Launching a new product can prove to be an incredibly challenging task. Nowadays, there are so many aspects to consider that it may leave you feeling confused or overwhelmed. And, if the business world has taught us anything, your ideas can be lost in a sea of oversaturation. When you think you have the perfect plan but find out it has been done a million times before, many are left feeling deflated.
Frustratingly, most larger companies do not need new and exciting ideas to launch their products. They know their brand alone will sell units by the boatload and, therefore, they keep it simple. A good example of this is Apple’s 2021 product launch last month.
1. Strategise and know your audience inside out
Quite honestly, your audience will never come to you right away. You need to be innovative and design a strategy that outlines how you are going to attract attention. To truly ‘reach’ your audience, it is necessary to use all of the tools that appeal to them. Tap into their psychology and do test runs - see how much time they spend on their phones or laptops, at what times they typically do so and for what reasons. Knowing these answers is what will give you the inside knowledge to plan your product launch successfully.
Consider building a fanbase before the product has already launched. Knowing you have a solid interest beforehand will give you all the confidence you need. Create conferences to hunt for that target audience, give them a first-come, first-serve deal or sign them up to receive exclusive discounts and invitations to the launch. By hooking them early, you can maximise your chances of success later down the line.
2. Learn from others
As mentioned earlier, understanding how larger companies launch their products could spark ideas for how to go about doing yours. Dollar Shave Club found a way to incorporate comedy into their 2012 product launch, seeing it go viral online. Their ability to provide entertainment and explain their product in a simple and straightforward way is genius in getting the ball rolling. They were bought out for $1billion just five years after setting up.
Note that, just like Apple with some of their product launches, there was no large budget or fancy special effects included during that ad. It is more than possible for you to develop your own idea for a product launch that does not eat away at funds. What matters is how you can get people talking, or in the case of Dollar Shave Club - laughing. Get your audience to feel something or expect something from your product; this will help give your product character. Something that will stick in their head or get them sharing with others is your ultimate end goal.
3. Reach out for help in creating high-quality content
Get in touch with an expert production team to ensure all of your content is of high quality. Something that we offer to all our clients is our content and production expertise. We believe that you do not have to go about it alone. If you are careful and choose to work with the right people, you will tend to fare a lot better than those who decide their ideas are best for their business. Better quality means a better chance your product will receive much-needed attention.
You can even collaborate with others, be it on social media, to give your product a wider-ranging pull or with local people who are well known in your area. Someone with a following who can help promote your product will provide it with authenticity, and therefore a person will trust it more as a result as they trust that person. If you can conjure up a well-run, functional team, you will find success in no time at all.
4. Create pre-launch teasers to test the waters
Instead of catapulting straight into a product launch, think about testing the waters with some teasers first. They could be short introductory videos featuring concepts for the product or a small event aimed at influencers who can spark word-of-mouth about the product. You can then get a gist of the response from a full launch by gathering opinions on the product or event from a sample of consumers.
Imagine going straight in with an event aimed at 10,000 people but only managing to scrape 3,000. It is still impressive, sure, but not what you intended to achieve. Pre-launch materials can even generate change in your launch event. Say you want to create a specific virtual event but were unsure of some themes or elements; by getting opinions on how to make it more engaging or entertaining, you will only end up pleasing more people - including yourself!
5. Make sure it is attention-grabbing and hard to ignore
Attention-grabbing content is elusive for some, even at the best of times. Think outside the box and develop creative ways to market your product at its launch, centre your thinking around the product - not your company or anything else. The sole reason people are tuning in is to hear about your product, so do not waste their time at launch.
Virtual events can be perfect for this. What better way to grab someone’s attention, especially during 2021, than by bringing the product to your audience in a new and exciting way?! This will help with brand awareness as you can recreate the product and showcase it to as many people as possible online. It will also be something different from what consumers have seen over countless years. By going out of your way, you will cement yourself in their memories.
For more ways to strategise for your product launch, contact us at The Chameleon Agency. We have everything you need to create an unforgettable experience from start to finish, leading to guaranteed success.
