Hey there,
Ever notice how some businesses launch products like they're announcing chores? "New thing available. Go buy it. Friday. End of announcement."
Meanwhile, other businesses turn product launches into experiences that make their community genuinely excited to participate? That's exactly what happened when I watched Rhett and Link (the duo behind Good Mythical Morning) launch their latest product: a coloring book.
These YouTube legends have cultivated something beautiful with their 13+ million followers - a place where people can be their quirky, mythical selves. Their community is genuinely one of the kindest corners of the internet.
So when they had a new product to launch, they didn't just add it to their shop and hope for the best.
Here's what they did: When you buy their coloring book, you can submit one of your finished pages to enter their coloring contest. The prize? $100 per month to spend in their shop for an entire year.
But here's the genius part - they get to use every single submission as content.
Think about the psychology here: Who doesn't love sending fan art to someone they admire? And who doesn't dream of having their favorite creators share their work with millions of people? It's like Taylor Swift posting your cat photo to her Instagram.
Quick gut check: When was the last time your product launch made people excited to create something and share it with you?
This is where Rhett and Link really show their community-first thinking:
Accessibility: They offer a free coloring page download so people who can't afford the $22 book can still participate in the contest. Nobody gets left out.
Complete experience: They sell branded colored pencils as an add-on, so you can literally rip open your package and start creating immediately.
User-generated goldmine: Every submission becomes potential social media content, email newsletter features, and community celebration material.
Instead of treating launches like transactions, what if you treated them like community events?
The most successful launches don't just sell products - they give communities reasons to come together, create, and celebrate.
Whether you're launching a course, a subscription box, or a service package, ask yourself: How could you turn this into something your audience actively wants to participate in?
Your next launch could be the thing that brings your community closer together while creating content that markets itself.
Stay curious!
P.S. Rhett and Link's contest isn't just smart marketing - it's community building disguised as a product launch. The coloring pages customers submit become celebrations of creativity that make everyone else want to join in. That's the kind of viral loop every business dreams of.