How do you set the stage for a successful product launch?
At Mettā, we have hosted numerous product launches and over time we have increasingly seen the need to discuss the best practices of launching a product to ensure that products do not only fall flat on their BIG day but also peak in the best possible way.
It is through this that we decided to bring together key marketing & PR experts such as
- Muthoni Maingi- an award winning global digital strategist who was part of the Safaricom core team that launched two new brands- Little Ride & BLAZE. She also led Airtel Kenya’s digital team catapulting it to be the no. 1 brand in social media during her tenure.
- Kevin Kaburu- a versatile marketer currently leading Tala’s marketing. He has a plethora of experience in corporate marketing and communication having served in senior positions at Chase Bank, Centum, Barclays and Stanbic Bank.
- Julie Otieno- a corporate communications consultant with a 13 year career at Ogilvy East Africa. Notable projects she has worked on include building Emirates profile in E.A., rolling out brand ambassador’s campaign for Tusker & Guinness.
- Hilda Ogada- a core member of the team leading branding at Brand Kenya Board. She boasts over 10 years experience selling the world renowned travel and tourism experiences in Kenya in her various capacities at Kenya Airways & Kenya Tourism Board.
The conversation was moderated by James Njoroge, an experienced marketer in the fields of Digital, Search Engine Optimization and PR. He is a Network Development Executive at National Oil Corporation and previously served as the Digital Marketing Manager at Legibra.
The discussion was tailored through the various stages of a product launch i.e. Introduction to Product Launch, Setting the Stage (Strategy), Execution, and Post-Launch.
Here are my key takeaways:
Part 1: Introduction to a Product Launch
A product launch is a process not an event.
Majority of the startup founders prioritize building a fully functional product then looking for users. With such an approach what often tends to happen is low user adoption & a buzz that disappears only a few days after launching.
In the ideation stage, it would be imperative to start by setting SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timely) goals. These goals will help determine the success for the various stages. When putting down the goals in writing, always remember the goals will be heavily influenced by a sub-set of activities therefore it would be useful to set a hierarchy of goals for different stages all aimed at achieving the top-level goal.
Upon setting the goals, create a realistic timeline leading up to the main event. A realistic time, according to vast major experts, to start product launch activities is at least 4 months prior to the main event. Why? A comprehensive product launch strategy timeline comprises of a multitude of stages(testing, customer development, building anticipation, invitation of guests…etc) and also factors in the “unexpected”: things going wrong, tasks taking longer than expected…etc
Part 2: Setting the Stage (Strategy)
Have your strategy positioned to fully exploit the benefits of both Marketing and Public Relations (PR).
Recognize playing to win means first understanding what makes you win.
Here are some standout points to note when crafting your strategy:
1. Push Marketing is not working.
What excites but does not have a lasting mind or heart share?
“It does not work today due to the fact that the numerous media options available means that our audiences are fragmented”- Muthoni Maingi.
2. Marketing is not about the stuff you make. It is about the stories that you tell.
Placebo Effect: People don’t think about things they are buying rationally. People tend to experience what they expect. Don’t focus on features think more story and connection. Evoke the gut feeling. Employ storytelling.
In the factory, we make cosmetics in the store we sell hope- Charles Revson.
Create a connection that transcends a purchase. Frame your story in a way that matches the worldview of a subset of people.
3. PR is not a smokescreen for misdemeanor or malpractice.
Most brands look for PR when the house is on fire, which shows the lack of understanding of the potential to impact a success launch of a product. Here are some of the ways you can leverage PR to work in your favour:
I. News Media Play (Pre, During, After)
Writing a press release is the most common channel of engaging media houses. The downside is that if not thought about properly you run the risk of the press release falling flat or not even making it in the media platforms. This could be hampered by external factors such as the dynamics of the day whereas actual events provide “juicier” content compared to the launch of your product.
If you wan’t stand out go beyond the customary press releases and tell the story about the story. Ask yourself: Is it news worthy? Is it a dog bites man or a man bites dog story?
II. KOL Endorsement (Launch Window):
Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) are experts, “experts” or professionals that have a solidified fan base/following that highly values their opinion. They can serve as product advocates or influencers.
Why this would be a worthy consideration? Recommendations from the opinion leaders “schmooze” the early adopters and early majority to be curious enough to check out/peep (visibility) or purchase (revenue). The endorsement capitalizes on the layer of trust beween the KOL and potential customer with a consumer mental safety net of “Surely, they can’t endorse a bad product and risk their own reputation?”
If you decide to take this option, try pick KOLs who are respected in the area of influence that resonates closest with your industry.
III. Executive Profiling and Corporate Positioning (Sustaining Visibility):
Executive profiling refers to positioning select members of the company’s leadership as thought leaders in the public stage. The executives typically earmarked and best suited for this role must not only be well articulated but possess adequate knowledge about the company and industry at large. For beginners, writing blog posts on platforms such as LinkedIn & Medium could be a great start as you build your knowledge of the industry, gain more confidence before gravitating towards bigger platforms such as panels in national and global stages. From the start, always endear to build active storytellers within the company.
Corporate Positioning refers to positioning the company brand to answer “Why the company matters?” and “How the company is different from the competitors?” Key to this is perfectly articulating the value proposition to the consumers & potential consumers. Having a clearly defined positioning strategy allows you to set a narrative of how the market perceives your product.
Part 3: Execution
The success of the launch day will be determined by the work that has been put in the last 4 months or so. However, if you’re still in the early stages here are some of the things to consider:
- Confirm venue at least 6 weeks before the event- to avoid disappointment. Good venues always have back to back bookings. Also it would come in handy to pick a venue that has a community (rather than just an abstract hall), with a good track record of managing events and with an events team that can aid in event advisory.
- Send out invitations and open up registrations for the product launch event- at least a month before the event. Send at least two reminders to the guests one week before- preferably on a Sunday evening and another 48 hours before the event.
- Firm up the agenda at least 2 weeks in advance.
- Conduct at least 2 briefing sessions with the speakers to ensure the content and flow is in sync.
- Look at the demographics of registered attendees to tailor the launch content. If the audience is predominantly techie ensure you have a product manager with a technical background actively involved in the presentation (assumption: CEO has a non-technical background).
- Come up with a trend worthy hashtag for the event that you could start hyping up weeks in advance. Explore using tools such as TweetBeam to encourage live tweeting during the event.
Part 4: Post-Launch
When it comes to metrics, there are tens of metrics you can measure. However, not all of them are helpful for your business. You have to differentiate between core metrics and vanity metrics on your campaigns.
ROI is probably the most difficult and contentious issue in the marketing arena today. There are many ways to get it wrong and very few ways to get it right.
Conclusion
The rise of entrepreneurship, entry of multiple international brands, and introduction of new products by existing companies, will only see an increase in the number of product launches. It would be great to see high quality and creative product launches. Maybe even something as memorable as the Windows 95 product launch.
Thank you to all the panelists for their contributions that aided in the writing of this article.
Disclaimer: Please note this is not an exhaustive guide to a successful product launch. This article is simply meant to highlight key insights that may be useful along the product marketing cycle.
If you have any questions, feel free to comment in the section below.
Further Readings:
Presentation: Product Launches that #POP by Muthoni Maingi
Presentation: the strategic role of PR by Julie Otieno
Why All Great Marketing Contains the Power of the Placebo Effect.
