Everything you need for your next product launch

A collection of steps, inspiration, and solutions for product launches.  

Download eBook: Product Launch Guide
Introduction

Launch your products effectively

Launching a new product is always an exciting moment for a brand. But without proper planning of a go-to-market strategy, strong communication internally and with your target audience, and ample time and resources to commit to prelaunch and postlaunch marketing and advertising, even some of the best products face the risk of failing. That’s why it’s imperative that you develop a product launch strategy. 

If you want to avoid common mistakes and make your next product launch more stress-free, take a look at the recording of our latest live talk. We covered everything from the pitfalls of product launches to the effective pain-relievers and upcoming trends.

Watch the full live talk recording

Challenges

Challenges that threaten successful product launch

The Marketing Research Association states that only 40% of developed products actually make it to market. Of those, only 60% generate positive revenue. As an established brand, you may have already experienced a failed product launch. You can certainly learn from your mistakes and take the proper steps to mitigate potential risks with future product launches. But first, you must understand the common challenges most product launches face. 

customer needs

Timing

Timing is a critical factor. You cannot rush a product launch before everything is ready, nor can you wait too long and miss out on a marketing opportunity. That’s why you need to start preparing for your product launch many months in advance, using consumer data, surveys, analytics and other forms of testing. 

Customer preferences will also dictate the perfect timing for your product launch. Launching a product that perfectly coincides with a time the market desires it most will greatly improve the chances of success. 

At the same time, you want to ensure that the quality of the product has not suffered just so you could release it at a certain time. Additionally, marketing and advertising must align with your target go-to-market date. 

And lastly, what are your competitors doing? Are they releasing a product similar to yours? That could also affect the success of your product.  

Advertising and marketing

A lack of proper marketing and advertising is another major reason product launches fail. Before launching your product, you need to identify consumer needs and pain points, discover what channels are optimal to advertise the product, and determine what type of messaging will resonate best with your audience. 

Consumer needs

Understanding consumer needs is vitally important to the success of a product launch. Consider the customer journey. What touchpoints does the customer come across when researching your brand. Put yourself in the customer’s shoes and see where your own journey might lead you. This will better help you to identify failed touch points and make the necessary adjustments to better speak to and guide the consumer along the right path to a sales conversion.

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Market and pricing

Many products fail simply because companies focus on the wrong market. Additionally, many brands fail to price the product based on the relationship between consumer demand, need and the ultimate value of the product. There are dozens upon dozens of factors to consider when launching a new product, and only with the development of a strong plan can you hope to achieve sales success. In fact, many experts state that it doesn’t matter how good your product is — without a strong product launch, there is little chance of success. 

Read the in-depth article: "Why most product launches fail: 5 things you wish  you'd known earlier"

Strategy

Developing Your Product Launch Strategy

While your product launch strategy will contain many parts, you can break the overall outline into four sections: the plan, the advertising, the internal communication, and the event. And while each of these require their own steps and planning, they must also all move in conjunction with one another, as they are part of a cohesive unit.

Read the in-depth article: "6 things you need to consider when advertising your  new product launch"

First, focus on the development of the plan

  • Define your launch goals. Defining your goals, and following that, considering your target audience, lays the initial groundwork for your product launch strategy. 
  • Conduct consumer research. You need to know what features your customers will appreciate the most. You need to know which marketing channels they will be most receptive to. And you need to know how to tell a story with your product launch marketing that will resonate with them. 
  • Research the competition. Without being aware of competitor products and marketing efforts, you may end up launching a product or conducting a marketing campaign that just isn’t on the same level as a competitor. 

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Consider your advertising 

Creating a marketing plan can be just as intensive and time-consuming as developing the overall product launch strategy. The story of the product should explain to consumers why they need the product and why they should choose your product over the competition. Stay focused on customer pain points and product benefits, and you’ll be truer to the development of a viable marketing strategy that showcases your product without focusing too much on selling the product. 

 

Be sure not to falter on the internal communication 

Communication is always an integral component of any business function and planning strategy. Several departments will play roles in the product launch, and they all need to be able to communicate effectively with each other throughout the planning stages. Keeping everyone on the same schedule and making sure everyone within the organization understands the messaging and goals will help increase the likelihood of success for your product launch strategy. 

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Read the in-depth article: "Internal communication for product launch:  expectations vs. reality"

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Holding a product launch event may be a great way to go to market 

Holding a product launch event serves to build awareness as well as generate buzz and anticipation during the prelaunch efforts. You might also want to consider holding a virtual event as opposed to a physical event. 

Read the in-depth article: "Your next product launch event: ideas and execution"

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Tips

Tips For Product Launch

1
Time to plan the product launch

Leave yourself plenty of time to develop your product launch strategy and at least four to six  months to plan for a product launch event. 

2
Roadmap is the key

Create a product launch roadmap that defines your goals, lays out the plan for your strategy, and assigns tasks to the various teams and individuals in your organization that will take part in implementing the launch. 

