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How to Plan a Product Launch Event

According to Nielsen data, around 80% of newly launched Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) products fail.

One theory for why it’s so difficult to see a new product in any industry sector take off is simply a lack of preparation.

When all of the hard work goes into the design and manufacturing, creating a marketing launch plan is often relegated down the "to-do list" and by the time it becomes a priority, it’s often too late.

With this in mind, here are three of the main reasons why a product launch marketing plan should be created early in the planning cycle:

• Driving consumer demand in advance of a product coming to market increases the "pull effect" by encouraging shoppers to start asking for the product and retailers to pre-order, thus "pulling" the product through their distribution channels.
• A successful product launch drives excitement, interest, and new business leads, which creates a sales funnel, where prospects, fans, and referrals can begin their journey towards purchase.
• Most CEOs believe that if only the market understood their new product, they’d buy it immediately. Developing a product narrative early could not only drive the marketing plan, it may also influence design or manufacturing.

Before we take you through how to create product launch event ideas, let’s look at what a product launch actually entails.

As the name suggests, it should be that moment in time when a new product offering is made available to the public for the first time. However, as we’ve outlined above, staging a launch in advance of the product being made available - and teasing the launch date as part of the plan - can significantly contribute to the ‘pull effect’ and drive consumer anticipation.

One of the best ways to launch a new product is with an event or series of teaser events .

By giving potential customers the opportunity to experience, touch, and feel the product in a face-to-face live environment, you’ll increase the word-of-mouth buzz across social media channels and drive purchase consideration by allowing shoppers to "test-drive" your product, learn how it’ll benefit their everyday lives and have all their questions answered.

So, where should you start with your product launch?

Consider the product narrative

By working closely with product designers from inception, marketers can begin to develop a product narrative that will help to create content marketing assets, advertising strap-lines, and social media collateral further down the line.

For example, is sustainability one of the core design principles? How is this reflected in the manufacturing supply chain? What are the stories behind how the product came to be and can you use these stories to bring your product to life in the market?

Build your audience

Use content marketing to drive more frequent traffic to your website. Product launch marketing is much easier if you already have returning online visitors, eager to discover new offers, read timely blogs and engage with your launch marketing campaign.

Increase your follower-base across all social media channels by promoting your content marketing assets, teasing a new product in development, and joining in the conversations relevant to your industry sector.

Identify influencers who can help drive interest and trust in your product. It doesn’t have to be an expensive social media celebrity with millions of followers if your product is for a niche market - it just needs to be persons or media brands that customers trust.

Host or sponsor some live events or virtual events in advance of your product launch date. These could feature interesting speakers to build your reputation as a thought-leader in the sector or align your brand with the leading exhibition or convention to increase awareness.

Review your email lists for lead magnates, open rates and, unsubscribes. Do this with a test e-newsletter to see how engaged your audience is in what you have to say. If you need to develop their engagement, plan a series of email bulletins in the months leading up to your launch.

Now you’re ready to create a product launch marketing plan

Follow these seven steps

Identify customer needs

You can’t prepare a good marketing strategy if you don't understand the requirements of your target customers. Conduct surveys and market research to understand what features in your product will appeal to users. You can ask them about the products they are currently using and why. You can question them on how much they are willing to pay for a product if it can solve their current needs. This way, you will get an idea about your competition, the needs of the users, plus you can also implement a suitable pricing strategy for your product. 

Study your competition

Research SEO keywords, social media accounts, competitor content, and product reviews. Establish who is doing well, why they’re doing well, and what lessons you can learn from negative customer reviews. To build a social media strategy, pay attention to how often your competitors post, what kinds of content receive the most likes, and how they tell stories about their brand online.

Establish your USP

A product launch marketing strategy should highlight and promote your Unique Selling Proposition (USP) at every available opportunity. The USP should be based on four things:

• Customer needs
• Competitor offerings
• Distinctive product benefits
• Brand values/promise

Decide on your marketing channels

Consider both offline and online marketing channels to reach your desired audience. If your target audience is local, consider Out of Home advertising such as billboards, bus stops, and digital poster sites. If your target audience is country-wide or across multiple states, prioritize digital, TV, radio, or social media.

