Digital Marketing

Product Launch Marketing Strategy – How to Nail Your Next Product Launch

By Just Digital Team

Product launches are a great way to keep your customers and audience excited about your business. They can also account for a big chunk of your total annual sales if you have the right product launch marketing strategy in place. From the big tech companies like Apple and Tesla, to your favorite niche products from influencers, product launches are a cornerstone of a great annual marketing plan.

A product launch, if executed right, can generate buzz, drive customer engagement, and give an insane boost to sales. However, the success of a product launch lies in a well-planned marketing strategy that highlights the product’s unique features and resonates with the target audience.

Note: I’ve included our playbook for product launches as a checklist down below to make things simple for you. If you find this helpful, please send us a tweet @justdigitalinc

It starts with your product

The journey towards a successful product launch begins with a great product, and thorough understanding of why your audience will want that product. What makes your product stand out? It could be it’s unique design, innovative technology, or problem-solving capabilities. Understanding your product’s unique selling points will form the backbone of your marketing efforts.

Identifying The Target Audience

Next, it’s crucial to identify your target audience. Who are the people most likely to need, want, and ultimately buy your product? Conduct market research to understand demographic details, behavioral tendencies, and buying patterns.

Segment your audience based on these insights. For example, a company launching an eco-friendly, reusable water bottle might target environmentally-conscious consumers, outdoor enthusiasts, and health-conscious individuals.

What Are Your Goals?

Setting SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) goals is key in guiding your digital marketing strategy. For example, you might want to “achieve 25% of sales from our new product in the first quarter post-launch” or “increase website traffic by 50% within a month of product launch”. Clear, quantifiable goals enable you to measure the success of your product launch.

Developing a Pre-Launch Strategy – Don’t Miss This

Inexperienced marketers and business people wait until the product is ready to launch to start their marketing efforts. BIG mistake. You need to start building a listing of interested people who are waiting for your product to drop.

Before your product hits the market, a pre-launch strategy will create anticipation among potential customers. Teaser campaigns, promotional videos, and sneak peeks can generate buzz about the product.

Make sure to get plenty of photos and video content of the actual products ready before the product launch. That’s why companies create beta products or demo models. You need this in order to have a successful launch so you’re not scrambling last minute to get product images.

At this stage, email marketing can be a powerful tool to reach out to your existing customers and leads. Regular updates about the product’s features, release dates, and special offers can help build excitement.

Setup an optin page to capture interest via email subscribers. Give them exclusive access to things like behind the scenes, first to know notifications, and product discounts when it launches.

Also, harness the power of various digital marketing channels like social media platforms, SEO, and blogs to promote the upcoming product. Send them to the optin page you created. Each channel offers unique ways to engage with your audience and keep them interested in your product.

Make sure you have assets ready for launch day. Things like ad creative, blogs, press release,

Crafting an Engaging Story

Storytelling is a powerful tool that can humanize your brand and make your product more relatable. Build a narrative around your product that connects with your audience emotionally.

For example, TOMS Shoes didn’t just sell shoes; they told a story of helping those in need with their “One for One” campaign. This narrative made customers feel part of a cause, creating a deeper connection between the brand and its audience.

Executing the Launch

Launch day is showtime.

Real-time social media updates, customer service readiness, and influencer partnerships can maximize exposure and generate immediate sales. Collaborations with influencers, industry experts, or other brands can extend your reach and create a more significant impact. This should be lined up during the pre-launch phase.

Also, consider hosting a virtual launch event. This can provide a platform to demonstrate your product, answer questions, and directly interact with your customers.

Post-Launch Strategy

Post-launch, it’s crucial to measure and analyze your results against the goals you set. Use tools like your sales data in Shopify, Google Analytics, Facebook Insights, and others to understand which strategies worked and which didn’t.

Use this data to adjust your ongoing marketing efforts. For instance, if your social media ads are not generating enough ROI, consider revising your ad copy or targeting different audience segments.

Maintaining momentum after the launch is also essential. Regular updates, promotional campaigns, and engaging content can keep your audience interested and drive sales.

Case Study: Dyson Air Multiplier

A notable example of a successful product launch using digital marketing strategies is Dyson’s Air Multiplier, a bladeless fan. Dyson created a teaser video campaign on YouTube revealing glimpses of the innovative product. They also leveraged email marketing to keep their subscribers updated.

