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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
  • 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:

  1. Switch to live payments -- disable test mode on your payment gateway
  2. Verify one more time -- do a complete test signup with a real payment (refund yourself after)
  3. Monitor closely -- watch for errors, failed signups, or payment issues
  4. Be available -- your first real customers may need help, and fast response builds trust
  5. 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

The FitSite Network So Far​

FitSite Network
├── WordPress Multisite (subdomain mode) ✓
├── Ultimate Multisite (configured + branded) ✓
├── Platform Domain (fitsite.com + wildcard SSL) ✓
├── Site Templates (Studio Essential, Gym Pro, Fitness Chain) ✓
├── Products (Starter, Growth, Pro + Order Bumps + Discounts) ✓
├── Checkout Flow (tested end-to-end) ✓
├── Branding (complete) ✓
├── Customer Onboarding (Quick Start, emails, help resources) ✓
├── Pricing Strategy (annual, trials, setup fees, discounts) ✓
├── Pre-Launch Checklist (verified) ✓
├── Soft Launch (beta customers onboarded) ✓
└── LIVE ✓

What We Built This Lesson​

  • A comprehensive pre-launch checklist covering infrastructure, content, payments, and legal
  • A soft launch strategy to get real feedback before going public
  • Launch day procedures to go live with confidence
  • A contingency plan for common launch day issues

Next: Lesson 11: Finding Customers -- now that FitSite is live, how do you get fitness studio owners to sign up?