Be clear with your messaging

Explain your product to the target audience by including who your product is for and what kind of problem it solves. You should also discuss the product’s unique capabilities and how the product is different from other products in the same category segment.

For example, if you have a speaker who is endorsing your product, be sure they know how to talk about the product by briefing them thoroughly on your key marketing messages and advertising key phrases.

Test, test, and test again

Just as the product itself will be tested, make sure you test marketing creative, email marketing campaigns, advertising copy, social assets, CTAs, and website landing pages. Once the product goes live, all these marketing tools will come into play so you need to know they’re as effective as they can be.

Create a countdown

Creating a launch countdown is a tried-and-true method for building excitement around product launch planning. Post your launch countdown on your website and social media accounts. When customers visit your channels, they'll see reminders about the upcoming release.

When you successfully build social media hype for your product launch, you can keep this energy rolling after the launch event. Post your favorite photos from the event and repost pictures from your guests.

Launch with an event

Once you’ve understood your audience, developed your channel strategy , crafted the creative, and nurtured the narrative, it’s time to turn your attention to the launch event itself.

A launch event is an excellent way to showcase your latest product, build hype around it, and even acquire some sales right at the event. The more you can get people talking about the product, both at the event and via social media, the better it’s going to do.

Here are six tips to help you build an event into your product launch marketing strategy

1. choose a venue that’s interesting but doesn’t outshine your product.

Obviously, you want the emphasis to be on the product, not the venue. Nevertheless, a memorable venue will help to attract attendees . Try to associate the product with the venue. For instance, if you’re releasing new technology, opt for a modern high-tech venue that complements your product.

If your product caters to a local demographic, choose a venue that’s close to where your customers live. Don’t make people commute out of their way.

Here are a few other styles of event venues to align to your product brand values.

Creative : Unique designer spaces like cocktail bars, art galleries or restaurants will generate buzz and express the creativity of your brand.

Luxury : When launching a luxury product, choose a prestigious and elegant event venue, such as a stately home that evokes class and style.

Historic : If your brand has a long company legacy, highlight this history by hosting your product launch in a museum, town hall, or library.

Outdoors : A creative outdoor venue like a public garden, hotel courtyard or forest can attract large crowds while providing space for live performances and product demonstrations.

2. Make it exclusive

Product launch events should be built around two types of attendees. First, your customer base and followers, and second, those that can help promote your product be it the media, influencers, or industry experts. 

Both play a huge part in making the event a success and that’s why you need to make it exclusive and special. For your customers, think about adding a personal touch with a product-related goody bag, special discount code, or VIP session. 

Then for your media and influencer attendees, send out invitations and other goodies to get them on board well before the product launches. Discuss potential coverage, access to spokespeople, collaborations, teaser articles, and advertising options.

3. Choose a memorable, relevant theme for your product launch event

The theme should be relevant to the product, industry or time of year. If you’re launching in July for example, consider aligning your theme with Independence Day celebrations.

Or if you’re rolling out the red carpet in February, why not tap into an Oscars theme?

A word of warning though, don’t stray too far from the context of your product. Consumers are quick to pick-up on inauthenticity and if they suspect you’re hanging your event on a theme just to attract publicity, you may find yourself on the wrong end of a public backlash.

4. Entertain as well as inform

Your product launch event ideas, should, first and foremost, be informational and educational at their core.  To leave guests with a lasting memory and an excuse to talk about the event across social media, however, it’s always good to entertain as well.

Options for event entertainment are extensive so make sure you’ve done your research and seen first-hand the act you’re considering booking.

The type of entertainment needs to align with your company’s brand values and product narrative, as well as your audience’s expectations so don’t leave anything to chance.

You could also incorporate entertainment elements that let customers interact with your new product directly. 

