Planning Product Launches

H O P P E R P E D I A ©
-Brian Hammons


June 14, 2010: 8,074 hits



Once a product is developed, an effective product launch becomes the critical step to its success.

Define your sales objectives clearly in your plan. Be realistic about your numbers: Use market research to back up your claims, because the more research you do in the planning stage, the better you can understand the market and demand. Develop your plan to include the timing of the rollout as well as the actual markets you plan to release the product into.

Make sure your product is as good as it can be before planning to launch it. Decide when the product needs to be available and work with the development team to make sure the product is ready and available for the launch.

Work with all channels to make sure your plan includes all objectives and deadlines. Keep in mind the needs of engineers, artists, business, marketing, PR and advertising executives. Print and email new product literature with specifications of the product and the differences between the new and current products on the market.

Include the promotional schedule, with advertisements, press releases, free samples, direct mailings and any other tools. Promotion should begin before the product launches to gain interest-just make sure the product is as great as you promise and alert the media of any changes in launch date.

Monitor progress and change the overall plan whenever necessary. For cost reasons, try to stick to your plan as much as possible.

Communicate with the senior management and staff as necessary. Plan for staff training sessions with any extra information on the uses and specifications of the new product. Your customer service team as well as any managerial staff needs to know how to answer consumer questions.

Schedule meetings. Speak with transportation, retail stores and individual product carriers about the specifications of moving the product from the warehouse to the shelves to hands of the consumers.