If you build it, they will come. Right?
Well, unfortunately, unless you have whispers coming from a nearby cornfield most of us have a lot more planning ahead of us for a successful launch. Prior to launching a new product, it’s imperative that you know what is needed for a successful launch. It’s easy to get caught up in an exciting but hectic period of time developing and planning a product launch. Documenting your plan can keep you between the lines on the road to a successful product launch. In this post, we’ll touch on a four-step plan.
Research, Research, Research
Always start with the basics. You believe in what your building. But do your potential customers? Thoroughly conduct market research to understand your audience and their needs. Don’t skimp on this process, your findings will serve as the foundation of your launch and marketing strategy. Your research should answer how you should position the product, what channels to distribute through, price range, and finally what marketing channels resonate best with your target audience.
Defining Your Position and Message
The voice of your product, make sure it resonates. What is it saying to your target audience? In its simplest form, the messaging should be memorable and include your value proposition. The audiences should leave knowing what you’re solving for them and what the best features are.
Launch Strategy
You have done the research and buttoned up the positioning. Now, it is time to promote the product. The launch should serve two purposes – create a buzz, and educate potential consumers. Begin building a backlog of content and a calendar that coincides. Content can come in many forms in this phase, starting a blog is an easy way to aggregate self-generated content as well as content from others. Lean on your industry connections to also do guest posts, reviews, or feature an article on you in an industry-specific publication. Utilize social media platforms to boost your message. If possible, create giveaways, contests, or previews to get your product in the hands of the end users and ask for reviews in return.
Post-Launch Plan
The launch went better than planned – now what? Sitting back and riding the wave during this short honeymoon can be a product killer. It’s equally important to have a strategy that builds on the buzz you’ve generated during the launch. This strategy should keep users engaged whether it be through newsletters, social media, or your blog. You’ll need to double down on content marketing that focuses on continued education while also attracting new potential consumers and influencers. You’ll also need a support system in place to field customer requests and issues.
This wraps up our high-level take on launching a product. Each of these four steps can be unpacked to be a much larger project in and of itself. If you are looking to launch a product or have questions on how to get started let us know.