Interactive brand activations for product launches allow customers to experience your product in a hands-on and engaging way. When you create an experiential event, you are more likely to build brand loyalty and positive product sentiment. 

5. Pick the correct date to go live

When should you hold the event? Product launches (or virtual product launches) can be held on the day the product is released or as a teaser several days before the release.

Remember, don’t hold it too early; you want the anticipation to be at its peak when the product is released. While there’s no set rule, try to hold the event no more than two weeks before the release date.

Product launches as a whole should also be timed according to the time of year.

Perhaps the product makes for an excellent Christmas gift. If so, then make the product launch a holiday event. You can also explore industry-specific holidays or explore times of the year when the industry sees a peak in activity.

These are the optimal times for hosting your launch.

6.  Have a plan for post-event follow-up

After a few days, the hype will die down. The day after the event though, presents a window of opportunity to keep the hype going just a bit longer and convert any leads who didn't buy during the event. 

Use the same strategies you did for the pre-event marketing. This includes lots of social media activity, continuing use of the event hashtag, and sending out newsletters.

If sales of the product did not meet expectations, then offer some sort of incentive — a trial offer, rebate, or complimentary add-ons. 

So there you have it.

For the best chance of success for your new product, start early by building your audience, testing your channels, developing the narrative and planning your event.

Once you’ve built hype and expectation amongst your target demographic, deliver a memorable experience that will have them talking about your product launch for months afterwards.

Mike Fletcher

Mike has been writing about the meetings and events industry for almost 20 years as a former editor at Haymarket Media Group, and then as a freelance writer and editor. He currently runs his own content agency, Slippy Media, catering for a wide-range of client requirements, including social strategy, long-form, event photography, event videography, reports, blogs and ghost-written material.

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3 Steps To Launch and Communicate Your Strategy

Overview to Launching and Communicating Strategy

So, you've finally created a great strategic plan. Your nearest and dearest love it. Your leadership team has been involved in the whole process and is ready to rock.

In today's article, we're going to share 3 simple steps that will help you to launch and communicate your strategy to everyone else.

Here's a quick recap of our series so far:

• Writing your strategic plan
• Sharing your plan with others
• Launch and communicate your strategy (This Article)

BONUS: Download Your FREE Execution-ready Checklist - It comes in Excel format allowing you to check your strategic plan and ensure that it's ready for implementation!

Follow our 3 step process to launch and communicate your strategy:

Step 1: Create a mini communication plan

Don't worry, this is actually really easy. Basically, you need to start by drawing up a list of the key stakeholder groups you want to launch and communicate your strategy too.

Note that this is very different from what we did in the last step of the process, where we were seeking feedback from these groups.

This isn't about feedback anymore - this is about inspiring and galvanizing your key stakeholders around your shiny new plan, and getting them to spring into action .

OK, so who might you want to include in this communication plan? It will vary of course, but here's a cheat sheet of the usual suspects:

• Senior Leaders
• Everyone else in the organization
• Investors/shareholders
• Key customers

Once you've put together a list of your own, you need to figure out what outcomes you want to achieve from each of these communications.

Defining your outcomes will help you to structure your messages and communication technique as you go through the process of launching and communicating your strategy to your key stakeholders.

Here are a few examples:

Stakeholder Group: The board

Desired Outcome: That board members have confidence that our goals are sufficiently ambitious, without being overly risky.

That they're confident that we have the resources to deliver this plan, and that they will be regularly updated on its progress.

When you communicate your plan to this group, you'll probably end up toning down the hype behind the plan and focusing on the hard business outcomes.

Stats and specific KPIs will help to demonstrate to this group that you've thought deeply about the detail of the plan and can be absolutely trusted to deliver it.

Let's look at an example at the other end of the spectrum...

Stakeholder Group: Customers

Desired Outcome: To give inspiration and hope to our customers that they've made the right choice in choosing us as a provider.

That they're doing business with an ambitious, innovative, and progressive company. That they themselves are a valued part of the organization's current and future success.

