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LingQ Academy - Tech Startup Course, 10 Steps For Successfully Launching A New Product Or Service

10 Steps For Successfully Launching A New Product Or Service

Launching a new product or service isn't what is used to be. In the "good old days," you could hire a PR agency to craft a press release and set up a press tour. Before the big launch date, you would hit the road and meet with reporters from all the important press outlets. Then on launch day, you could sit back and watch the articles roll in. In those days, reporters might even spend a few days fact-checking and talking to customers before filing their stories.

For good or bad, those days are gone. Today, the pace of news is limited only by the speed of light. The new media landscape incorporates far fewer major outlets; rather, it is made up of a smaller number of slimmed-down publications and an inordinate number of specialist bloggers. Getting "ink" might be easier, but paradoxically, getting attention has become extremely difficult. And the attention you do get is forgotten within minutes as the unceasing flow of even "newer news" pushes your announcement out of the collective mind share. New tactics are required to get the notice you deserve. So here are some steps for a successful launch in these fickle times:

1.Start early. Don't expect reporters to write about you when you want. Get a head start and begin preparing long before you plan to launch. A rolling launch is a great way to keep the conversation going. Start your outreach activities 6-8 weeks before the official launch date and then keep the news going up to, and beyond the official launch date. The steps below describe how to do this.

2. Make the product or service available to important influencers as a first step. Influencers can be friendly customers, prospects, or even bloggers who have an sizeable online presence. Encourage these people to use your product or service and then write review articles or posts. These folks are also great resources to talk to analysts about your offering pre-launch.

3. Brief industry analysts during this early phase as well. Scheduling calls with these folks takes time so do this early. Invest the time to write compelling briefing requests. These guys are busy, so you will want to make sure your meeting request clearly states why it is worth their time to hear about your offering.

4. Seed the social space with "leaks." Target people who are naturally eager to learn about your offering. For example, ‘coming soon' tweets and ‘leaked' photos of your product create an aura of intrigue that builds interest. Apple is a master of this technique.

5. Don't expect a "big bang" release unless your product or service is truly revolutionary or if you are Microsoft or Apple. Unless you have a massive launch event planned, the official launch date should only signify the day your product is actually available.

6. Keep the release rolling. You don't know when reporters will have time to write, so give them some opportunity to write about the offering after the official launch date. Continue to produce fresh news like announcements concerning novel uses of the product, customer stories, details about how the offering provides return on investment (ROI) to customers, etc.

7. Do something unusual during the release cycle. Some examples include creating a funny video, doing a stunt centered around an industry event, publishing a survey that supports the value of your product, or creating an interesting infographic that describes the need for your product. As an example, for a recent product launch, I created a mock public service announcement (PSA) website that warned of the ‘dangers' of using our new mobile product while walking. The irony created an enormous buzz around the launch and even led to a huge spike in free product downloads. You can check it out here.

8. Get partners involved. Channel and marketing partners who have a financial stake in the success of the launch are natural allies. The more people that are talking about the release, the better chances it will get pickup.

9. Make it easy for people to learn more about your product with free trials, downloads, product videos, and demos.

10. Ignore the elements of the launch that do not drive business.Unless your offering appeals to a mass consumer audience, don't focus on the number of Facebook likes and Twitter followers you collect. Rather, use these social channels for more meaningful engagement. See who is talking about your offering online and then make contact with them. See how these folks can help you further promote your offering within their social circles.

One company that has been doing a great job of creating a rolling launch is RIM with its new Blackberry 10 announcement. A video with their CMO describing the strategy can be viewed here.

