Lesson 10: Launch Day
Everything is built. Before you open the doors, this lesson walks through the pre-launch checklist to make sure nothing is broken, missing, or embarrassing.
Where We Left Off
FitSite has templates, plans, checkout, branding, onboarding, and pricing all configured. Now we verify everything works and go live.
Pre-Launch Checklist
Work through every item. Do not skip any.
Platform Infrastructure
- Hosting is stable and performing well under load
- Wildcard SSL is active and all subdomains serve over HTTPS
- Domain mapping works -- test creating a site and mapping a custom domain
- Backups are configured and tested (restore at least one to verify)
- Monitoring is in place -- you will know if the platform goes down
Templates
- All three templates load correctly on new sites
- Placeholder content is helpful and free of typos
- All images are properly licensed (no stock photo watermarks)
- Mobile responsiveness works on every template page
- Page load speed is acceptable (test with a tool like GTmetrix or PageSpeed Insights)
- No broken links or missing assets on any template
Plans and Products
- All three plans are active and visible
- Plan descriptions are accurate and niche-specific
- Pricing is correct (monthly and annual)
- Setup fees are configured on the right plans
- Trial period works on Starter plan
- Order bumps appear correctly during checkout
- Plugin and theme limitations are enforced correctly per plan
Checkout Flow
- Complete a full test signup on each plan (use test payment mode)
- Template selection shows the correct templates per plan
- Payment processes successfully
- Customer receives welcome email after signup
- New site is created with the correct template
- Customer can log in to their new site immediately
- Discount codes work correctly
Branding
- Login page shows FitSite branding
- Admin dashboard shows FitSite branding
- All system emails use FitSite branding and fitness-specific language
- Invoices display correctly with your business details
- Marketing site is live and links to the checkout form
Onboarding
- Quick Start widget appears on new customer dashboards
- All Quick Start links point to the correct pages
- Welcome email sequence is configured and tested
- Knowledge base articles are published and accessible
- Account page shows correct plan information and upgrade options
Legal and Business
- Terms of service are published and linked from checkout
- Privacy policy is published and accessible
- Refund policy is defined and documented
- Business entity is set up for receiving payments
- Payment gateway is in live mode (not test mode)
- Tax configuration is correct for your jurisdiction
Soft Launch vs. Hard Launch
Consider a two-phase launch:
Phase 1: Soft Launch
Invite 5-10 fitness studio owners to sign up before the public launch. These are your beta customers. Offer them a significant discount (50% off for life, or 3 months free) in exchange for:
- Honest feedback on the signup and onboarding experience
- Permission to use their site as a showcase example
- Reporting any bugs or issues they encounter
This gives you real customer feedback and live sites to showcase before you open to the public.
Phase 2: Public Launch
Once soft launch feedback is incorporated:
- Switch payment gateway to live mode
- Publish your marketing site
- Begin customer acquisition (Lesson 11)
- Announce on relevant fitness industry channels
Launch Day Actions
On the day you go public:
- Switch to live payments -- disable test mode on your payment gateway
- Verify one more time -- do a complete test signup with a real payment (refund yourself after)
- Monitor closely -- watch for errors, failed signups, or payment issues
- Be available -- your first real customers may need help, and fast response builds trust
- Celebrate briefly -- then get back to work
What Can Go Wrong
Be prepared for:
- Payment gateway issues: Have your gateway provider's support contact ready
- SSL certificate problems: Know how to check and renew certificates
- Email delivery failures: Test that emails actually arrive (check spam folders)
- Performance under load: If you get a traffic spike, know how to scale your hosting
- Customer confusion: Have your knowledge base and support channels ready