Some clients pay us over $1,000,000 to run their multi-million-dollar crowdfunding campaigns. For the first time ever, we’re pulling back the curtains and showing you how we do it.
If you have an amazing idea that you want to introduce to the world, you’re going to need a plan. You may have the best new product, but it will all mean nothing if nobody knows about it. That’s where a product launch comes in. If you want to learn about what a product launch is, why it’s important to plan your new product launch, the best ways to launch, and much more, you’ve come to the right place. Read on to get a synopsis on how to launch a product.
First things first, let’s learn what a product launch is. Essentially, it is the debut of a new or renewed product to the market. It is the moment all your hard work has led to, the moment you build up to, and finally, show the world what you’ve been making. It is the culmination of bringing your product to life.
It is crucial to build buzz around your product, maybe even gather pre-orders and fill your potential customers with excitement before launching a new product. But why?
It’s often said that a goal without a plan is just a wish. Having a plan is a way to minimize your chance of failure and have a clear process you can follow. Instead of teaching you why it’s important to plan your product launch, we will just show you some pros and cons of a new product launch, and you can decide for yourself.
The benefits obviously outweigh the cons. There’s no such thing as a free lunch, right? If you put in the work, educate yourself, and thoroughly plan, it will pay off.
Before the big day, there’s a lot to take care of. If you have an almost ready product and the right team, you are already thinking about launching. The main work you will do regarding a product launch is preparation. So, let’s get right to the point. Here are our 8 steps to preparing for your new product launch.
This one is a no-brainer. When you have a product, you have to know who is going to buy it. Who can you intrigue and excite before a product launch? Who are your early adopters? All of these questions need to be answered before launching a new product. Here are some key characteristics you need to define:
Having a particular target group in mind will help you choose a direction for your marketing efforts, decide the style of content to produce, your messaging, and much more.
Once you have your target defined, you need to get into their mindset. Usually, there’s a couple of stages your potential buyer goes through before finally converting. Those stages include awareness, consideration, intent, and purchase. Depending on which stage each customer is in, they require different treatment. Here are some questions you can ask to understand your buyer’s journey more deeply:
Put yourself in their shoes. Tell them what they want to hear, and your efforts will pay off.
Whether it’s a domain for a website, an Instagram username, or a trademark, you have to acquire them before launching. Some domain names might be taken or held for a high price, and those tedious details need to be figured out.
Before launching a new product, you need to build a strong understanding of what your brand is. A brand book defines all the necessary elements of your brand and serves as a guide for all your departments. Here are some things a brand book may include:
Tease your potential customers with previews, demos, and free trials before launching. This way, they will become familiar and get used to your product, thus increasing the chances of converting when you launch. Plus, this is a sure way to get some feedback from potential customers. The preparation period before the official new product launch is a crucial time when you need to listen to your target customers. A tiny tweak may make your product more appealing and make your product launch even more successful.
You can reward your early adopters by giving them early user incentives. This will also build up the buzz about your new product launch and raise awareness.
Just as with any other plan, you need to have info from your research, goals, and other criteria you want to meet. Here’s a rough list of what you will need:
The first impression is going to stick. So, you have to map out the experiences of your first customers clearly. Whether you’re making hardware or software, it is crucial to imagine how someone would interact with a totally new and unknown product. Will they need a tutorial? Do you need to write “open here” on the package? The smoother the process, the faster they will adopt your product.
Finally, all the hard work is going to pay off. This is the shortest part of a new product launch, but just as important as the rest. However you decide to do your product launch, make sure it’s in your own style and shows off your product’s personality. We talk more about ways to do your product launch later on in this article, but for now, good luck!
It’s important to make your product launch plans with every possibility in mind. Don’t just try to do the right things. Remember also actively to avoid the wrongs, and prepare to deal with them if they are ever to occur. So, we thought it would be good to teach you about the most common reasons leading to product launch fails, and we hope you will avoid them.
Here are the top 4 reasons:
What problem is your product solving, and is there an actual gap in the market for it? How will your product be different from competitors, and why will it be better? Here are some questions you have to ask right when you set out to build a new product. As a result of improper market research, many companies create products that have no demand and ultimately fail.
Gathering feedback should be an essential part of your product launch steps. You are making the product for them, so it should be what they want.
Timing is everything. Launching before you’re ready is a common practice, and it works for some. Our advice is to have a very clear product launch strategy, go over your product launch plans a couple of times, and take the leap. Don’t just wing it or try to play safe.
How you look on social media is crucial in this day and age. If you use inconsistent messaging or something unfit for your product, it might leave the wrong impression. The last thing you want is for your potential customers to think you’re trying to scam them.
You can launch your product in many different ways. You can use a combination of multiple or focus on just one, but here are some examples for you to choose from:
Crowdfunding is the easiest way for newcomers to do a new product launch. It’s an all-in-one platform where you can gather feedback, raise funding, do pre-orders, marketing, and finally launch with a bang. Before we get into the how let’s talk about why you should launch a new product with crowdfunding on Kickstarter or Indiegogo. Here are just a couple of reasons:
Now that you see its benefits, let’s dive into the steps you need to take to launch your product with crowdfunding:
This is the first and most important key to having a successful or even a million-dollar campaign. You will need to build an email list and a following that will help you build a community of loyal customers and make not only your product launch but your product in general a success.
With the help of your community, you can reach your goal faster than ever. The sooner you reach your goal, the more it signals to the platform that your product is useful and relevant.
If your product performs well on the platform, the chances of it getting recommended to visitors are higher. Thus, you will get a higher organic reach.
Keep up the good work, keep updating your community on your progress, and you’ll see your product keep going up.
Of course, you can always get the help of a crowdfunding agency that will help you with branding, content, promotion, email marketing, and ultimately, reaching your goal.
A new product launch is not a small task. It takes lots and lots of preparation, time, effort, and funds to make it successful. This article outlined what a product launch is, its pros and cons, steps for preparation, as well as crowdfunding, and how it is the easiest way to launch. Follow our product launch steps, and you’ll be on the right track.
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