Jayneel PatelJayneel is the CEO @ OpenXcell, Leading Mobile App Development Company and Orderhive, a SaaS based Multichannel Order and Inventory Management System
Why a Product Launch Is Important for Your Business
Whether you are an individual entrepreneur or run a company with many employees, you should know just how important a product launch is for your business. You don’t want to create products in a void and hope that eager customers will find them on their own. Instead, you need to drum up interest well in advance of the product launch.
When your product is a new app for mobile devices, it’s even more crucial that you generate advance buzz so that potential buyers will know what to expect and where they can download your latest creation and start using it.
Apple’s Marketing Success Story and its Strategy Behind Launching Every Product
Apple’s enormous success rate is attributed in part to its well crafted and exciting product launches. The company, particularly under the direction of its legendary leader Steve Jobs, has been masterful with its strategy of keeping a lid on the details of its hardware and software offerings until they actually release the product.
This allows Apple to dominate the technology sector, with journalists stumbling over themselves to run speculation, commentary and rumors in advance of the big launch day event.
Apple doesn’t need to run as many advertisements when so many people start talking about its upcoming products all over the Internet. The company winds up seeing droves of people waiting in line to buy the latest versions of its iPhone, iPad and desktop and laptop computers. Even when tech pundits argue over the comparative virtues of Apple, Windows and Android products, Apple winds up benefiting from all the discussion, fighting and controversy that ensue.
In fact, advance buzz leads other companies to help Apple for free, running ads and announcements about their ancillary products, such as a new 3rd-party keyboard for the iPad or a cellphone service provider announcing it will offer the iPhone.
10 Ways to Build Buzz for Your Next Product Launch
Once you have nailed down the specifics of your new product and have determined the optimal release date, you need to make like a bee and start building buzz for your new product! Here are ten helpful tips to help you along the way.
1. Create a New Website or Social Media Account
Of course, you already have a website or a social media account for your business, but it’s a good idea to set up a new site devoted just to the product you’re about to launch. This can help you keep track of how much buzz you are building. What’s more, a new social media account created just for the new product will keep you from diluting your organization’s overall message.
2. Come up with Headlines for Journalists
Make it easier for mainstream journalists and bloggers alike to cover your product. Imagine you are writing an article about the launch. What kind of headline do you want to see? Giving writers a pre-written headline can help them see the virtues of your product and may encourage them to write about it.
3. Enlist Your Employees as Brand Ambassadors
Your employees can serve as ambassadors for the new product ahead of the launch. They can use their own social media accounts to tout the product, for example, or offer “insider” views when people call for technical support or need customer service. Go to any Apple Store and see how cashiers and the technical support staff generate enthusiasm for the company’s upcoming products.
4. Conduct Some Beta Tests with Trusted Customers
Your most trusted and loyal customers can help you build buzz for the product. Conduct beta tests with them. They will feel like VIPs and will be encouraged to spread news as trusted insiders. Any thought leaders amongst them will help generate interest and can quickly expose you to more potential customers.
5. Work with Public Relations Firm
Even if you are already using your organization’s blog, website and social media channels, it’s prudent to work with a professional public relations firm to drum up interest in your product launch. A PR pro will know which publications, TV shows and radio stations to target and can write snappy press releases to further increase interest from the press.
6. Spread the News at Trade Shows
Plot out the next several trade shows where your audience will be likely to attend, and send out your best and brightest employees to these events. By spreading the word about your upcoming project and doing demonstrations, you can generate an aura of excitement.
7. Start a Newsletter
Busy owners and managers enjoy getting concise and informative newsletters to help them discover new goods and services in their industry. Help them out by starting a newsletter that includes information on your upcoming product.
8. Maintain a Strict Level of Secrecy
Apple is famous for the intense secrecy it imposes on all its product launches. Doing so generates a great deal of interest amongst bloggers, journalists and ordinary consumers. You can expect to see rumors on the Internet as pundits try to guess the details about your product, which amounts to free publicity for the company.
9. Set Up Special Incentive Pricing for Early Adopters
As an added incentive, you will want to consider setting up special discounts for the benefit of early adopters. Make it clear that the lower price is only for people who sign up to make pre-purchases, and that the offer is only going to be available for a limited time. A deadline will make the special pricing even more enticing, and if you limit purchases to one per customer, it will tend to increase desire even further.
10. Hope for the Best but Prepare for the Worst
You should definitely hope that your product launch will go off without a hitch, but to be prudent, you should have your team prepare for the worst. Set up contingency plans for as many likely problems as you can anticipate. For example, have a backup spokesperson available in case your primary person is held up at the airport or gets sick. What will you do if the power goes out, or if phone service is disrupted? Do you have an alternate venue ready in case there is a problem with the weather?
