2 builders who never spoke to each other

Walk your paying customers into the new version

Existing subscribers are the group most easily lost in a relaunch, so give them the new build first and a stated window on the old one. Paul Jarvis found that an alpha with a handful of paying customers surfaced almost nothing left to fix, and Rob Hope handed presale buyers their accounts before anyone else could see the site. Rand Fishkin published the retirement dates per plan and an address for anyone needing longer.

The method

1. 01

   Before a big relaunch, put the new version in front of a small group of paying customers and fix what they find.

2. 02

   Soft launch to the people who already paid: hand presale buyers their accounts and let them use the thing before anyone else can see it.

3. 03

   Give paying customers a stated window on the old version, longer for the higher tiers, and name the email address for anyone who needs more.

What it returned

• 22

  Show Them opened to its presale list with 22 videos in the core track and a few bonus lessons.

• 30

  SparkToro kept V1 alive for 30 days for basic subscribers and at least 90 days for professional and agency plans, with extensions available on request.

• An alpha with a handful of existing customers surfaced almost nothing that needed changing before the wider migration.

Sources

• Show Them has soft launched - Rob HopeRob Hope · robhope.com · 2024-12-04
• SparkToro V2 is Finally Here. It Can Do Incredible Things for SEO, Content Marketing, PR, and Ad Targeting. - SparkToroRand Fishkin · sparktoro.com · Early FAQs · undated
• From almost shutting down to tripling our MRR - Fathom AnalyticsPaul Jarvis · usefathom.com · From almost shutting down to tripling our MRR · 2019-11-04