Live Launch or Evergreen: Which is right for you?

Launching something new doesn’t have to be overwhelming and stressful—it can actually be a super exciting way to grow your business. When you’re rolling out a course, membership, digital product, or new service, figuring out whether to live launch or put it on evergreen can be hard. In this post, I will cover live launches vs evergreen launches and help you decide which strategy is the right fit for your offer.

What is a live launch?

A live launch, sometimes called an open/close launch, is when you make your course, program, or digital product available for purchase only during certain times of the year. Usually, you open the doors for about 1-2 weeks, and this might happen 2-4 times a year. Some people really enjoy live launching because it can bring in a burst of buyers quickly. However, others find it a bit too overwhelming due to the intense focus and energy required to manage all the details and marketing efforts during this time.

Benefits of a live launch

There are a lot of benefits to doing a live launch, like the built-in sense of urgency around your cart close date. This motivates people to buy before your special offer is gone.

You can create a lot of FOMO (fear of missing out) by offering a limited-time bonus or early bird pricing, which nudges folks to hop on board before the window closes. 

Another advantage of live launching is the nice cash injection your business gets in a relatively short time.

Pros and Cons of Live Launches

What is an evergreen launch?

An evergreen launch is open year-round, so there’s no specific season or limited window of time. This means your customers can purchase at any time, providing you with a steady flow of sales throughout the year.

Most online businesses have some sort of evergreen funnel set up. Even if you’re running a service-based business, you can create simple evergreen funnels with welcome sequences tied to freebies. In your welcome sequence, you would then guide potential clients or customers to booking a call, or, if you don’t require booking calls, you can point them to a page to go ahead and purchase.

While you won’t enjoy the buzz and excitement of a live launch, the benefits of an evergreen launch are perfect for those who want consistent sales and a reliable income stream all year long.

Benefits of an evergreen launch

Evergreen launches are generally less stressful than live launches, though they might need a bit more tech setup initially due to their automated nature. Think of an evergreen funnel as your 24/7 sales team, working to nurture leads and turn them into customers on autopilot.

What makes an evergreen funnel so special is how easily it scales. It can welcome endless leads and prospects without needing extra effort from you, helping your business grow steadily. And if your evergreen funnel is doing great, you can ramp it up pretty quickly by bringing even more people in with Facebook ads.

When your sales funnel is successful, you’ll see a steady stream of sales and new clients coming in all year, without needing to pour extra energy into constant marketing efforts. It’s a mix of automation, passive income, and recurring revenue!

While evergreen products do require some attention, the workload is spread more evenly throughout the year—meaning less intense bursts of activity compared to live launches and a smoother rhythm to your business operations.

Pros and Cons of Evergreen Launches

Should you live launch or evergreen your online course? 6 questions to ask yourself to help you decide

1. Do you teach something people want to avoid?

Imagine you’re offering a course that tackles something tough, like helping clients overcome emotional eating and build a healthy relationship with food or guiding them through the process of dealing with debt. It’s safe to assume your customers know this is an issue for them, but it can be overwhelming to address these issues alone. This is where a live launch can really shine. It provides that extra push through a sense of urgency and the support of a community all aiming for the same transformation.

In my experience helping clients with their own launches, I’ve seen how sometimes an evergreen model just doesn’t quite fit for topics like these. People often need more encouragement to embrace these life-changing concepts, and a live launch can give them the motivational boost they need.

On the flip side, for skills that people might initially put off but will at some point decide it’s time they want to deal with it—like learning how to run Facebook ads—an evergreen approach can be the perfect fit. It allows learners to dive in when they’re ready and go at their own pace.

2. How much quality time do you want to have with your students?

With online courses, supporting your students can look like group coaching calls, lively Facebook group discussions, emails, or one-on-one chats. Deciding how much time you want to dedicate to this support can really shape your approach.

If you prefer having a set time frame to fully engage with your students, a launch might be your style. You can dedicate, say, 12 weeks where you’re all in, guiding them through the course. After that, you get to choose how much you’re available. This setup works well if you want your students to start together, learning from each other’s progress and sharing feedback.

On the other hand, an evergreen setup might mean you’re more continuously available, allowing students to jump in whenever they’re ready. If you find your students do well on their own, diving into material at their own pace, this flexibility could be a great fit.

Think about what feels right for you—do you enjoy constant interaction, or do you prefer to go all in for a bit and then wind down? Striking the right balance helps you create a supportive environment that fits your teaching style and your students’ needs.

