The 7 Biggest Mistakes I Made When Launching My First Product

(And What I’d Do Differently)

🚫 The 7 Biggest Mistakes I Made When Launching My First Product (And What I’d Do Differently)

Launching your first digital product is exciting—and terrifying. When I launched mine, I had no roadmap, just raw ambition and a bunch of browser tabs open. I’ve learned a lot since then, and today I’m sharing the 7 biggest mistakes I made—so you don’t have to repeat them.

1. I Built Before Validating

I spent weeks designing, outlining, and building the product without confirming if people actually wanted it. I should’ve pre-sold or surveyed my audience first.

2. I Waited Too Long to Launch

Perfectionism slowed me down. I kept tweaking the logo, landing page, and emails. Looking back, launching early and iterating would’ve gotten me feedback faster—and revenue sooner.

3. I Overcomplicated the Tech

I pieced together too many tools (some I didn’t understand) and wasted hours troubleshooting. Today, I’d start simple with Gumroad or ThriveCart and upgrade as needed.

4. I Didn't Have a Clear Offer Promise

I thought features would sell my product, but people buy outcomes. I now focus my sales copy on transformation: “This will help you go from X to Y.”

5. I Skipped Email Marketing

I had no email list strategy. No nurture sequence. No follow-up. Now I use ConvertKit + AI to build trust, deliver value, and sell consistently—even on autopilot.

6. I Ignored My Warm Audience

I chased cold traffic instead of starting with my warmest leads—Instagram followers, past clients, and referral partners. Your first buyers are usually already in your circle.

7. I Didn't Plan for Post-Launch

Once the cart closed, I was exhausted—and had no plan. Now I have an evergreen version, an upsell path, and content scheduled for long-term momentum.

✅ What I’d Do Differently Today

Start with a mini version and pre-sell it
Use AI to speed up content, copy, and follow-ups
Focus on one simple, clear outcome
Launch messy, then refine
Build in public and share the journey

There’s no perfect launch—but there is a smarter one. Learn from my missteps, and you’ll save time, money, and momentum.

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John Wu

With a background in technology and marketing across various

industries, John Wu launched Think Create Scale to help business

owners get the visibility they deserve. From day one, our focus

has been on using innovative solutions to help local brands scale

faster, retain loyal customers, and increase their profits without

wasting time or money on ineffective marketing.