On launch day, Dyson hosted a live event, which was simultaneously broadcasted on their social media platforms. They also collaborated with influencers in the tech and lifestyle space, who reviewed the Air Multiplier on their platforms.

Post-launch, Dyson continued their email marketing efforts and social media engagement to keep the momentum going. The combination of these strategies resulted in the Air Multiplier becoming one of Dyson’s best-selling products.

Are Product Launches A Good Idea?

Short answer is YES. But you have to do it right.

A product launch is a critical period that can determine a product’s market trajectory. While it can be a complex process, a well-planned digital marketing strategy can ensure your product gets the attention it deserves. Remember, understanding your product and audience, setting clear goals, crafting a compelling story, and measuring your results are key components of a successful product launch.

Your product deserves a launch that maximizes its potential and sets the stage for its success in the market. For tailored strategies and expert guidance on product launches, feel free to reach out to our experienced team at Just Digital.

The Just Digital Product Launch Marketing Playbook

I made this playbook to quickly outline for our team the different activities we should be doing for product launches. Each team member at Just Digital approaches their client accounts with a ton of creativity, diverse thoughts and ideas, and true passion for helping clients succeed. So they take this rough outline and run with it. Hope this helps!

Prelaunch Strategy 🧑‍🏫

  • Agree on a specific launch date
  • Understand the product and the product development process: how many are being made? Whats the price point? Why would people would want it?
  • Understand the market for it: Is it the same as your current products/business? If not, define this and add it to the brief
  • Set the goals of the campaign: Sales targets, website traffic, social media engagement.
  • Setup an optin page to collect emails
  • Decide on your marketing channels:
    • Organic Social
    • Paid Social
    • Paid Search
    • Influencers
    • SEO
    • Email
  • Events: Are you running an event the day of launch? Virtual or in person? If so:
    • Organize logistics
  • Pricing strategy: Are there going to be discounts? If so what are they and when do they expire
  • Close down strategy: If there’s an expiration to this product launch pricing or there’s limited availability, when does the offer expire?

Creating Assets 🎨 ✉️ 🧑‍🎨 🤳

  • Schedule/ Create Photos 90 days ahead of launch
  • Create videos: to be used on website, email, ads, social
    • Of the product itself
    • Sales videos: videos encouraging people to buy the product
  • Create designs for social media, videos, email, and any other marketing assets like print material
  • Create a brand manual if needed
  • Map out the 30 day pre-launch countdown
  • Create marketing calendar with key dates: Launch date, when each piece of communication is going out, when each piece of creative will be done, key milestones
  • Create email copy for the product launch: 5-12 emails to start
  • Create social posts copy: 5-12 posts to start
  • Create advertising copy for Facebook/Instagram Ads
  • Create advertising plan for Google
  • Create advertising assets for Youtube and other channels
  • Create an affiliate/ influencer promo package with images, email copy, social copy,
    • Make a list of influencers who can help promote the product
    • Start reaching out to influencers about the product launch and give them the promo package so its easy for them to promote you
  • Create a press release

30 Day Pre-Launch Countdown 👋

  • Send weekly emails with updates to create anticipation
  • Post weekly about the product coming soon
  • Send behind the scenes updates
  • Continue sending people to the optin to keep collecting emails
  • Test everything
    • Website page load and loading speed
    • Checkout process with a real transaction.
      • Check this 1 week before, the day before and the day of launch as well
  • Create a reporting dashboard
    • Traffic
    • Sales
    • Sources of traffic and sales (attribution tracking)
    • Average Order Value

Launch 🎉 🍾

  • Post on social
  • Send emails
  • Send press release
  • Monitor and engage on social
  • Monitor and engage with customer service tickets
  • Monitor and engage with email responses
  • Monitor and track affiliates/influencers
  • Track sales
  • Cart Close Down: if applicable
    • 5-7 cart close down emails
    • 5-7 social posts

Post Launch 🤝

  • Set a meeting to debrief on key findings, metrics, and post launch strategy
  • How does this fit into your normal product offerings?
  • Integrate this into your marketing plan to continue promoting

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