10 Steps For Successfully Launching A New Product Or Service 10 Schritte für die erfolgreiche Einführung eines neuen Produkts oder einer Dienstleistung 10 pasos para lanzar con éxito un nuevo producto o servicio 10 étapes pour réussir le lancement d'un nouveau produit ou service 10 passi per lanciare con successo un nuovo prodotto o servizio 新製品・新サービスの立ち上げを成功させる10のステップ 새로운 제품 또는 서비스를 성공적으로 출시하기 위한 10단계 10 kroków do udanego wprowadzenia na rynek nowego produktu lub usługi 10 passos para lançar com sucesso um novo produto ou serviço 10 шагов для успешного запуска нового продукта или услуги Yeni Bir Ürün Veya Hizmeti Başarıyla Başlatmak İçin 10 Adım 10 кроків для успішного запуску нового продукту або послуги 成功推出新产品或服务的 10 个步骤

Launching a new product or service isn’t what is used to be. Lanzar un nuevo producto o servicio ya no es lo que solía ser. In the "good old days," you could hire a PR agency to craft a press release and set up a press tour. En los "buenos viejos tiempos", podría contratar una agencia de relaciones públicas para redactar un comunicado de prensa y organizar una gira de prensa. Before the big launch date, you would hit the road and meet with reporters from all the important press outlets. Antes de la gran fecha de lanzamiento, saldría a la carretera y se reuniría con reporteros de todos los medios de prensa importantes. Then on launch day, you could sit back and watch the articles roll in. Luego, el día del lanzamiento, puede sentarse y ver cómo llegan los artículos. In those days, reporters might even spend a few days fact-checking and talking to customers before filing their stories. En aquella época, los periodistas pasaban varios días comprobando los hechos y hablando con los clientes antes de publicar sus artículos.

For good or bad, those days are gone. Para bien o para mal, esos días se han ido. Today, the pace of news is limited only by the speed of light. Hoy, el ritmo de las noticias está limitado únicamente por la velocidad de la luz. The new media landscape incorporates far fewer major outlets; rather, it is made up of a smaller number of slimmed-down publications and an inordinate number of specialist bloggers. El nuevo panorama de los medios de comunicación incorpora muchos menos grandes medios; más bien está formado por un número menor de publicaciones adelgazadas y un número desmesurado de blogueros especializados. Getting "ink" might be easier, but paradoxically, getting attention has become extremely difficult. Obtener "tinta" puede ser más fácil, pero paradójicamente, llamar la atención se ha vuelto extremadamente difícil. And the attention you do get is forgotten within minutes as the unceasing flow of even "newer news" pushes your announcement out of the collective mind share. Y la atención que se le presta se olvida en cuestión de minutos, ya que el flujo incesante de "noticias más recientes" empuja su anuncio fuera de la mente colectiva. New tactics are required to get the notice you deserve. Se requieren nuevas tácticas para obtener la atención que se merece. So here are some steps for a successful launch in these fickle times: Aquí hay algunos pasos para un lanzamiento exitoso en estos tiempos inconstantes:

1.Start early. 1\. Comience temprano. Don’t expect reporters to write about you when you want. Get a head start and begin preparing long before you plan to launch. Obtenga una ventaja inicial y comience a prepararse mucho antes de planear el lanzamiento. A rolling launch is a great way to keep the conversation going. Un lanzamiento rodante es una excelente manera de mantener la conversación. Start your outreach activities 6-8 weeks before the official launch date and then keep the news going up to, and beyond the official launch date. Comience sus actividades de divulgación entre 6 y 8 semanas antes de la fecha oficial de lanzamiento y mantenga las noticias hasta esa fecha y más allá. The steps below describe how to do this.

2\\. Make the product or service available to important influencers as a first step. Ponga el producto o servicio a disposición de personas influyentes importantes como primer paso. Influencers can be friendly customers, prospects, or even bloggers who have an sizeable online presence. Las personas influyentes pueden ser clientes amistosos, clientes potenciales o incluso blogueros con una presencia considerable en Internet. Encourage these people to use your product or service and then write review articles or posts. Anime a estas personas a utilizar su producto o servicio y luego escriba artículos o posts de reseña. These folks are also great resources to talk to analysts about your offering pre-launch. Esta gente también es un buen recurso para hablar con los analistas sobre su oferta antes del lanzamiento.

3\\. Brief industry analysts during this early phase as well. Informe también a los analistas de la industria durante esta fase inicial. Scheduling calls with these folks takes time so do this early. Programar llamadas con esta gente lleva tiempo, así que hazlo con tiempo. Invest the time to write compelling briefing requests. Invierta tiempo en redactar solicitudes de información convincentes. These guys are busy, so you will want to make sure your meeting request clearly states why it is worth their time to hear about your offering. Estas personas están ocupadas, por lo que deberá asegurarse de que su solicitud de reunión indique claramente por qué merece la pena que dediquen su tiempo a conocer su oferta.