Unlike the board communication, you won't be focusing on detailed numbers or stats and your language should be much more inspirational and motivational. Even though you're communicating the same plan, your delivery is going to be very different!

It may seem obvious that you'll deliver differently to different groups, but take the time to plan out your messaging for each one anyway - when you're up there in front of people, that extra little preparatory step will be 100% worth it.

Step 2: Invest in a little wow factor

You've worked hard to get to this point with your plan - maybe you've even spent a fair bit of money too. Don't let that go to waste by delivering your plan with a boring old PowerPoint presentation! And worse still, DO NOT deliver a new strategic plan message by email!

The benefits of spending a little extra time and money on delivery are centered on one inescapable fact: If your people see that you've invested in this new strategic plan, they'll take it so much more seriously.

When we work with clients in our cloud strategy tool Cascade , we try to encourage them to record videos focusing on the key elements of the plan (the vision statement, the focus areas, etc).

Those videos then become a key component of the delivery (i.e. they're played on a big screen at the launch event) but they also become a reference point for new employees joining the company to use to get up to speed of what their new organization is all about.

If you are using a cloud strategy tool for the first time, that in itself will give you brownie points as something new and innovative.

Here are a few more tips and ideas to bring your plan to life:

• Hire an animator or graphic designer to create cartoons for your Focus Areas (one of our African clients did a great job of this using safari animals to represent their Focus Areas - The Lion (Financial Growth), The Giraffe (Innovation), etc.)
• Arrange a fun launch party that is solely dedicated to the launch of the strategy (don't tack it on to some other event, that sends a BAD signal about its importance!)
• Invest in some of those cheesy but surprisingly effective desk toys , branded with your new vision/focus areas

I'm sure there are plenty of other great examples that people have seen of bringing life to strategy - leave us a comment below!

Step 3: Follow up with people

It's important to launch and communicate your strategy to your people, but it's even more important to make sure they take action. One of the most common criticisms of strategy launches is that they have all this fanfare, and then everyone just goes back to their desks again and carries on with business-as-usual.

We're going to be writing a dedicated guide to make sure this doesn't happen - but in the meantime, there are a few things you can do that we'll cover here.

Here at Cascade , we encourage clients to use surveys to send out a quick follow-up, right after the launch event, to capture people's feedback about how it all went. With the best will in the world, there will always be aspects of the plan that people didn't quite understand, or that they felt were unrealistic.

The sooner you can capture and respond to this feedback, the more credibility you give to the entire process. Surveys aren't the only way to get this kind of information.

Ask one of your most trusted colleagues to keep a close watch on the people you're launching to (it's hard to do this yourself when you're in full flow). Try to read their faces, and gauge their levels of excitement and engagement.

Whatever feedback method you use, you absolutely must follow up your launch event with a material change that weaves the new strategy into people's day jobs .

This could be monthly strategy forums appearing in people's diaries or a bi-monthly strategy communication (by email or even better in person). More on this in a future article, but at the very least, be sure to send out that survey!

We'd love to hear your thoughts on our 3 step process to launch and communicate your strategy, and in particular, if you have any hot tips for making strategy fun and exciting - share them in the comments below for everyone else to try!

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How to plan a successful product launch event

Airtable's Product Team

Filed Under

What is a product launch event?

How to create a successful product launch event (4-steps), step 1: find the perfect venue.

• Step 2: Effectively promote your product launch event

Step 3: Plan your event experience

Step 4: follow up after any product launch event.

• How to organize a successful product launch event

Product launch events: how to successfully plan using 4 essential steps

You’ve been working on a product for weeks, months, or maybe even years—and now, it’s time to launch.A product launch event can serve multiple purposes: for you and your team, it’s a time to celebrate all of the work you’ve done, and to get hyped for the next iteration. For the press, it’s a peek into the future of your industry. And for your customers—the most important audience of all—it’s a time to learn and ask questions about a (hopefully) exciting new product.

