Hi Reader,
Today, we wrapped up Phase One of the Digital Stage Launchpad, the 15-week guided program where I’m walking a group through creating and launching their digital product from scratch.
The program is divided into three key phases:
- Phase 1 – Clarify (5 weeks): Get clear on what you’re building, who it’s for, and why it matters
- Phase 2 – Build (4 weeks): Set up the infrastructure, design the course, and prep for recording
- Ecamm Live Accelerator (2 weeks): An intensive, hands-on stretch to help participants record their course using Ecamm Live... more on this later!
- Phase 3 – Launch (4 weeks): Plan and execute the launch, drive sales, and get the product into the world
You might notice something interesting here... the Clarify phase is longer than the Build & Launch phases.
That’s intentional.
Don't Make This Mistake!
Yes, there’s plenty of work to do in the Build phase such as landing pages, backend setup, designing your course, but the truth is, the biggest reason people fail to get their digital products off the ground is because they start building before they’re truly clear.
I’ve done it myself. When I launched Take One Tech, it was a hobby, a side project, and I certainly wasn't clear on a bigger vision for it! When it began to evolve and I started creating digital products, I was eager to get something out. I created things quickly, often following inspiration or opportunity, rather than a clearly defined vision. And while that worked for a while, it also meant I had to course-correct later sometimes painfully.
Now I know better and am far more intentional about everything I do, and how it is serving my audience and me!
5 Areas Of Clarity
Clarity isn’t just about nailing your niche or naming your course.
It’s about knowing why you’re making it, who it’s for, and how it fits into the bigger picture of your business (and life).
It’s about aligning the entire foundation of what you’re doing.
In the Launchpad, we cover five critical areas of clarity before anyone writes a single lesson:
- Your Goals: What are you really building toward? Freedom? Income? Lifestyle design?
- Your Audience: Who are you here to help? What are they struggling with? What do they need most?
- The Transformation: What shift are you helping them create? How will their life or business be different?
- The Vehicle: What’s the best format to deliver that transformation? Course, membership, coaching? How will that be structured?
- The Offer: How will you present this in a way that resonates, sells, and fits into your bigger business?
Once we’ve gone through those five layers, then we build. And once the foundation is solid, everything else comes together far more easily.
By the way, part 3... the transformation you are offering... you don't have to solve all problems at once! Sometimes launching a minimum viable product to help with one particular aspect of a potential bigger problem can be the easier way to make a start and get something out into the world.
Don't Forget Launch Planning
There’s another common reason people struggle to get their digital product off the ground: they build it… but they don’t launch it with intention.
They spend weeks (or months) creating a great product, but when it comes time to share it with the world, they have no clear plan. No sequencing. No follow-up. No momentum.
That’s why in the Launchpad, the Launch phase is just as long as the Build phase. Four full weeks devoted to strategy, promotion, and activation. Because it’s not just about having a great course/product, it’s about getting it into the hands of the people who need it.
This Gets Easier Every Time!
But here’s something else I’ve learned:
Although we break this journey into phases in the Launchpad, the deeper into your business you get, the more these phases begin to overlap.
When I create a new product now, I’m refining the Clarify phase almost unconsciously.
And when I build, I’m also crafting my launch messaging at the same time.
Some days I’m designing landing pages. Other days, I’m writing emails.
It’s not rigid, but rather it flows with my energy, my creativity, and the momentum of the project, all aligned with my optimal performance OS... my personal operating system created with the help of Chat GPT! (More on that in a further newsletter)
That’s the goal: structure at the start, flexibility as you grow.
Clarity first. Freedom later.
Ask Yourself This...
Wherever you are in your own journey, whether you’re still figuring out what you want to create, or deep in the trenches of building something meaningful, take a moment to ask yourself:
- Am I clear on why I’m doing this?
- Who I’m helping?
- What shift I’m offering?
- How I’ll deliver it?
- And how I’ll share it with the world?
If you’ve got those five answers, you’re well on your way. If you need help with gaining clarity, I'm here to help! Just hit reply .Talk soon, Alec.
