Should You Launch Live or Go Evergreen? What Every Wellness Practitioner Needs to Know

I recently ran a live launch for my new program, HighVibe Copy, and one of the wellness practitioners in my community asked me a great question:

“Why would I run a live launch instead of just having my program open for evergreen enrollment?”

It’s a nuanced question, but such an important one.

Because when it comes to writing sales copy (like emails or landing pages), you need to be clear on your funnel strategy first.

Your copy is only as effective as the structure it’s plugged into.

That said, not every offer requires a full-blown launch strategy.

If you offer 1:1 services, your door probably needs to stay open year-round. A traditional “launch” doesn’t usually make sense there.

But once you introduce a group program, course, or membership, you’ve got some decisions to make. And one of the first is this:

Should I sell it through a live launch or make it evergreen?

In this post, I’ll walk you through both models, their pros and cons, and my personal recommendations for wellness practitioners at different stages of business.

Let’s break it down.

What Is a Live Launch? Pros, Cons & When It Works Best

Let’s start with the basics:

A live launch is a focused enrollment period, meaning your offer is only available for a limited time, and you’re actively promoting it with a clear start and end date.

This kind of launch typically includes a mix of emails, social posts, and possibly a webinar, live workshop, or free challenge to build interest and momentum.

The energy is high. The focus is clear.

And everything is centered around driving action now, not later.

Why Live Launches Work

If you’ve ever had someone tell you, “I need to think about it” and then never come back…you already know one of the biggest advantages of a live launch:

It creates urgency.

A live launch gives people a deadline, which means they’re more likely to make a decision. And in a world where inboxes and attention spans are overflowing, that’s a huge advantage.

Here are a few other reasons live launches work well:

• They build buzz. Because all your content is focused on a single offer, you create a sense of momentum and excitement in your community.
• They’re perfect for new offers. Launching live gives you a chance to test your message and see what resonates before investing in an evergreen funnel.
• They provide clear data. You’ll walk away with real numbers—click-through rates, conversion rates, email replies, and feedback you can use to improve next time.
• They help validate your idea. If people sign up, great! If they don’t, you’ll know it’s time to tweak the offer, the messaging, or the audience you’re speaking to.

The Downsides of Live Launching

Despite all those benefits, live launching is a lot of work.

The prep alone (emails, graphics, tech, webinar slides) can take weeks. And once the launch window opens, you’re in it. Emotionally, energetically, logistically.

Here are some of the key challenges:

• It can be draining. Especially if you're a solo practitioner or don't have a lot of team support.
• All your marketing eggs are in one basket. You’re banking on a short window to generate a big result.
• It only works well with a warmed-up audience. If your email list or social following hasn’t heard from you in months, a sudden launch might not convert.
• You risk audience fatigue. If you launch the same offer over and over without new people entering your world, engagement can drop off.

Bottom Line: When Live Launching Makes Sense

Live launching is a great choice if you’re introducing a new group offer to your existing audience and want fast feedback and data before building a full evergreen funnel.

Just do a reality check first to be sure you have the time, energy, and list to support a short, intense promotional window.

And if you plan to live launch multiple times a year, you'll need to actively grow your audience between launches (through lead magnets, webinars, or partnerships).

For many practitioners, a live launch is the best place to start.

You learn a lot. You test your messaging.

And you build real momentum around your offer.

These are all things that set you up for long-term success.

What Is Evergreen Enrollment? Pros, Cons & When It Works Best

With an evergreen model, your program or course is available year-round (or on a rolling basis), and people can join at any time. There's no need to wait for a specific start date or enrollment window.

Behind the scenes, it’s usually supported by a more automated funnel, such as a lead magnet funnel, and an ongoing content ecosystem that nurtures and invites enrollment. 

It’s the slow burn instead of the fireworks, and for the right offer, it’s brilliant.

Why Evergreen Works

One of the biggest benefits of evergreen enrollment is consistency.

You’re not waiting on a specific launch window to bring in revenue or new students. Instead, your offer is always “on,” and people can say yes whenever it’s the right time for them.

That's powerful because:

• It provides steady income. With the right funnel in place, sign-ups can trickle in each week instead of relying on big bursts a few times a year.
• It’s less stressful. No more pushing out daily emails, going live multiple times a week, or holding your breath for launch results.
• It’s scalable. Once your funnel is built, you can put more energy into bringing in new leads and nurturing them over time.
• It’s flexible. Evergreen works beautifully for memberships or online programs that don’t require a start date or cohort structure.

The Challenges of Evergreen

Of course, there are trade-offs. Evergreen enrollment has a few big challenges you’ll want to be aware of:

• It’s harder to create urgency. Without a deadline, many people will postpone making a decision. There are ways to work around this with tools like Deadline Funnel or just really great copy.
• You need a strong funnel. Evergreen only works if your opt-in offer, email sequence, and content ecosystem are dialed in and doing their job.
• It’s harder to create buzz. With evergreen, people are entering your funnel at different times—so what they’re seeing in automated emails might not match what you're sharing on social media or in your weekly newsletter. That can make your message feel less cohesive and the excitement less contagious.

For all these reasons, having a content ecosystem supporting your evergreen funnel is so important.

Whether it’s a blog, podcast, YouTube channel, or consistent social media presence—ongoing content is what keeps your message alive.

It helps educate new leads, reinforce your approach, and keep your offer top of mind for people who may not be ready just yet.

Because even with automation, people still need regular touchpoints to build trust and take action.

Bottom Line: When Evergreen Makes Sense

Evergreen is a smart move if your program is already validated and runs smoothly without a time-based cohort.

It relies on having a steady stream of leads coming in through your content or partnerships. 

And it depends on you investing time into setting up the tech and funnel pieces that make it work.

What I Recommend (and What I Do Myself)

Let’s zoom out for a moment.

If you’re offering 1:1 services, you don’t need to worry about launches vs. evergreen.

Just keep enrollment open year-round and let your content invite people to book when they’re ready.

But once you step into the world of group programs, memberships, or courses, your strategy matters.

How you structure your offer, promote it, and invite people in will directly impact your results.

So what do I recommend?

Start with a live launch.

It doesn’t have to be fancy.

You don’t need a huge audience.

But a simple live launch gives you the chance to validate your offer, test your messaging, gather feedback and testimonials, and build buzz and excitement around something new.

You’ll learn more in one live launch than you will from months of behind-the-scenes planning.

Then shift to evergreen. 

Once you’ve refined your message and feel confident in your offer, you can transition into evergreen.

That way your new leads are nurtured automatically and people can join on their own timeline, without you having to be “on” all the time.

Ready to Build a Strategy That Supports Both?

This is what we do inside HighVibe Copy!

In this program, you’ll train ChatGPT to act like your brand-aligned copywriter, map out your funnel strategy and client journey, and write messaging that supports the business you actually want to grow.

If you’re new to my world, start with the most popular entry point:

→ The BrandVibe AI Starter Pack. This is your first step to clarifying your message and setting ChatGPT up to work in your voice.