With any kind of event planning, the key to success is being extremely organized. To be clear—organization doesn’t ensure a great event, but you can’t have a successful event without it. When it comes to planning a product launch event, getting everyone aligned, motivated, and productive is a tall task.

Transforming cross-functional product launch management

Our advice? Write. Everything. Down. You might be tempted to slack on documentation, but if you record every last detail and decision, you’ll end up with a single source of truth for your whole team—and a guide for your next product launch event, too.

If you’re ready to start documenting your plans, you don’t need to start from scratch—check out our product launch template and collection of event planning templates .

Read on for the baseline steps to putting a product launch event plan in action, or use the table of contents to jump to a specific area of expertise.

A product launch event is like a debut for a new product, introducing it to the market as well as the media circuit. You’ll present your product in the most flattering and exhilarating way, with a goal of generating both buzz and sales.

A successful product launch event introduces and builds interest in a new product, and serves as the foundation of a successful sales and marketing initiative. As a kickoff to a long-term marketing campaign, the product launch event sets the tone and acts as a foundation for the rest of your campaign activities.

Your product launch event should be worthy of the product itself—whether it’s an intimate dinner with VIP customers, or a multi-day conference. Use these best practices to keep your planning on track.

The location you choose to host your party should neatly align with your product and brand. Are you trying to foster one-on-one conversations, deliver an elaborate presentation, or get a dance party started? Are your customers urban Zoomers, busy parents, or chill octogenarians? Find a venue with the appropriate ambiance, layout, and location. 

Sometimes you need to think beyond the conventional to find the right spot. You might be surprised by what types of venues are open to event rentals: local museums, libraries, greenhouses, even private residences.

Hint: To visualize where various venues are in relation to each other, use the Airtable map app .

Step 2: Effectively promote your product launch event 

When you build momentum for your product launch event, you drive both attendance and advocacy for the product itself—even those who don’t attend can still be exposed to your promotional efforts. 

Depending on the size and importance of the launch, you might send press releases, issue formal invitations, or even—on occasion—place ads in print media. But for most product makers, digital marketing is the most effective (and least expensive) way to spread the word about a product launch event.

Keep in mind that event promotion, or event marketing, is often the sole responsibility of an individual or entire team—it can be a big job. But at a high level, digital marketing might involve email marketing, social media marketing, promotions, contests, countdowns, and paid ads. Demos, webinars, and videos are other great ways to spotlight a new product in advance of (or at) the event. Learn more about event marketing best practices in this article.

If you don’t already have messaging locked, now is your last chance to finalize guidelines around your product messaging. This will help keep every aspect of your product launch promotion consistent. Create a shareable doc (or database) with your messaging rules, or whatever feels relevant to your attendees, marketing folks, and event organizers. 

Download Airtable's Product Messaging Library Template .

Your event’s attendee experience will reflect (positively or negatively) on the product you and the team have worked so hard to release. Elements like lighting, decor, seating, and tech support can make or break your event.

At this point, you’ll want to consult with an events professional who can help you think through the details. Are your guests allowed to drink? Do guests who don’t drink have something to… well, drink? Thoughtful event production ensures your launch lives up to the hype you build. 

Tedious as it may sound, take the time to think through the attendee experience—from the moment someone arrives until they leave, what do you expect them to see, taste, or do? Visualizing each step may expose flaws in your plans. Say you’re launching a line of women’s dresses, and at the launch party—a fashion show and pop-up—you’re hoping to sell quite a bit of product. But you haven’t considered how women will try things on. Without dressing rooms, they won’t commit to the sale. 

Your product launch event might reach a much larger audience than just the people who show up in person. Between swag, social media photo ops, and social media mentions, you create opportunities for attendees to advertise and advocate for your product beyond the four walls of your event and long after the launch.

Caption: What’s your budget for this event? Airtable’s Event Planning Template has a built-in view for writing down exactly what you spend.

