If you’re drafting your product launch PR plan, you’ll already know that these days, there’s a plethora of digital tools at your disposal that make it easier than ever to target your audience and measure their response.
How do you choose which channels to invest in? What level of response can you expect to see from each?
We’ll share all you need to know below, as we discuss how to supercharge your product launch.
Social media – More Than Just Cat Videos
The continued rise of social media means it is now an unquestionably effective tool in maximising your product launch.
There are a few elements you’ll need to consider when using social media for your product launch;
- You don’t need to use ALL social media channels. Find out where your target audience tends to engage the most and focus on those.
- Each channel has its own value. For example, Twitter is ideal for instant engagement, Facebook is great for targeting specific demographics and Instagram can do wonders for your brand. Choose the channel that best suits your objectives.
- Focus on followers, impressions and engagement to gauge the success of your social presence, BUT remember that social media is also a great way to build your brand image, so you may not see results from your social posts straight away.
- Do competitor research to see what kind of response similar brands tend to get on social media. This will help you set a benchmark for performance. For example, you may only get a few likes or comments on your posts, but competitor research may indicate that this is the average response rate for businesses like yours.
Don’t forget press releases
These days, you can create and share a press release in a matter of hours, with multiple touchpoints available at your fingertips.
To start, you can share your press releases on your own website, your social media channels and even third-party blog platforms like Medium.
The wider you can share it, the more eyeballs you’ll reach!
Undoubtedly, these online channels provide fantastic exposure, but it’s just as important to not neglect the more traditional PR channels we have at our disposal. Sending your product launch press release to the trade press, for instance, will have added value if you also address the issue that your product solves. At Origin, we often include prominent research in our blogs and our news releases to add weight to our message, to get ahead of the crowd and to the top of inboxes.
Thought leadership
Why should customers choose you over the competition? What can you offer them that nobody else can? Are you an expert in your field?
When launching a new product, you can raise your brand’s profile by sharing insight and thought leadership pieces, in addition to information about your products and services. A potential client may choose your brand because of your experience, or because they’ve read an article or listened to a podcast/interview in which you’ve discussed an area in which your company has expertise.
It’s helpful to be featured in an industry trade magazine or to be quoted in an article about your company’s subject area. This builds credibility and can serve as a powerful lead generator.
Don’t forget events
Is there an industry event or trade show within your industry? If so, find a way to be there. You might attend as an exhibitor or speaker, or you can sponsor an aspect of the event to get your branding and products seen by attendees.
You can search for events in Google and then contact the organisers directly to find out what options are available to attend or sponsor the event.
Events are great because they offer face-to-face interaction with potential clients, which can convert at a higher rate than digital marketing channels.
Make sure you know how many sales you’re likely to get as a result of the event, to offset any attendance, exhibitor or sponsorship costs. Events can be costly, but they can pay off in a big way!
The Power of Product Reviews
With any successful launch, the power of product reviews cannot be underestimated. Sending a complimentary product to an influential journalist to review in their publication can prove to be very fruitful. Doing your research to scout out exactly who the best journalists are, which ones write for the publication with the largest readership, and whether they are freelance or in-house is a necessary step in this process.
Of course, this area of a product launch can now be extended to the social media ‘influencer’ phenomenon online. Again, do your research into this relatively new field, to seek out the best influencer marketing agencies that will appeal to your target demographic audience online.
Professional photography
Nobody wants to see generic stock images on your website, social media account or marketing materials.
There are loads of fantastic bespoke photography services available – use them!
If you have an office-based team, try to get shots of your staff in the office, doing what they do best. If your team is remote, you could organise a get together and hire a photographer for the day to capture people in a relaxed and informal environment.
How can this help you with your product launch? People buy things from people, not companies.
If you can put faces to your brand and showcase the people who create and market your products, you’re likely to inspire trust and reflect the essence of your company. If yours is a physical product, a professional photographer can capture your product in the best light and provide you with an image library that can be used across all your digital channels.
A picture is worth a thousand words…
About Origin Communications
Origin Comms offers the expertise of highly skilled and experienced Marketing and PR professionals. We provide Marketing and PR services to a diverse range of clients, focusing primarily on tech and cybersecurity PR. If you’d like to boost your product launch PR plan and get your message shared with the right audience, get in touch with our team today.