9 Ways to Save an Unsuccessful Program Launch

By Brett Farmiloe

What is one smart strategy that will help turn around a product or program launch that isn't working? To find out the answer to this question, we asked CEOs and marketing managers for their best advice. From bringing in an outside perspective to revisiting the data behind the launch, here are strategies that can help you revitalize an unsuccessful program launch.

How to turn around an unsuccessful program launch

1. Bring in an outside perspective

"Sometimes all it takes to turn around a program launch that isn't producing desired results is to bring in someone to offer an outside perspective. They can look at the launch objectively because they’re seeing it for the first time. Because they’re approaching the issue with a fresh set of eyes, they’ll be able to more easily identify the areas that are causing problems. From there, they should work with the existing launch team to rectify the issues and get the launch back on track."

—Mark Pierce, Cloud Peak Law Group

2. Do a PR blitz

"You can always expand your public relations efforts to bring more attention (and therefore more success) to a program launch. Collect emails and contact information from journalists working in your field. Boost your social media marketing across multiple channels and post more frequently to gain attention. Encourage employees to talk and post about your program on their own channels. Much of this can be done inexpensively or with the help of affordable freelancers who know whom to contact and how to reach them. It really only takes one successful PR win to turnaround a program launch, though the more you have, the more likely you are to see success."

—David Patterson-Cole, Moonchaser

3. Take time to pivot on failing areas to get things right

"A failing product launch can be a nightmare, but it is incredibly common, whether you are launching a physical product or a new service. The best way to revive a failing launch is to embrace flexibility and refuse to rush. This will allow your team to pivot on areas that aren't currently working. This can apply to marketing, product/service testing, audience targeting, and even your release date.

"If [your product] isn't ready [to launch], it is almost always better to give yourself more time to do it right. It is a short-term sacrifice, but you will have a much better chance of long-term success."

—Gates Little, altLINE Sobanco

4. Reevaluate your marketing plan

"Revisit your marketing plan to evaluate objectives and tactics, and if you don't have a marketing plan, create one. For example, the goal of your campaign may not need to change, such as securing new email subscribers, but how you plan to obtain the subscribers will need adjustment. The plan for your marketing efforts is even more crucial than the individual strategies because this guides all of your advertising decisions and serves as a reference when campaigns fail."

—Cesar Cruz, Sebastian Cruz Couture

5. Start with the end goal in mind

"It's a good idea to think about how your approach fits with your program or initiatives, as well as the expected outcomes. A major issue in moving from concept to implementation is a lack of clearly defined goals and objectives. Executives who can't describe what they aim to accomplish can't expect project managers to comprehend their strategy and contribute meaningfully to their projects."

—Kenny Kline, BarBend

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6. Consult your target audience

"Collect feedback about your launch campaign from your target audience. For example, find a handful of people who match your target demographic through social media, incentivize them with a Visa or product gift card, and ask them to provide their honest opinions on your marketing strategies. An example of a question you could ask your target audience might be 'what is the overall impression of our business and products after looking at our website?' Your consumer has the answers."

—Amrita Saigal, Kudos

7. Get your team involved

"It can be hard to let go of an idea that you know better than anyone else, and where your way is the only way, but if you want to see your program succeed, it's important to get input from others. If you've had the same team on board since the beginning, it's likely they have some great insights into how things are going and what may need adjusting.

"Even if they don't have any specific suggestions for improvement, just having them involved in brainstorming sessions about what went wrong and what could be done differently will help keep everyone on track moving forward."

—Arthur Worsley, The Art Of Living

8. Simplify and make the program easier to understand

"This can be done by breaking down the program into smaller, more manageable parts and providing clear instructions on how each part works. You can also create short instructional videos or conduct training sessions to help participants better understand the program."

—Gino Louise Reichert, LSAT Prep Hero

9. Revisit the data behind the launch

"All successful campaigns are rooted in data. If a program launch isn't going as expected, revisit the initial information used to formulate the launch. For example, when geo-targeting for a new Facebook campaign, you may find out your consumers who live in California spend more time on Instagram than on Facebook. It's possible that you missed a variable along the way, and that's okay. You can always retarget your ad. With every campaign launch, we also learn something new."

—Breanne Millette, BISOULOVELY

RELATED: 13 Ways to Bootstrap Your Startup’s New Product Launch