When you think of how to launch a product on Amazon, in my experience as an Amazon consultant, many think of mirroring their listing on their ecommerce website over to Amazon or listing a new product directly on Amazon and then running some ads. Or worse, putting the product on Amazon and getting to action items — like improving the imagery, product description and more — later.

Any of those scenarios would be a costly mistake. This is because similar to how brick-and-mortar retailers want to see what type of foot traffic they can drive in the stores to move units during the test store placement phase, Amazon is no different.

Many Amazon experts call it the “honeymoon phase,” where Amazon tests what type of volume you’re capable of on the marketplace as well as what type of traffic you send from outside the marketplace to your product listings. If it’s a strong Amazon product launch, then you’ll find getting impressions on your ads and ranking in product searches gets significantly easier. If it’s a poor Amazon product launch, those same things get more difficult and expensive.

Luckily, there are time-tested and proven marketing strategies on how to launch a product on Amazon that Amazon sellers of any budget can use to skyrocket their sales from day 1. Here is a simple timeline to follow to successfully launch a product on Amazon.

Related: How to Get Your First 100 Sales on Amazon

When you launch your company:

While you’re launching your brand and going through the process of getting your trademark, setting up your supply chain and claiming your brand’s social media handles, you’ll want to focus on building your platform.

• Establish an audience and build a community where people know, like and trust you as a passionate enthusiast in your space.

• Begin YouTubing, blogging, podcasting, or all three as long as you can before you launch.

  • This will authentically earn a future customer base of fellow passionate enthusiasts who will be paying customers from day one.

  • Your audience will also be brand ambassadors, willing to refer customers to you.

• Build a Facebook Group around your brand and subject matter.

• Collect emails from your audience.

• Get Facebook Messenger opt-ins from your audience.

3 months before launch:

By now, you’ll have your branding, logos, product photography and talking points ready to go. This is when you start fostering critical relationships to help you drive sales from day 1.

• Begin reaching out to influencers of your passionate enthusiast customers in your subject matter.

• Begin reaching out to major publications that are popular with your passionate enthusiast customers.

Related: New Amazon Sellers Must Avoid This Huge Beginner Mistake

1 month before launch:

You’re almost ready to launch your product on Amazon. You have product samples in hand and need to start priming your audience and Amazon Influencers alike.

• Notify your audience on social media and email that your new product is coming.

• Notify your Facebook Group members as well as brand ambassadors and brand evangelists that they can get early access.

• Notify Amazon Influencers that the new product is coming, and clearly explain benefits and features.

• Show off your new product on your YouTube channel, and let consumers know when it will be available. Direct them to a place on your website where they can sign up for a launch discount code on Amazon.

• Discuss your new product on your podcast. Let consumers know when it will be available, and direct them to a place on your website where they can sign up for a launch discount code on Amazon.

• Send your product to Amazon Influencers to review on their platforms.

• Write articles for the industry blogs and media outlets that you regularly contribute to, building hype and clearly explaining the benefits, features and why your product is needed in the market.

• Guest on notable industry YouTube videos and podcasts, building hype and clearly explaining the benefits, features and why your product is needed in the market.

1 week before launch:

You’re ready to launch your product on Amazon and have built up a significant audience to launch to. Now it’s time to let everyone know it’s launching soon and how to purchase it.

The night before launch:

• Notify your audience on social media and email the product is launching tomorrow, along with:

Related: 5 Proven Marketing Strategies for Amazon Sellers

Launch day:

By building an audience and network of referral sources ahead of time, you’ll have a successful product launch on Amazon, no matter what your budget is.