A new product launch may seem like a one-off event in a company, but its impact is far-reaching.
A poor product launch can mean lower sales, upset or confused customers and a negative return on investment.
On the contrary, a successful product launch can mean more sales, happier customers and a better bottom line.
What is a new product launch?
When creating a new product, the development process itself represents only half the work.
The other half involves promoting and launching the product.
For product promotion to be successful and generate enthusiasm, you need well-executed ideas for the product launch.
A successful product promotion will boost your sales and ensure the success of your launch.
Have you ever seen those images of endless queues outside Apple stores around the world when the latest iPhone was released?
Apple is a pro at product launches.
Not only does Apple educate consumers, it also knows how to generate enthusiasm and create a huge buzz around the new version of its smartphone.
Not every company has the luxury of an Apple-style product launch process.
In fact, there are millions of products launched every year that don’t receive much publicity.
Some manage to take market share; but many of these products don’t appeal to consumers because they aren’t marketed properly.
A product launch ensures that potential customers know about the product, understand its benefits, and have the desire to buy it as soon as it’s released.
So it’s important to understand the process of launching a new product. 
What is the process for launching a new product?
There are three general aspects to launching a new product:
- marketing strategy and promotion,
- production and distribution,
- logistics and after-sales service.
Depending on the company’s objectives for a product, the budget and marketing activities planned to support the product launch will vary.
A new brand of shoe polish that’s supposed to be an upsell will have a much smaller marketing budget than a trendy household appliance that looks like nothing else available.
In addition to advertising and promotion, companies need to prepare for production, distribution, packaging and all the other logistics and customer support activities.
How do you launch a successful product?
New product launches can be tricky.
What’s more, every product launch is different.
There’s no point in looking for a one-size-fits-all solution that works for every company and every product.
However, there are certain things every product launch needs to succeed.
By following the 19 points for launching a new product outlined in the list below, you’ll be well on your way to boosting sales and getting the word out about your product before you reveal it to the world.
Marketing strategy
1. Analyze your market.
Many product launch failures are due to ignorance of the competition.
Proper analysis and assessment of market potential is essential to give a realistic perspective to a product launch.
– Read this article on e-commerce market research –
2. Define your unique selling proposition.
You need to communicate how your product is different from others on the market, and why customers should choose yours.
3. Identify your main target audience.
Your PR strategy should attract and engage a specific group of people.
This is one of the essential steps in launching a new product.
Never invest in PR activities if your target audience is ill-defined.
4. Build a story around your product.
If you’re able to weave a story around your product launch idea, it will help create more buzz.
In your story, you can tell your target customers about the problem your product solves and your company’s values.
5. Establish the objective of your market launch.
You need to have a goal in mind when you launch your product.
This could be, for example, the number of users you want to engage, or the specific sales volume you want to achieve.
By measuring your success, you’ll learn more about what’s working and what’s not.
So define clear metrics for your product planning strategy.
6. Develop a media plan.
Launching a product without a media plan is a considerable risk.
You’re only going to launch your product once, so you need to take advantage of this opportunity and do things in a planned way. 
Preparing for a product launch
7. Choose the right day and time.
You only launch your product once, so make sure it’s a hit.
Poor timing can also lead to failure.
Therefore, the project timeline needs to be carefully planned and thought through, taking into account possible obstacles or other adverse circumstances that could derail the plan.
8. Assign roles to your team for the launch.
You can be sure that launching a new product is a very busy time.
That’s why it’s a good idea to make sure that every member of your team knows what he or she has to do, and which areas he or she is responsible for.
9. Inform all stakeholders.
Inform everyone involved in the project of your launch date in advance.
Each team member will need to set aside time to work on the launch and create a buzz.
10. Write a press release.
Journalists receive hundreds of press releases every month, so make sure yours catches their attention and prompts them to contact you.
Once you’ve written a fantastic article, it’s time to send it out to your network.
11. Get in touch with key journalists.
Identify and get in touch with the people responsible for news distribution in your sector.
Help them develop relevant content about your launch.
Listen to their needs and provide them with detailed information about your product.
You can also offer the editorial team promotional material created exclusively for them.