3
Timing is crucial for internal communication

Time your internal communications so that different teams know what they need to know at the right time and aren’t overwhelmed with an abundance of information all at once. 

4
Inform each department Remember to include ample information about the benefits of the product to each department. 
5
Make sure your marketing and advertising teams are aligned Make sure your marketing and advertising teams are communicating with each other and are focused on delivering the same messaging. 
6
Understand your audience members What are their pain points? Create your own unique selling proposition (USP) based on customer needs, the competitor's product offerings, the benefits delivered by your own product, and the value of your brand promise. 
7
Engage with your customers Use social media platforms and other forums to engage with your customers consistently, so you can learn how they feel about your brand and your products. 
8
Choose the right channels Make sure you use the right channels for your advertising and internal communications. 
9
Product launch event that counts For a product launch event, plan a theme, setting and entertainment that make sense for your industry. It should also be uplifting, inspirational and innovative. 
10
Follow up Follow up with your audience after the product launch event. 
11
Gather feedback Gather feedback from different teams, so you can see what you may want to improve for future product launches.  

Read the in-depth article: "Everything your product launch strategy should  include for a perfect launch"

Technology to enhance your product launch

Several advanced and intuitive technological tools can help raise your product launch event to the next level and provide a great experience for your audience. This is especially true for virtual product launch events where an audience of thousands can tap into the buzz and excitement of a shared online experience.

Digital and Virtual Showroom 

Virtual launches can be extremely engaging, and today’s ever-advancing technology gives brands the capability to provide unique and interesting settings for their products. Consider for example digital and virtual showrooms. With innovative sales tools, you can invite your audience to interact with your products in a captivating manner.  

Social Media Videos

Social media videos are also ideal for advertising. Social media films captivate the audience with compelling stories and stunning visuals, building buzz and anticipation about your product launch. 

 

Assembly Animation Videos 

To aid in internal communication efforts, you can utilize assembly animation films. These advanced visual tools provide your teams with an informative and engaging resource that enables them to better understand the product and its features. 

WebAR

Augmented reality can be used as a truly unique sales tool, allowing customers to easily visualize how a product will look within their own homes to build the buzz during the product launch.

VR

Virtual reality can take your product launch event to a new level by offering a unique experience to your participants. By seeing your product in virtual reality, users can understand the benefits quicker and you take care of the entertainment as well.

HubSpot Video

 

Read the in-depth article: "Technologies that drive revenue in the furniture  industry"

Syngergies

Take the next step with video marketing

Discover some of the possibilities CGI offers for video marketing. If you are unsure of how video can play a role in your product launch, gain inspiration from our clients below. 

Dont forget that once youre up and running with any form of 3D visualization, its easy to reuse for other types of CGI such as images, VR, AR, or different product configurators

View more examples here: "12 different styles of videos that promote your  business professionally"

Product guides

Let the technology do the hard work

Spend your time on what you like the most; getting creative, minimizing lead time on marketing assets, or plain and simple free up more time in your schedule. Let the technology do the hard work.

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Resources

Helpful video marketing resources

We've collected a list of some of the resources out there that we found very useful. If you feel something is missing don't hesitate to reach out to us either on the chat or by email.

List of resources

Marketing Statistics 2020 (HubSpot)

Top video marketing platforms (50wheel)

Video marketing SEO (Search Engine Journal)

The beginner's guide to YouTube marketing (Backlinko)

 

We've collected a list of some of the resources out there that we found very useful. If you feel something is missing, don't hesitate to reach out to us either on the chat or by email.

List of resources

Mastering Value Propositions (Strategyzer)

How to create a detailed buyer persona for your business (HubSpot)

The changing meaning of sustainable (Furniture World)

What is an omnichannel customer experience? (Acquire)

Video Marketing: The ultimate guide to getting started (Cadesign form)

 

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Industry specific examples

Go to our industry specific pages where we've collected all the best images, films, and product configuration examples from five different industries: Furniture, Kitchen & Bath, Home Improvement, Industry & Manufacturing, and Prefabricated Houses.

Conclusion

A comprehensive product launch strategy requires a lot of time, communication, and resources. It’s also important to remember that no two product launches will ever be the same. Each product launch will likely face its own specific challenges, as well as the common challenges that are always present, such as economic factors, changing consumer wants and needs, and what the competition is doing. 

No product launch strategy will ever be finalized, either. Be prepared to make numerous changes along the way and to adjust your plan in accordance with sudden changes in the marketplace. At the same time, you should seek input from team members within your organization, especially if you are customer-centric. With the mindset of providing the best possible service and customer experience for your target market, your employees may have keen ideas on how to improve your product launch strategy and the related messaging of your marketing campaign. 

Finally, always leave yourself plenty of time for research, planning and sales forecasting. With clearly defined goals, a strong understanding of the customer, and a keen eye on the marketplace, you’ll be well-equipped to put together a product launch strategy that has a strong chance of success.  

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