Bringing a new and innovative product to the market is nowhere near as straightforward as it used to be. A simple press release and product tour are not enough to make a noise in the digital world and, while it is possible to get coverage in print, it often requires cash.
Marketing and PR in the digital age is both exciting and varied as well as potentially confusing, so you need to give your product launch as much planning as possible. To help your product to get the exposure it needs to make a dent in the market, here are seven tips for a successful product launch.
Start preparing as soon as possible
If you want reporters to cover the launch of your product you need to start preparing and making contact as early as you can. You should start reaching out to reporters 6-8 weeks prior to the launch and then continue to follow up with them with new updates as you go.
Give samples to industry influencers
Before the launch you may want to give samples of the product to a select few from the industry, social media influencers (for your target market), bloggers or satisfied customers. If these people use the product, are pleased with it and happy to tell others about it, you can spread the word about the product with minimal costs.
Start a digital marketing campaign
Marketing a new product in 2019 is a complex task as digital marketing includes lots of different channels and platforms with thousands of businesses vying for consumer attention. While traditional marketing involved taking the product and its benefits to the masses, modern marketing is about targeting a niche segment and tailoring the message to them. With so much noise, it’s harder than ever to stand out. If you are an inventor or engineer primarily and have limited experience in business and commercial activities like marketing, consider studying for an engineering MBA which will help you to blend your engineering expertise with essential business skills.
Consider running a launch event
Depending on the nature of your product you may want to organize a launch party or event so you can invite the press, industry influencers, stakeholders and prospective customers along. This gives you the opportunity to create a buzz about the product before the event as well as press releases after the event has taken place.
Stagger your press releases and announcements
Just because you’ve released the initial product announcement that doesn’t have to be the end of the story. You should keep information back so you can continue to feed news to the press including customer feedback surveys, unusual uses of the product, publicity events or even an infographic.
Involve partners and stakeholders in the campaign
If you have suppliers, stakeholders or partners who are financially invested in the product then you should try and encourage them to get behind the launch campaign. They can do this by sharing your social media posts and news posts. The more people who are sharing and talking about the product, the further the ripples will spread.
Remove barriers to people trying your product
Consider how you can make it easier for people to learn more about or try your product. For example, you might want to include a video demonstration on your website, downloads or even a free sample or trial.