A brainchild is “a product of one’s creative work or thought.” As with physical development, a brainchild requires birthing or releasing into the world.
Within the entrepreneurial space, no matter the sector, this typically takes place through a launch- something that I have ample experience with. For example, at 15 years old, I produced my first fashion show with $250 that I had saved.
Since then, I have built a 22-year career in event production, research, project management, and fashion design. Currently serve as the CEO of the Indiana Fashion Foundation and founder of Indiana Fashion week. I say all of this, not to brag. But just to assure you that I know a thing or two about launching products, services, and events (both online and in-person). So with that being said, if you have plans to launch something soon, be sure to avoid the following pitfalls and mistakes:
1. Not having a fashion show launch map
When launching a fashion show, a product, or an event, it’s important to know and be able to keep track of all the moving parts. For example:
- Tasks (what needs to be done)
- Team members (who the tasks need to be done by)
- Deadlines (when the tasks need to be completed)
- Budget (how much all of the above will cost) and so on
This is why one of the biggest mistakes that can be made with launches is not having, what I like to call, a fashion show launch map that outlines all of the above to all parties involved. Without a launch map, tasks can fall through the net, deadlines can be missed, and budgets underestimated. To avoid this, write your vision and share it with all of your team members (if relevant), making it very plain for everyone who reads it so that they can just run with it.
2. Not delegating
Speaking of team members, not having one is another common mistake in big launches as this can be one of the surest ways to have one of the mishaps mentioned above (i.e., tasks falling through the net and/or deadlines being missed).
Most launches will take more than just you to make it a success because you are a limited resource in terms of time and energy. You also don’t know everything nor are you the best in every area that concerns your launch. This is why it’s important to ask for help and/or hire experts to operate in a genius that may not necessarily be yours before attempting to do it all by yourself.
Also Read: How to Overcome Obstacles That are Holding You Back
3. Not being adaptable
“Once you’ve written your fashion show launch map and shared it with your team members, it might be that they notice the things which you couldn’t.”
For example, it may turn out that your original deadlines are not feasible or that your original cost estimations are not accurate. This is yet another reason why it’s important to seek help but also a great reminder not to make another dire launch mistake- not being able to pivot and adapt as and when necessary.
4. Starting too big
Another mistake when it comes to launching is starting too big which, at best, can lead to financial loss/debt and, at worst, can lead to failure. The truth is that when we first launch our products or services. We might not immediately be able to do it to the scale or degree that we would have wanted to originally due to things like budgets, space, and/or deadlines.
So, it may be necessary to dream big but start small. In other words, “cut your cloth according to your size” by launching on a smaller scale (to suit your current circumstances) and then build up to the bigger picture that you have in your mind with future launches.
5. Not knowing your numbers
An additional mistake that people make in fashion show launches is thinking that knowing your numbers only refers to budgets. Knowing your numbers can also refer to things like conversation rates.
For example, the number of people that you will need to show up to a webinar to convert to paying customers for your course. The number of people that you will have to have a consultation call with in order to reach your monthly money goal or the number of tickets that you will have to sell for your event in order to sell out.
Also Read: 10 Strategies to Keep Moving Forward When Feeling Stuck
Not having such vital information can be devastating as it can make all the difference to your ability to reach your launch goals and objectives. This is yet another reason why it might be a good idea to launch on a smaller scale, to begin with (to get these baseline numbers). Alternatively, you can research industry standards and numbers so that you know what to aim for.
6. Not evaluating
Not only is it important to keep track of your progress and ensure that everybody involved is playing their role throughout the launch process, but it’s also important to evaluate the whole process when the launch is over.
This will tell you things like what worked, what didn’t, and what you will need to change and/or improve upon to make future launches a greater success.