3. How will you give your customers a reason to buy now?

When you’re selling anything, it’s all about giving people that motivation to not just buy, but to buy right now.

Live launches naturally have an edge here, with their open and close dates creating a built-in urgency. It’s pretty common to see a big chunk of sales happen right as the cart is about to close.

Some businesses amplify the scarcity effect by limiting the number of spots available, enhancing urgency, and encouraging quick decisions from potential customers.

For evergreen launches, you’ll need to think creatively to spark that same urgency. You might try promotions, special limited-time bonuses, or flash sales to encourage immediate action.

As you’re figuring out your marketing strategy, it’s worth comparing the ins and outs of live and evergreen approaches for your course or digital product. Live launches stir up excitement and can lead to a quick spike in sales. Plus, the buzz and interaction around a live launch often help strengthen your connection with your audience. Since the purchasing window is shorter, it’s important to have your audience prepped and ready to leap when the time comes. That means putting in some solid groundwork with your marketing before the launch even begins.

4. What do you want your workload to be?

When you’re gearing up for a launch, it’s all hands on deck—newsletters, blogs, webinars, social media, you name it. Then, once the frenzy is over, you can take a breather, regroup, and focus on nurturing your audience. You can choose to launch once a year or opt for multiple launches, depending on what suits your style.

On the other hand, with an evergreen-style launch, you’re constantly feeding sales into the course. This means regularly developing sales funnels, hosting webinars, setting up partnerships, and running ads. It’s a slow and steady approach that works well for those who prefer consistent effort over the feast-and-famine feel of live launches.

An open/close launch means lots of hustle before the launch and relative quiet between them, resulting in highs and lows in your schedule. If you’re comfortable with this ebb and flow and stay motivated by big pushes, it might be the right fit. Plus, if you’re good at stretching an influx of income to last several months or the whole year, this approach can work in your favor. Evergreen products, on the flip side, offer more consistent income, with sales trickling in steadily throughout the year.

5. How will you create buzz?

Launching something new naturally generates a lot of excitement and energy. It’s not just you feeling the thrill as everything comes together; your customers catch on to that buzz, too.

Once your customers enroll, you’ll often hear them eagerly tell their friends, “I just signed up—this is going to be great! You should join me!” Inside the course, students share their excitement about taking this big step, and your Facebook group and coaching calls become lively and interactive.

Evergreen launches, on the other hand, have a more gradual vibe. As people enroll at their own pace, they might mention, “I just bought this course—I’ll let you know what I think.” It’s a different kind of conversation, less about immediate excitement and more about individual experiences.

If your course delivers great value, happy students will still spread the word regardless of the launch style. But with evergreen, you might notice your support groups and calls don’t have that same spark, as students are at various stages in their journey. For some, this steady and paced interaction is appealing, though it might not be everyone’s cup of tea.

6. Are you okay with inconsistent income?

While launches only happen a few times a year, they can bring in significant income when they do. It sounds fantastic, but it’s important to be prepared for quieter periods until the next launch. I’ve seen course launches generate impressive revenue, but that income then needs to stretch over 6 months or even more. If you’re good at stretching an influx of income to last several months or the whole year, this approach can work in your favor.

Evergreen products, on the flip side, offer more consistent income, with sales trickling in steadily throughout the year. 

If you like the idea of creating urgency and scarcity with your offerings, the launch approach might suit you, but it’s all about weighing the excitement of those big financial boosts against the steady trickle of evergreen sales.

Mixing up these approaches in your business

Why choose one when you can enjoy the benefits of both live and evergreen approaches? You can run your regular live launches and at the same time, have a back door evergreen offer available through a well-crafted sales funnel. Even if your course has time-sensitive or live elements, you can create an evergreen system that still gets results.

You might offer a self-study option on evergreen, letting participants dive into the material anytime, while reserving live interactions for your next launch round. This ‘best of both worlds’ approach offers flexibility and maximizes reach, allowing you to cater to different preferences.

You could start with an open/close launch to test the waters, then gradually shift into an evergreen approach as your content proves its worth. This lets you iron out any kinks and refine your course before making it fully evergreen. Remember, each strategy is unique to what works best for you and your audience. If your marketing is spot on, you can effectively leverage both methods and get your potential clients’ internal urgency to kick in when it’s the right time for them.

Will you launch or evergreen? Still having trouble deciding? Let me know your questions and concerns in the comments.

And, whether you’re overwhelmed by everything that needs to happen for your launch or you just need some tech help, take a look at my services to see how I can help you!