One of the biggest mistakes novice product-launchers make is to consider their job done when the last guest leaves the room. To make your launch a success, there’s still work to be done. Following up with your audience serves a few critical purposes:

It secures a positive impression of your product in minds of potential customers and evangelizers

It gives you an opportunity to gather feedback from attendees

It gives you a format for rolling out post-launch promotions, building on the momentum and generating additional sales

Keeping track of attendee contact information enables you to follow up after the event. Airtable’s Event Planning Template has a built-in view for attendee info.

As you get feedback from event participants, you can gauge next steps in your larger marketing plan and translate those insights into practical guidance for your sales team.

To see how we do product launch event planning here at Airtable, download this free product launch template .

How to organize a successful product launch event 

You’ll know your event is successful when everything comes together—the event experience, the mix of people, the buzz the event generates, and, of course, the product itself. Starting with a well-organized event plan makes a big difference.

Airtable is an excellent tool for all aspects of organizing a  product launch event, including venue and vendor logistics, marketing campaign execution, and organizing critical insights in a readily accessible format so you can make it a truly splashy product debut.

To engage Airtable’s solution for organizing a successful product launch event, download Airtable’s Event Planning Template and get started !

About the author

Airtable's Product Team is committed to building world-class products, and empowering world-class product builders on our platform.

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The Ultimate Guide to a Successful New Product Launch

Picture this: You've been working on your top-secret product for months, maybe even years. You've poured your heart and soul into it, tweaked every knob, and polished every pixel . 

Now, it's finally ready for the spotlight. But what's next? Enter the product launch.

What is a product launch?

In a nutshell, a product launch is like your product's big debut. It's the grand unveiling, the red carpet moment when your product steps out from behind the curtain and struts its stuff for the world to see. 

And just like any great show, it takes careful planning, a dash of pizzazz, and an audience eagerly waiting in anticipation.

A product launch isn't just about popping confetti cannons and toasting with champagne (though that's fun too). 

It's a coordinated extravaganza that includes everything from crafting catchy taglines to rallying your fans on social media . The goal? To create buzz, win hearts, and—drumroll, please—make sales.

The 5 stages of launching a new product

Like any great performance, a successful product launch requires careful choreography, perfect timing, and a little bit of magic. So, without further ado, let's raise the curtain and explore the five acts of a showstopping product launch.

Stage #1 - Planning

Before the curtain rises, let's get our ducks in a row (or dancing chorus line, if you prefer). We'll need a marketing plan that's jazzier than a Broadway musical, complete with all the razzle-dazzle to promote your product and create buzz. 

Let's figure out where to sell it, how to price it, and how to get your sales team tapping to the beat. Trust me, a little planning goes a long way.

Stage #2 - Launch Day

It's showtime! Let's roll out the red carpet and officially release your product to the world. We'll pull out all the stops with a coordinated launch campaign—think promotional activities, glitzy events, and media spotlights. 

We'll shimmy our way onto social media, email inboxes, and influencer feeds to maximize visibility and reach. Lights up, the stage is yours!

Stage #3 - Monitoring and Support

The applause is still ringing in our ears, but the show's not over yet. Let's listen to our audience—monitor customer feedback, reviews, and sales data to see how we're faring in the limelight. 

And hey, if there are any hiccups or questions, we're here to provide top-notch customer support. 

Stage #4 - Analysis and Optimization

Time for a little self-reflection. Let's take a look at the key performance metrics and sales data to see what worked and what could use a little more pizzazz. 

We'll use customer feedback to make updates and enhancements, ensuring your product stays as fresh as opening night. And let's keep our eyes on the market trends, so we're always one step ahead of the competition.

Stage #5 - Ongoing Marketing and Engagement

The launch may be over, but our work is just beginning. Let's keep the marketing magic going to sustain momentum and build customer loyalty . 

Whether it's content marketing, social media, or community-building efforts, we'll keep our audience engaged and coming back for more. 

How to launch your product successfully

Introducing a new product to the market is both an art and a science. At the heart of a successful introduction lies a well-thought-out product launch process—one that combines creativity, analysis, and strategic planning. 

