Debuting a new product is no small task. The process can result in a lot of uncertainty and, therefore, requires an extreme amount of preparation and careful planning. From the first idea of the product until the final moments before it hits the retail shelves, everything must be planned out carefully. This typically requires collaboration between many different departments within an organization to ensure that the launch goes off without a hitch. The following guide explores a few things to do before launching a new product to streamline the entire preparation process.
Conduct market research
The first thing to do before launching a new product is to conduct market research. You want to ensure that you will have an audience to receive and purchase your product after its eventual launch. Conducting preliminary market research will give you a good idea of what your audience is interested in and what they’re hoping for from your company’s future products. Hosting a focus group, sending out a survey, or performing one-on-one interviews will provide you with a better indication of where your customers’ wants and needs lie. You can use these
methods to assess customer perceptions of specific product characteristics, such as the color of the product or the shape of the packaging, and you can also use them to analyze perceptions of bigger picture variables, such as the perception of your company as a whole.
Plan your marketing strategy
Without a successful marketing strategy, your consumers won’t even be aware that a new product is about to hit the shelves. Your marketing strategy should be set well in advance of your product’s official launch. This will provide you ample time to build buzz around the forthcoming launch. Digital and social media marketing can be very effective in this respect. Most consumers use their phones constantly and are very active on social media in their everyday lives. Tailoring your company’s social media posts to focus on the upcoming product launch will garner a bit of free and simple advertising before the big debut. Post exclusive images or teasers surrounding the new product, and connect with curious consumers through comments. Be sure that you don’t reveal too much, though, as it’s always better to leave them wanting more.
Prepare your team
Operations within your company will likely kick into high gear in the weeks leading up to the product launch. As such, you should prepare your team as much as possible to reduce the chaos as much as possible. Prepare your sales, manufacturing, and shipping teams for a potential influx in orders, and prepare your customer service team to answer any questions regarding the new product. Make sure your teams are familiar with the product itself as well as the marketing strategy for the product. Making sure everyone is on the same page will help your internal operations to run more smoothly, thereby allowing the product launch to go off without a hitch as well.
