So, you're launching a new product soon, and you're nervous. Of course you are. Will people like it? Will it be worth the blood, sweat and tears you've poured in?

These are just some of the thousand thoughts business owners have when a launch is around the corner. Add in all the marketing, branding and packaging to sort before it hits the market, and the pressure builds fast.

But what if you could build excitement and traction before the product is even available, and make launch day as successful as possible?

The secret is a great email marketing strategy. Here's how.

Hint that something is coming

You know something's coming. Your staff know something's coming. But don't assume your customers do. Hype emails are a must-have in any launch: they signal that something is on the way and, depending on how much you can reveal, tease specific details. The aim is to sell the benefits of your new product before it's even on the shelf.

Say you're a luxury sunglasses brand launching a glasses-cleaning product. A personal note from the founder can do the heavy lifting:

If you can't give that much away, try product silhouettes or a survey asking customers to guess what's coming. Any excitement, however you deliver it, makes customers more receptive to your launch emails.

Remember, you're not limited to one hype campaign. Send a few so the excitement travels far and wide, and as launch nears, add countdown timers so customers know exactly when to have their devices at the ready.

The main launch

A lot of brands assume one launch email is enough to spark a buying frenzy. Once, maybe. Now customers need to be nurtured, educated and convinced. Start simple with an "it's here" campaign, then spend the next couple of weeks making customers feel that missing out would be their loss. Sell each unique spec, and each need your product solves, so shoppers know exactly what it's about, why they need it, and what not buying will cost them.

By the end of the series, they should almost know your product better than you do.

If you sent the product to loyal customers for early testing, now's the time to put those testimonials to work. User-generated content sells hard during a launch, because it shows curious shoppers your innovation is genuinely fit for purpose.

The follow-up

For customers too hesitant to buy without reading reviews, here's the tip that converts them. Set up a post-purchase email to everyone who bought the new product, with an incentive to leave an honest review. Then send a campaign to everyone who visited the product page but didn't buy, showcasing those fresh reviews. Social proof does the convincing for you.