Editorial teams appreciate original content, and every newspaper wants to be the first to publish information or news about a brand new product. 
12. Create promotional and sales material.
Develop your offer and the content you’ll share online on launch day.
Always make sure someone else proofreads your material.
13. Offer bonuses to first-time users.
Offering bonuses is a great way to launch products that may require some learning or adaptation before customers start to get the most out of them.
Nothing helps draw people in more than exciting bonuses or promotions that are part of the event.
14. Plan future communications.
It’s a good idea to create a broader PR plan in which you include communications to be delivered after the launch.
For example, if you’re planning to write a newsletter, you need to know what kind of content you’re going to share with your audience before anyone subscribes.
15. Tease the launch of your product.
Be sure to ask everyone you know – from partners and employees to family and friends – to send and share the launch date of your new product with everyone.
Use social media channels wisely, and you’ll be engaging your target audience even before the launch.
Product launch logistics
16. Check your customer support & Offer personal support to first-time customers.
This is a key step in any product launch strategy.
You need to know if your support team can handle a sudden influx of customer requests.
Make sure there are enough people on board who can answer users’ questions and help them enjoy the product from day one.
By offering this kind of customer service, you’ll not only get customers’ initial reactions and opinions about your product, but you’ll also make a good impression on them as someone who cares about its users. 
17. Test to make sure everything works.
Make sure testing is part of your product launch schedule.
Test at least a few days before your launch.
If you test your product too late, you risk disappointing the users who are waiting for it.
It’s also a good idea to test everything in-house on launch day.
If you spot a technical glitch, you’ll have just enough time to iron it out before the official launch.
18. Check availability and ensure distribution.
Put plans in place to ensure that products are available for purchase and that appropriate stocks are distributed to the regions, stores and points of sale where consumers will demand the product.
The day of the launch
19. Launch your product according to your schedule.
Once everything is ready, all that remains is to launch your new product according to the defined and tested execution schedule.
4 winning product launch techniques
A product launch is often a decisive moment for a company.
You can’t treat your product launch process as an afterthought, which is why you need new product launch ideas for every new creation you launch.
No matter how many products you launch, there are many variables you need to consider for a successful launch.
A good solution is to trust your research and your instincts.
You can launch your product with confidence using one of the new product launch ideas below.
1. Collaborate with influencers.
Influencer marketing is a great way for your brand to boost your marketing efforts when launching a new product.
Influencer popularity is on the rise.
And marketers are increasingly using influencers for their campaigns.
Try to find those whose personalities align with your brand.
– Read this article influencer partnership –
2. Take advantage of social media platforms.
If you want to amplify your product launch message, you need to be on social media.
You can choose the channels on which your target audience is most active.
If you choose this style of product launch marketing, you need to keep your message and content on different social networks consistent.
Consumers like familiarity and consistency.
3. Create entertaining and educational videos.
You can also broadcast an entertaining and educational video about your product as a product launch.
A video offers a suitable format for informing your target customers about your new product or service.
Especially for new products, it’s important to educate consumers on how to use them properly.
Another great idea for a product launch is a behind-the-scenes pre-launch video.
It can help you build excitement for the actual event.
It will help you get the word out about pre-launch events while creating buzz. 
4. Launch a giveaway contest.
Giveaway contests are another great product launch idea.
Contests help you achieve several goals:
- They increase brand awareness.
- They increase the number of people who follow your social media accounts.
- They can put you in touch with curious consumers who are interested in freebies and could be your future customers.
- You can also count on some of the participants to talk about it on their social networking profiles, and to encourage their friends and family to take part too.
- Contests are also a great way to get the word out about your new product through user-generated content.
Make sure you comply with the competition rules of the platform you are using.
Conclusion on launching a new product
A successful product launch is one of the most important aspects of product marketing.
It’s not enough to make sure everyone knows your brand name.
You need to make sure that people are able to connect with your brand and your new product on some level.
Choosing the most effective idea for your product launch is crucial.
Need help preparing your e-commerce site for your product launch? As a Prestashop developer and e-commerce expert, I can help you with your project.
Contact me to discuss.
