PHEW. Now THAT’S what I call a party.
Thanks to everyone who attended, posted, commented, and shared on my Facebook page last week. I can’t tell you how much I appreciated that.
In case you missed it (because you happened to avoid Facebook like the plague last Monday), I marked the launch of my new website with a virtual launch party.
(If you’re reading this via email, click here to check out my new virtual digs.)
Want to host your own ridiculously successful virtual launch party for your latest irresistible offering, in-person event, or can’t-miss webcast?
Read on, my friend.
1. SCHEDULE YOUR DAY
Plan everything . . . down to when you’ll eat (because you WILL forget to do that—I guarantee).
It sounds like a basic one, but when my partner came home at around six and asked how my day was, my eyes were like saucers after being glued to my laptop all day, I was feverishly rewriting twitter profiles on the fly, and my stomach was growling like my Schnoodle when you take his favorite chew toy.
Decide how often you’ll post. What feels good: every ten minutes, or once an hour? I found posting updates between 10 and 30 minutes apart was a good way to keep the momentum going.
I even posted a video when I took the dog for a walk.
2. CREATE A BUZZ
People won’t show up if you don’t tell them to.
I created an event through my Facebook page and invited every woman entrepreneur I knew. I also sent emails to my list, including a ‘new site notification’ list that I created while my site was in maintenance mode in the run up to the launch.
Different people will flow in and out all day. Keep them engaged by posting regularly. And change things up: from posts and pinnables, to links and giveaways.
By the way, check out Facebook’s policy on page promotions so you don’t run into any privacy snafus, which could entail having your page deactivated.
I also used the hashtag #virtuallaunchparty. Facebook has enabled hashtags now, so this was a good way for people to track any posts they may have missed.
I fed into the activity on my Facebook page with a handful of posts on twitter and one or two on Google+ and Pinterest, to boot.
3. USE DIFFERENT PLATFORMS
There’s a first time for everything, and I figured my virtual launch party would be the perfect occasion to host my first-ever Spreecast.
This is where I’d like to share the following caveat: Technology WILL fuck with you.
Using Spreecast LOOKED easy enough, but not only did my audio and microphone settings not want to play to begin with, but my entire laptop decided to overheat and shutdown, leaving Amanda Farough (my site designer, who I’d been interviewing) holding the fort complete with squalling toddler in the background and her gorgeous baby girl in her lap. Ridonculous, I tell ya.
(On top of this lil’ saga, my website host was on the blip ALL DAY. Cue mammoth sigh.)
Despite that, it was still awesome to connect with some of you. And NEXT time, we’ll try another platform.
My point is, give people an opportunity to engage with you wherever they are. Maybe they’re not a big fan of Facebook. Maybe they’d like to see you and chat with you one on one. Make yourself accessible in more than one place.
Oh, and if something goes wrong (as it inevitably will), shake it off. Don’t let it drag you down or dampen your party mood. (If you need a lift, listen to this.)
Considering hosting a virtual launch party? What’s stopping you? What questions d’you have for me? Post ‘em below in the comments and I’ll answer every last one.
xo.
Nikki