Getting from an idea for a product to the point when you’re ready to launch it is not an easy process. But let’s say you went successfully through all of the stages of product creation. You had an idea and after researching it you figured out there might be a market for it. You took your time during the design stage and considered all of the relevant aspects of product design. You made a working prototype and lined up all the suppliers so that you can start producing it en mass.
Image : Pixabay
But now you need to launch it. You need to generate enough buzz and momentum around your product to ensure that it starts generating plenty of money as soon as it hits the stores. Product launches are better than product releases. But they also need to be set up properly if you want them to succeed. Here are a couple of tips that will help you do it.
Know Who You’re Talking To
You have to be aware of who your potential customers are. They will determine almost every important thing about selling and marketing your product. Do you want to know how to position your product? Where to sell it, and how much to charge for it? How to market it? Every one of these things is determined by the people you want to become your customers.
You cannot target everyone, no matter how useful you think your product is. What you can do is figure out several different profiles of potential customers you will target. And you should be aware that you might need to speak to each segment separately. This can make your pre-launch activities more complex, but it’s worth the effort.
Know What You’re Saying
While in the process of getting to know the people you’re targeting, you will also learn about the things that are important to them. The same product can have different aspects that make it appealing to different customer profiles. When you decide what type of language to use to market the product, you should always highlight the aspects that make the product look the best to the segment you’re targeting.
Here’s an example. You have a product that solves the common problems of two separate demographics. One segment is young people who, among other things, appreciate good design. The other segment is older people who put a lot of stock into durability. Your product has both — you had good designers work on the product, and you used a space-grade material such as CIRLEX polyimide to build it. Your messaging to the young crowd should highlight the design. For the older crowd, usage of space grade materials should be front and center because it’s linked to durability.
Contact the Key Influencers
What do you know about influencers? Some might say that influencers are the people who have large social media following and who use their social media content to promote products and services. Yes, influencers can be the people with large followings. But they can be so much more.
One of the main benefits in enlisting industry experts, market analysts, and other people who are considered influential is that their voices get heard. You pick the influencers you work with by the reach they have among your demographics. Your product will get more credibility. Most importantly — influencers can help you build anticipation around your product.
Promote the Launch
Once you know your audience, have figured out the messaging, and have contacted key people to support your launch effort, you need to start promoting it. There’s plenty you can do to promote your product in the digital world alone, so we’ll focus on that.
You cannot avoid using social media if you’re promoting your launch online. And among social media, you cannot avoid Facebook. It’s the most ubiquitous social network. You can use many different strategies to raise awareness about your product using Facebook. One of the most effective would be to organize contests and giveaways for early product access. People like to get stuff for free, which is why this is one of the best strategies to increase the reach of your messaging on Facebook.
You should, of course, link your Facebook strategy with your other digital assets. You probably have a website dedicated to your soon-to-be-launched product. Adding content, or guest posting content that links back to your website can also increase the number of eyeballs your pre-launch marketing attracts. If you start early enough, you can create a good email list that will allow you to send email updates to interested parties. You need to get the ball rolling and building up excitement if you want to have a decent shot at a successful launch.