Do you remember the biggest product launch of this year? Here’s a hint: It happened in September and has the Apple logo on it. Do you think you could help your clients to achieve the same enthusiasm from their followers, leads, and customers?
But let’s take a step back: What is a product launch and why is it so important for a brand? After multiple iterations, endless meetings and debates, and sleepless nights working on a new product, most companies can’t wait to show it off to the world. Apart from informing the audiences about the new (better, enhanced, shiny) producing, this is done to build sales momentum.
Let’s take the example of Apple. As soon as Apple announces the new iPhone release date, people get ready to line up at the stores (with many camping outside of stores overnight) to get their hands on the newest phones or iWatch.
Or let’s take the Tesla car launches. How many enthusiasts, buyers, and journalists did Elon Musk entice with his pitch?
A product launch is a significant event for any company, as it culminates the hard work of different teams and might end up as a success (or, sometimes, a total failure). And as an event professional, it’s your duty to organize a flawless product launch event while designing a strong brand experience and narrative for the attendees.
How can you do it? Check out these steps and see what you can improve:
Step #1. Build the expectative
When planning a product launch, the efforts should be combined. Let’s say that a business has hired you to run the event. That doesn’t mean that you’re the only person responsible for promoting the event. Both your team and the company’s marketing department should talk and agree upon the communication strategy.
One step to focus on is building the expectative among the leads and customers. Obviously, you likely won’t be able to achieve the same effect as Apple, but you can achieve similar positive results by applying strategies such as getting an industry leader or an influencer to talk about the product. The idea is to spread the word about the upcoming launch and get people interested in the event.
Step #2. Use the storytelling technique to produce awe
An awesome example of storytelling use is the intro Apple used for this year’s product launch. A girl is running with a suitcase in her hand, trying to be on time somewhere, while overcoming different obstacles. As viewers, we might expect that she’s carrying the new iPhone in the suitcase. Yet, at the end, when she delivers the suitcase to Tim Cook, we all see how he takes a presentation pointer. This funny, yet engaging intro got everyone to pay attention to the stage and get into the state for the event itself.
Step #3. Transform the event into a real show
There’s nothing worse than boring product launch events. Your goal is to get the attendees enthusiastic about the new product, but you can’t do that if you put together a lame experience. To transform the event into something truly awesome, you can engage the services of an extremely skillful speaker, use humor, build a surprising narrative, and engage with the audiences.
Step #4. Design unusual invitation kits for the press
You’ll want press at your event. After all, they’ll be the ones talking up your product launch to the general public. So how do you grab their attention and actually get them to attend the event?
One way is by producing fascination and intrigue through your invitations. An invitation about an exciting product launch should be more than a boring press release sent via email. Prepare boxes with the new product and send them to journalists.
Or you can get really creative and send them a box with a puzzle inside with one piece missing, and to discover the final clue to solving this puzzle, they have to attend the product launch event. This will make your brand memorable and pique the media’s curiosity.
Step #5. Do a livestream product launch
To gain sales momentum after a product launch, you’ll have to reach as many people as you can. One solution is to livestream the event via YouTube or Facebook. But don’t just stream the launch - delegate someone to interact with viewers, answer their questions, and make sure their feedback is heard.
Final thoughts
It’s very difficult to have the same product launch success as big conglomerates like Apple or Tesla. Their global outreach is massive, with a turnout of millions. However, this doesn’t mean that the company or the brand you’re planning an event for can’t achieve the same at a smaller level inside their niche.
The key is to build expectations and promote the event correctly, set up an engaging storytelling format, add some show-alike elements, seduce the mass media using unusual methods, and grab a bigger audience through live streaming the event.
Source: Photo Apple Newsroom
