes you just have to go. Benjamin Koshkin
    reply
  • Mike Adkinson

    1 year ago

    If you know what you are doing, and can have some confidence in your product, then it is best to launch it. Waiting will make it take longer to recover your monry which could drag you down into failure. Michael Adkinson
    reply
  • Tavy

    1 year ago

    Very interesting article. Useful in my business. Thanks
    reply
  • Hye Munar

    12 months ago

    Hi Ben,

    I do agree with everything you said in your article. I learned and U really appreciate it. Hope this will make me improved in my blogging journey. Thanks again.
    reply
  • Karl Goldfield

    12 months ago

    Some sound advice. Might I add some advice to those who might fear the amount of work involved.

    1. Map out a timeline and estimated amount of time it will take to do each task
    2. OUTSOURCE any basic tasks that can be managed by anyone! Virtual assistants will cost $10-$25/hr but will save you an unbelievable amount of time on remedial work. This may seem like a lot of money, but it is only a few hundred to a couple thousand dollars, and if spent properly it will make your BANG so much louder.
    reply
  • Justice

    12 months ago

    great! thanks very much for sharing! .."don't overload yourself immediately after a big product launch.." ;)
    reply
  • Daniel Lopez

    12 months ago

    I find too many companies releasing products before they are cleansed of major bugs. I believe that nothing is released 'perfect' it is almost silly to work for long periods of time on a project unless it has major bugs.

    All in all I find my customers feedback to best teller on what things to add and set on higher priority.
    reply
  • Raj

    1 month ago

    Frequent Iterative releases, depends on the type of product we are talking about. It should be good for Designer's Clothing or Jewelry or Electronics product but might not be good for quick software releases that usually have many bugs along the way lagging behind on quality front.
    reply

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