Why Most Product Launches Fail to Sell

Read Time: 2 Minutes 32 Seconds

Hey - Robert here.

In today’s edition:

• The worst product launch I’ve seen in years

• Why it failed (and what you can learn from it)

• A 3-step framework for launching digital products the right way

Let’s be honest.

We just witnessed one of the biggest missed opportunities in the creator space.

Zach Yadegari (founder of the Cal AI app doing $3.6M/month) and 4 other founders launched a course called ‘‘‘App Mafia’’’ for $997.

And it’s arguably the worst product launch to date.

The 5 founders are the experts in the AI app space:

• $70M+ combined revenue from their apps

• Millions of viewers during launch week

• Massive credibility in one of the hottest markets right now

With the right strategy, they could have done a $1M+ launch easily.

But instead… they only made around $300K.

Which might sound like a lot, until you realize how much money (and trust) they left on the table..

The terrible launch resulted in:

• Permanently damaged reputations

• Negative feedback (and reviews)

• Wasted potential

So, let’s break down what went wrong and how to avoid the same mistakes.

1. The Product

The foundation of any product launch is the offer.

If the offer isn’t compelling, no amount of marketing can save it.

Here’s what they sold:

• A $997 course (just screen recordings + Google Docs)

• A “premium” version at $5K with some added support

The problem? Nobody wants another overpriced guru course.

Especially not when the biggest creators are giving theirs away for free as lead magnets.

What they should’ve done instead:

• Created a 4-8 week live cohort teaching AI app building

• Have 1-2 weekly workshops (60 mins teaching, 30 mins Q&A)

• Homework + accountability to drive real results

• Limited spots to create urgency

• A VIP tier with 1:1 coaching and support

At the end of the cohort, ask for social proof and testimonials.

That they would use for the next cohorts for added trust and case studies.

Making money from the cohort:

• Price it at $999 for a full cohort with community, support, resources, and bonuses

• Limit the students to only 500 people

• Create a VIP package for $10,000, limited to 50-100 people

Now, they have a product that can print $1M + generate real results.

This structure would have turned a flat “course” into a real experience.

Because here’s the truth:

People don’t pay for information anymore, they pay for transformation.

2. The Marketing

Zach’s launch video was the final blow.

The messaging?

• ‘‘Last month I made $3.6M.’'

• “I live in a mansion and party every night.”

• “If you’re not a millionaire, you’re just lazy.”

The result? Complete outrage…

Because customers don’t care about your lifestyle flex.

They care about their dream outcome.

Here’s what they should’ve sold:

• The pain of building an app without guidance

• The clarity, support, and shortcuts that the program would give

• A believable path from frustration to first 1K users

The goal is to have a natural positioning…

Where the viewer feels understood and has a clear understanding of the product.

Where they feel validated and can confidently make the decision.

It’s not about ‘‘look how rich I am.’’

It’s about ‘‘look what’s possible for you.’’

3. The Launch

This is where everything fell apart even more…

Their sales page has fewer than 350 words.

No VSL, previews, or any testimonials.

Asking people to spend $997 with almost no proof…

Is like asking someone to buy a house without photos.

For a successful sales page, you need to have:

• Detailed benefits with value proposition and features

• HUGE social proof, FAQs, clear product preview

• 1200+ word sales page + minutes long VSL

On top of that, you need to set up email automations that break objections and show proof.

For extra sign-ups, host a 60-minute live webinar from which you can get thousands of leads…

Then convert them into real applications and use them for email marketing.

Here’s how to launch it the right way:

• Create a 30-day product launch period

• Tease the audience for 2 weeks and build momentum, hype

• Announce the launch and open applications

• Host webinars and send out marketing emails

• Create scarcity & urgency for limited spots + limited time

To convert more people, offer a 30-day money-back guarantee.

And set a clear promise ‘‘Build, launch, scale your first ever app to 1K users.

To make it achievable, give 2 homework assignments every week.

And match those assignments with the actions necessary to reach that goal.

Done right, this could have been a multi-million-dollar launch.

Instead, it damaged reputations.

Here’s the takeaway:

A bad product launch doesn’t just cost you money.

It can ruin your brand’s trust overnight.

So if you’re building digital products in 2025, remember this:

1. The offer has to transform.

2. The marketing has to connect.

3. And the launch has to build trust.

Nail those three, and your next launch won’t just make money, it’ll build a brand that lasts.

If you’d like to learn how to execute a successful product launch for digital products…

Reply to this email and let me know - I will reply to every one of you :)

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One step at a time. More strategies next week.

Talk soon,

Robert