Months of conceptualizing and perfecting your new or latest product have paid off. You now have a creation that’s ready to sell and your target client base needs to know about it. A product launch event is precisely what you need to introduce and market the item.
Planning corporate events is a different ball game altogether because of the underlying need to make it count. Businesses are all about connecting with people and ultimately turning a profit. In short, any function that takes money out of the company should bring back returns.
The nagging question you might have is what strategy should you use when organizing a function to introduce your latest creation? Take a look through the available corporate event venues near you to get started on planning your next product launch event.
Does a product launch really matter?
Hard as it is to believe, Microsoft or Apple were once unknown brands. What sets them apart is the fact that they mastered the art of breaking into the industry and staying around decades later. It’s now your turn to make ripples within your respective field.
A product launch is the culmination of the endless hours of hard work that went into coming up with a new idea or creating a new item. The size of the product or service doesn’t really matter; neither does the fact that it’s an established entity or a startup behind it.
The internet drives the business landscape these days, and all it takes is a social media post or email to launch a product. It’s easier and won’t cost you much either. So why go through the trouble of organizing a fanfare of sorts to launch your product?
When you bring people together to handle your product physically and hear the story behind its creation in person; something magical happens. The simple way to describe it is–connection.
We live in the “real world” and we should always remember that interactions are the backbone of life as we know it. That’s why a physical touch always creates an impact and it undoubtedly sets you apart from the rest.
How will your product launch stand out?
Think about Apple product launch events; they always create a buzz and leave people talking for days. You could argue that they have the financial backing but rather, Apple focuses on bringing each item to life.
Celebration is at the heart of a product launch and several aspects collectively make these events a success.
Focus on the product
Mention a product launch and the image that comes to mind is a big and luxurious event that costs a pretty penny. That isn’t always the case, and what you should do is aim at going beyond a simple press release or social media post to introduce your latest offering.
You want to bring people together, no matter how small the group. Educate them, in a fun and engaging way, about a new product and spark their interest in why they need the item.
Not to say that money won’t be spent; you need to invest in the right elements. Perhaps use a holographic rendering to demonstrate how your product operates instead of spending a chunk of money on decorations and food.
Understand your audience
Yes, the event is all about your brand and the product at hand. The bigger picture is that you want the item to reach your target consumers and in turn, generate sales.
The following details describe who makes up your target demographic, and in turn, the reason behind creating the product or offering the service.
- Who needs the item?
- What issues do they face that the product/ service can solve?
- What’s the unique aspect of your item?
- At the end of the launch, what should they get from it?
- How else can you enhance the visibility of your product beyond the launch?
Plan it like a regular event
Once you’ve ironed out the finer details, approach the process of planning a product launch just like putting together any other event.
The location should be somewhere memorable to add to the overall experience the people attending the function receive. It isn’t only the indoor space but the surrounding area too. Before or after the event starts, give your guests something worthwhile to enjoy.
Rather than decorations, invest in visual and special effects. You’ll rely a great deal on lighting, visuals, and audio to put your product on the stage so to speak. Make sure that the chosen venue provides these provisions or whether you have to outsource.
A product launch isn’t the kind of investment that brings back direct returns, but one of the immediate ways you expect it to pay back is by sparking a conversation. You want people to talk about your latest addition. The following strategies can help:
- Make it newsworthy. Highlight the item’s unique angle and simply unveil it in a grand way. You’ll likely command the attention of the media that way.
- Use social media to drive the conversation. Market your product launch online, live stream the event, and continue the discussions afterward.
- Offer product samples.
- Run a raffle that rewards the guests at a later date.
- Launch your product as a collaboration with a related brand or for charity.
Launch your new product in a grand way: last thoughts
Introducing your latest addition isn’t a one-off affair, and the aim is to start a conversation and keep it going well after the product launch. With that in mind, plan a function that factors everything in between and after the grand celebration. Marketing a product is a continuous process and it all starts with the launch event.
