Time to launch?

You've probably felt the anxiety that can come with rolling out a new fundraising campaign.

Is the message on target and clear?
Are the visuals striking the right tone?
Is the timing right?
Is the call to action prominent but not demanding?

That's the same anxiety you're likely to feel with any new roll-out:

Membership drive
Staff training
Website features
Educational program
Public awareness campaign

It's a paradox:

You can't wait until it's perfect, because it never will be.
But you can't rush into it thoughtlessly.

Where's the happy middle?

Usually, it's in getting honest, brief feedback from a handful of people in your target demographic.

It's not:

• Asking everyone in your target group to help you design it (too early in the process; shows a lack of leadership; generates more input than you can use).

• Just doing it however the Executive Director, or your board, says (they don't represent your target demographic).

• Going with your gut and seeing what happens (too late in the process; no chance to use whatever haphazard feedback you might gather).

Instead, it's just:

• Picking 3-5 people who can be honest with you, and who are as much like your target audience as you can find.

• Asking each of them their for feedback on 2-3 specific questions. For example, "Real quick, design A or design B? Can you say why?", or "Can you take 5 minutes with me to look at this web page and try to do what it's asking you, and maybe think out loud to me as you go?"

• Using that feedback to refine your offering. And then …

• Launching. Sending. Announcing. Shipping. Whatever you call it, it's time to do it.

Here's the thing:

Pre-launch jitters are a real thing. Ask any stage actor on opening night.

But the goal is not perfection. It's helping the people we care about.

Usually, a little targeted input from the right people is enough to get you pretty close.

And then, it's just time to launch.

All the best,
A.