Weekly Wonder: Launching Your Company User Group (CUG) - Soft Launch vs. Hard Launch

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Happy Friday CUG Members!

This week, we’re tackling a question many of you have been asking as you prepare to create your Company User Groups for the first time:

“What’s the most effective way to launch our CUG – should we opt for a soft launch or a hard launch?”

Our recommendation would be to beginning with a soft launch of your CUG. This approach allows you to test the waters, gather vital feedback, and make necessary adjustments before a full-scale rollout. Here’s how to effectively implement a soft launch and leverage insights for a successful hard launch: 

1. Select a Pilot Group: Choose a small, diverse group of users to participate in the soft launch. This pilot group can help you identify potential challenges and gather varied perspectives.

2. Gather Feedback: Use pre-launch surveys to understand the interests and expectations of your pilot group. Questions can include:

   • What topics are you most excited to discuss in our CUG?

   • Are there any specific challenges you’d like us to address related to our tools or processes?

3. Test Engagement Strategies: Experiment with different meeting formats, content types, and engagement strategies during the soft launch. This could include interactive sessions, guest speakers, or breakout discussions.

4. Evaluate and Iterate: After the soft launch, conduct post-launch surveys to gather feedback on what worked well and what could be improved. Questions might include:

   • How satisfied were you with the topics discussed?

   • What improvements would you suggest for future meetings?

Moving to a hard launch once you’ve gathered insights from the soft launch, you can refine your approach for a hard launch. Here are additional recommendations:

1. Enhance Content Planning: Utilize the feedback from your soft launch to create a content calendar that aligns with the interests and needs of your users. Incorporate popular topics and address common pain points.

2. Build Excitement: Create engaging promotional materials highlighting what attendees can expect in your CUG. Use testimonials or key takeaways from the soft launch to generate interest.

3. Encourage Ongoing Feedback: Even after the hard launch, continue to use pre and post-meeting surveys to gather insights. This will help you stay aligned with user interests and make your meetings relevant and engaging.

By starting with a soft launch, you can refine your CUG experience based on real user feedback, ultimately leading to a more successful hard launch. We encourage you to check out our survey templates in our All-in-One Kit to use at your next meeting. 

We’d love to hear your thoughts! What strategies did you implement for your group launch that you found most effective? In hindsight, what would you have done differently in your group’s launch process? Share your experiences in the comments below!

Remember, you can submit your questions for future Weekly Wonder posts here or by replying to any of the Weekly Wonder posts.