4\\. Seed the social space with "leaks." Sembrar el espacio social con "fugas". Target people who are naturally eager to learn about your offering. Dirígete a personas que están naturalmente ansiosas por conocer tu oferta. For example, ‘coming soon' tweets and ‘leaked' photos of your product create an aura of intrigue that builds interest. Por ejemplo, los tweets de "próximamente" y las fotos "filtradas" de su producto crean un aura de intriga que genera interés. Apple is a master of this technique.

5\\. Don’t expect a "big bang" release unless your product or service is truly revolutionary or if you are Microsoft or Apple. Unless you have a massive launch event planned, the official launch date should only signify the day your product is actually available. A menos que tenga planeado un evento de lanzamiento masivo, la fecha oficial de lanzamiento sólo debe significar el día en que su producto esté realmente disponible.

6\\. Keep the release rolling. Mantenga el lanzamiento rodando. You don’t know when reporters will have time to write, so give them some opportunity to write about the offering after the official launch date. Continue to produce fresh news like announcements concerning novel uses of the product, customer stories, details about how the offering provides return on investment (ROI) to customers, etc. Siga produciendo noticias frescas como anuncios sobre usos novedosos del producto, historias de clientes, detalles sobre cómo la oferta proporciona retorno de la inversión (ROI) a los clientes, etc.

7\\. Do something unusual during the release cycle. Hacer algo inusual durante el ciclo de lanzamiento. Some examples include creating a funny video, doing a stunt centered around an industry event, publishing a survey that supports the value of your product, or creating an interesting infographic that describes the need for your product. Algunos ejemplos son la creación de un vídeo divertido, la realización de un truco centrado en un evento del sector, la publicación de una encuesta que respalde el valor de su producto o la creación de una infografía interesante que describa la necesidad de su producto. As an example, for a recent product launch, I created a mock public service announcement (PSA) website that warned of the ‘dangers' of using our new mobile product while walking. Por ejemplo, para el lanzamiento de un producto reciente, creé un anuncio de servicio público simulado que advertía de los "peligros" de utilizar nuestro nuevo producto móvil mientras se camina. The irony created an enormous buzz around the launch and even led to a huge spike in free product downloads. La ironía creó una enorme expectación en torno al lanzamiento e incluso provocó un enorme aumento de las descargas gratuitas de productos. You can check it out here. Puede consultarlo aquí.

8\\. Get partners involved. Implique a sus socios. Channel and marketing partners who have a financial stake in the success of the launch are natural allies. Los socios del canal y de marketing que tienen un interés financiero en el éxito del lanzamiento son aliados naturales. The more people that are talking about the release, the better chances it will get pickup.

9\\. Make it easy for people to learn more about your product with free trials, downloads, product videos, and demos.

10\\. Ignore the elements of the launch that do not drive business.Unless your offering appeals to a mass consumer audience, don’t focus on the number of Facebook likes and Twitter followers you collect. Ignore los elementos del lanzamiento que no impulsan el negocio.A menos que su oferta atraiga a un público de consumo masivo, no se centre en el número de "me gusta" en Facebook y de seguidores en Twitter que reúna. Rather, use these social channels for more meaningful engagement. En su lugar, utilice estos canales sociales para lograr una participación más significativa. See who is talking about your offering online and then make contact with them. Vea quién habla de su oferta en Internet y póngase en contacto con él. See how these folks can help you further promote your offering within their social circles. Vea cómo estas personas pueden ayudarle a promocionar aún más su oferta dentro de sus círculos sociales.

One company that has been doing a great job of creating a rolling launch is RIM with its new Blackberry 10 announcement. Una compañía que ha hecho un gran trabajo creando un lanzamiento rodante es RIM con su nuevo anuncio de Blackberry 10. A video with their CMO describing the strategy can be viewed here. Aquí puede verse un vídeo en el que su director de marketing describe la estrategia.