You Don't Have A Product Problem — You Have A Launch Problem

Labubu was an utterly unnecessary product — I mean, monsteresque figurines? Yet it was one of the most successful product launches in recent years, so much so that it became a global sensation. It sold out across continents, resold at 10x markup, and was carried by celebrities and our favourite influencers globally. Nobody needed it, but everyone wanted it. Labubu didn't win because it was a brilliant invention, it won because it understood exactly how to enter a market. And this is exactly where most founders get lost.

When a product launch flops, the first thing most founders and marketers do is look at the product and misdiagnose it. They tweak the features, rebuild the pricing, even pivot the entire offer. And sometimes they're right. But most of the time? The product was never the problem, and all they end up doing is burning time, money, and momentum.

It is easier to make a scapegoat out of the supposedly failed product because it feels logical and fixable. In the face of frustration, you begin to see phantom inadequacies in your product — maybe it's too complex, too boring, too pricey, too overdone. You even begin to question your career choice and wonder if you should have just been a farmer instead, at least everyone needs food, right? Yes, we do, but wait! Don't give up before reading to the end of this article. If you still feel like giving up after…welp!

The simple truth is this: most products that fail at launch don't always fail because of what they are, they fail because of how, when, and to whom they were introduced. Knowing how to position your product in the market is exactly what makes your pre-launch, launch, and post-launch marketing a hit. This is where a strong Go-To-Market strategy, aka GTM, aka The Star of The Show, comes in.

Let Me Put You On (GTM)

GTM is just a fancy way of asking: did you get the right message, in front of the right people, at the right time, through the right channel? Skip any one of those four, and a great product looks like a bad one. It is the foundation of a high-performing product launch strategy used by successful startups and global brands. Most times, an unsuccessful launch stems from one or more of these questions left unanswered or outrightly ignored. The most successful global brands—whether in tech, fashion, or consumer goods—don’t launch without answering these questions first.

Test your GTM strategy with us to know how ahead you are!

The question on your mind now might be, how do I know if my product really was bad or if I just didn't pay attention to my GTM strategy?.
Well, here are signs you did the latter:

• You launched only to your family, friends, and 200 followers on Instagram/ X and called it a launch. Spoiler alert: it wasn't.
• You didn't even tease your target audience with your product. No waitlist, no community, no warm audience. There was no single person anticipating your product. It's like you sprung it up on them
• You posted “we've finally launched our new haircare line!" one day and never looked back.
• You had no follow-up sequence, no check-ins to see how your product was received…just crickets.
• You couldn't define your audience in one sentence. You couldn't answer the question, "who is this specifically for?” without clearing your throat thrice.
• You launched and said, “algorithms do your thing". Instead of actively driving action, you waited to see what would happen.

It is never our intention to make you feel judged, but if you did after reading that list, maybe it's time to shake things up a little.

But right now, I need you to pause, drink water, and accept that your product has a chance to succeed in the market. When you've done that and you're ready to put in the work, as you should, we've put together everything you need to know about launching your product effectively and successfully here.

…and oh, before you go and “launch” again,
maybe get the right insights this time from TYOM and Founders who’ve gotten it right, straight to your inbox. Join the newsletter here.

Plus, if you’d rather have TYOM’s hand-holding, book a session with us. We’ll help you out, promise.

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