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Five tips for a successful product launch
Five tips for a successful product launch
March 08, 2010
I have recently been spending a lot of time thinking about product launches. My employer, Actinic , is a few weeks away from rolling out a major update to one of its ecommerce software products. While we have the advantage of an existing user base, many of the fundamentals for launching are the same whether it is an existing product or something completely new.
1. Understand the Unique Value Proposition
If your product is sat on the launch pad I would hope by this stage you know what it is that makes your offering different from the rest. The importance of your Unique Value Proposition (UVP) cannot be understated; it’s the lifeblood of any product launch. Review, discuss and research until you are totally convinced you have got it right; you only get one launch window.
2. Talk to prospective customers
Get out there and talk to the very people you want to sell your product to. Discuss your plans for the product, both now and in the future. Get their feedback; it could be you missed something.
3. How are you going to sell and market?
Choosing where to market your product can be difficult. Make informed decisions based on research. It might even be a good idea to run several small pilot schemes to see where you get the most success. However prepare to be ruthless if you’re not seeing the results. It’s easier to make decisions before you have spent the entire budget on something that’s not working.
4. Make yourself heard
Find out who the influential people are in your space and hustle, annoy and pester them. That is until you get a chance to demonstrate why your product is the best. Nothing is better than a personal recommendation regardless of the product or service. Go to events, chat to people and network, network, network!
5. Bring the whole team on the journey
A successful product launch requires commitment and understanding throughout your organisation.
When President Kennedy visited NASA in 1961 he came across a cleaner, and asked him what his job was. The cleaner replied “My Job is to put a man on the moon, Sir”. Now that probably is the greatest launch of all time.
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Comments
I would add
6. Use what you have learned in 1-5 to work out right messages for your target audiences, create a strong press release with the business benefits, research your target media to identify topical issues which resonate with your audiences and use these issues to make your release topical, relevant and more likely to be picked up!
Then pick up the phone and call your people, tweet your messages and post your news in relevant social media areas.
Gaye Spencer of GSPR
Nice and concise, Ben. I would add to your second point, though - don't just talk to customers, but rope a handful of trusted customers in to pilot the product before any official launch. That way, you can anticipate and iron out any problems that may occur in day-to-day use. If it's software, invite people to use a 'beta' version and feed back (I'm sure you did this, Ben). Involving your customers in the product creation is far and away the best way of generating loyalty and ensuring there is latitude for forgiveness if you encounter blips during launch.
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