1. Todays Webcast Is Your Product Launch a Lion or a Lamb?

2. CMO, General Manager, Portfolio Marketing at Gutenberg Communications Over 15 years experience in marketing high- tech products to the enterprise CPUs, security, infrastructure, email, automation, IT ops, collaboration Intel, Mercury Interactive, Quest Software, Stratavia, eEye/BeyondTrust Contributor to industry publications, including Wired, Mashable, SC Magazine Specialty in product marketing and strategy 3 About Our Speaker 3. For many technology companies, new products are the lifeblood of pipeline and revenue, but theyre also vulnerable to market-entry failures, often related to a single point in time the product launch 4 The Challenge and Opportunity 4. 5 Why is this True? Your markets have gravitational pull toward the middle Thats where all messages start to collide and sound the same, where you lose you differentiation Your product launch is an excellent opportunity to rise above the market clutter 5. 6 Whats the Difference? Goal Setting Timing Execution 6. 7 Setting Launch Goals Getting coverage; generating buzz, awareness New leads! X number of PR mentions % increase in web traffic % increase in qualified lead gen % increase in qualified pipeline X new acquired customers/revenue by certain date X number of differentiator mentions X number of inbound links from PR mentions 7. 8 Launch Timing What compelling industry events occur in your market? Doesnt have to be exclusive to conferences or trade shows Government report filings (new home starts, new car sales, etc.) Competitor earnings announcements Juxtaposition is great; me too isnt 8. 9 What About Announcing Early? Pre-announcing has some benefits, such as first mover advantage, but there are also risks Customer buys into your education, and goes with a competitor product now Reporters dont cover the bell ringing twice Sales could stall or worse, be delayed to actual ship date; what if it slips? Good Uses of Pre-Announcements Diffusing/diluting an expected competitor launch First mover for a completely defensible position Supporting strategic sales opportunities 9. 10 Launch Tactics 10. Two High Impact Deliverables for Your Launch Surveys related to launch themes Long-tail type data; depending on data, 9-18mo shelf life Fresh stats and takes on common challenges Multi-purpose for post launch content marketing lead gen as well, via survey updates, benchmarks, etc. Can be done as easily via online offerings, or as more scientific expert- network engagements Visual Storytelling Info-graphics, video, product tours Non-traditional communication formats create new options for press to cover and syndicate for you Make your launches known for something Rough-cut type videos (Instagram, handhelds) easily relatable by end- users; a lack of gloss is welcomed from those in the trenches 11 Making Your Launch More Impactful 11. 12 Merchandising: Not Just for Cereal Merchandising is key Preparation and packaging of your story Presentation in such a way that it stimulates interest in a hyper- competitive market Drives action 12. 13 Dont Forget Your Press Kits Press Release Info-graphic Survey results Product screen shot tour Quick value prop videos Relevant Industry Research Release Notes Press Release Product Box Shots Datasheets Whitepapers Dont Sell Your Influencers a Story, Help them Write One 13. Your Product Launch Will End Up Being Just an Interesting Experiment if There is No Resulting Revenue Sales Training is CRITICAL If they dont know, they cant sell Avoid the show up and throw up sales training Treat major launch sales training as a nurture campaign (45-30-15-5) What Do We Know About Sales? Theyre Coin Operated Can you set a new product sales incentive? 14 Dont Forget Your Internal Customer 14. How do you capitalize on your solid launch results? Merchandising and Weaponizing Merchandising doesnt stop with the launch messaging; how do you package launch materials and earned media for your sales channels? Where do these new sales tools fit in your sales funnel? What stage of the sales cycle are they most useful for? Credibility setting early; thought leadership differentiation later; value-adding at renewal time What other groups can benefit? Be a Good Neighbor! CFO, valuation, funding HR, recruitment 15 Great Launch! Now What? 15. Was the exercise worthwhile? No doubt multiple stakeholders involved in getting the coverage and results How do you demonstrate the effort was worth the outcome? This is where your pre-stated goals come into play Manage expectations through measurement Inbound traffic from source (fight for the inbound links where possible!); Launch impact on the funnel; do certain outlet visitors convert faster? Going outbound with targeted mailings to base, pipeline or retired leads, measuring engagement 16 Great Launch! Now What? 16. Some Key Resources 17. 1. Without Aggressive Goals, Why Do It? Establish tangible business drivers as goals (qualified leads, 90 day pipe increase, 90 day sales increase, upgrades) 2. Set Your Timing Opportunistically Dont be afraid to use some guerrilla tactics (competitor earnings announcements) to highlight your launch 3. Ideas are Cheap. Execution is What Matters Stick to your launch checklists, fanatically Go/No Go decisions arent a paper tiger sound the alarm if need be Go the extra mile; help the influencers cover your story 18 Things to Remember 18. Questions? If youd like to continue the conversation, please reach out to us at info@gutenbergpr.com Were also on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, join us there!