Why your Product Launch needs a PR Backbone

Behind every exceptional product is rigorous labour, tech, time, and investment. You’ve put your heart and soul into the product, and now it’s only natural that you would want it to make an impact on your target audience. 

Unfortunately, 25 to 45 percent of products fail after their launch. You may ask, why? Because, besides market research, organizations often fail to set the stage, create market buzz, generate product awareness, and establish credibility. 

Many often overlook the need to make the best possible first impression in the marketplace. The fact is you need a targeted and strategic PR product launch strategy that positions your product as a win by letting your audience know about its benefits. 

It is paramount to craft an effective, engaging PR strategy that goes beyond the product launch. From setting the stage for the launch with pre-launch efforts, to undertaking initiatives post launch to showcase its continued value in addressing the pain points. Telling a story in an intriguing manner is an art, added to which you need deep expertise in running campaigns and media pitches. Whether you choose to do it inhouse or opt for an external vendor, the story, strategy, and effort required remain the same.

What to do before the launch? 

While organizations may be focused on driving their market research programs, and creating positioning statements, often the same level of planning doesn’t seem to go into the public relations strategy. Handing over product information to your PR team on the day of your launch will not serve the primary purpose of keeping the media informed. In fact, all your hard work may fall flat despite an exceptional product. Journalists aren’t going to cover your launch unless they understand your product and the solutions it offers, and – let’s not forget – they also will want a newsworthy narrative.

Generate awareness on the pain points the product solves

You have to create credible data around your new product and sell your stories to relevant journalists and media publications across the world, and therefore intrigue your target consumers. It is often beneficial to point out the grave business problems that are out there that need immediate redressal, and which your product looks to solve. 

The best way to do this is to start by framing the problem your product sets out to solve. For example, Wizikey provides a data-driven solution for Public Relations. For our own customers to understand us, it becomes necessary to point out the problem of lack of data and metrics in measuring PR, and the impact that Wizikey can have on the landscape. This inevitably prepares the market and audience for the incoming solution.

We need necessary and relevant conversations about the problem areas and how such a product can change the trajectory for the future with its unique point of view. Releasing market research, survey results, and internal data often does the trick. 

Identify pre-pitch opportunities

Pre-leak or pre-pitch efforts are an awesome way to promote the launch of your product. Setting up a demo or having a set of journalists experiment with your product even before the launch, effectively builds up curiosity in your target audience. Quality feedback from relevant media publications can create the market buzz you need to reach out to the larger user base and get them to adopt your product. 

On D-Day – The Launch

When the day of the launch arrives, it is important to get conversations about the product going, and get the right journalists, media outlets, and influencers to mention you in their news.

Distribute information to the right people 

Knowing the right journalists helps planning the placement and timing of the press release dissemination. This enables you to get the most of your investment and reach the largest relevant audience. It is pertinent to consider the quality of the media outlets and how relevant those reading the article are to your product. If your product launch receives coverage only from limited media publications, but those who cover your specific industry, it is more valuable than getting your press-release published by multiple unrelated media outlets.

Opportunity to use and interact with the product

Even if you have already given a pre-launch demo of your product, there can only be mileage to gain from encouraging and increasing familiarity with it. If your launch is a live event, invite industry players, media folks, and potential customers to play and give you feedback at the launch.

The more information and access people have to the product and its benefits, the easier and more likely it will be for them to talk about it. Don’t forget, word of mouth has its advantages too!

Post launch campaigns

Now that the product is launched and available for consumers to try out,  it is imperative to constantly reiterate the value it brings, its evolution, new features, and continued relevance in the present context.

Showcase the continued value of the product

The product launch is only one story in a series that must showcase your product over an extended period of time. After the initial attention at the launch, your PR efforts have to look at retention now. Your customer relationship should outlast the launch days and transform into a long-term association. Stories surrounding the product’s impact, success stories in the form of value addition to clients and societies, and new modifications, will help to maintain the current user base as well as to feed new leads.

Participate in trend stories to display the product’s expertise

Well-crafted story angles that align with industry trends, rather than those with a focus on the product expertise alone, help to sustain media outreach efforts as well as continue to bring forth the values of the product. 

Want to learn more?

Now that you have a fair knowledge of a strategic PR formula for your product launch, you can consider what the missing pieces were in previous product launches, and look to fill in the gaps for any upcoming launches you have planned. 

At Wizikey we are always dreaming up new ways and means for you to achieve your PR goals. Our product delivers several metrics that help you plan a focused PR strategy that can only serve to enhance your brand and its narrative. Talk to us to find out more.