To help you navigate this exciting journey, we've crafted a comprehensive product launch strategy that will guide you step-by-step through the critical phases of bringing your product to life. From initial planning to post-launch analysis, each step is designed to maximize your product's impact and ensure a triumphant debut. 

Step 1) Research and Understand Your Target Audience

Before the curtain rises on your product launch, there's a critical first step that sets the stage for the entire performance: researching and understanding your target audience . 

It's about getting to know the people you're creating your product for—their desires, challenges, and what makes them tick. Here's how to shine the spotlight on your audience and ensure your product hits all the right notes.

Conduct Market Research

Market research is your backstage pass to understanding your customers . It's about gathering valuable insights and data that help you make informed decisions. 

So, roll up your sleeves and start investigating:

• Conduct surveys, interviews, and focus groups to get firsthand feedback from potential customers.
• Analyze market trends, competitors , and industry reports to understand the landscape.
• Identify gaps in the market and opportunities where your product can make a splash.

The goal? To uncover the needs, preferences, and pain points of your audience. This knowledge guides everything from product development to marketing, ensuring your product resonates with the right people.

Create Customer Personas

Meet your cast of characters—your customer personas. These fictional profiles represent different segments of your target market, bringing your audience to life in vivid detail. 

Each persona is a unique character with their own story, motivations, and quirks:

• Craft personas based on your market research, demographics , and behavioral patterns.
• Give each persona a name, background, and defining characteristics.
• Outline their goals, challenges, and how your product can make a difference in their lives.

Customer personas are more than just profiles; they're your guiding stars. They help you tailor your messaging, design user experiences, and ultimately create a product that earns a standing ovation from your audience.

Step 2) Develop and Refine the Product

With the stage set and your audience in focus, it's time for the next act in your product launch journey: developing and refining the star of the show—your product. 

This is all about bringing your vision to life, from concept to creation, and ensuring it's polished to perfection. So, let's take a closer look at how to craft a product that captivates your audience and steals the spotlight.

Collaborate with Product Development Teams

Creating a masterpiece is a collaborative effort, and that's where your product development team comes in. This talented ensemble of designers, engineers, and innovators work in harmony to design and create the product based on customer needs. 

Here's how to hit the right notes:

• Share your market research and customer personas with the team to inform the design process.
• Foster open communication, creativity, and collaboration to explore ideas and solutions.
• Iterate and refine the product based on feedback, testing, and alignment with your value proposition.

With everyone working in sync, you'll transform your vision into a tangible product that resonates with your audience and meets their needs.

Test Beta Versions with Real Users

Before the curtain rises on launch day, it's time for the dress rehearsal. Testing beta versions with real users is your chance to gather feedback and make necessary improvements. So, let's put your product to the test:

• Invite users from your target audience to try out your product and share their experiences.
• Create a structured feedback process to capture insights, suggestions, and any issues encountered.
• Use the feedback to identify areas of improvement, fix bugs, and enhance usability.

Think of this testing phase as the final touches, ensuring your product is primed and ready for its big debut. It's about fine-tuning the details, so your product shines in the spotlight and delivers a showstopping performance .

Step 3) Create a Unique Value Proposition and Messaging

With your product primed and polished, it's time to turn our attention to the script—the compelling narrative that brings your product to life.

A unique value proposition and messaging captures the essence of your product, tells its story, and leaves your audience spellbound. 

So, grab your quill and compose a tale that resonates with your target audience and sets your product apart.

Develop a Unique Value Proposition

The unique value proposition is the heart and soul of your product—the captivating hook that captures your audience's attention. 

It's the promise of value, the reason your product deserves the limelight. Here's how to craft a value proposition that shines:

• Highlight the key benefits of your product and how it addresses the needs and pain points of your audience.
• Articulate what makes your product different and why it stands out from the competition.
• Keep it clear, concise, and compelling—a statement that strikes a chord and evokes emotion.

The right value proposition is like a standing ovation—it resonates, inspires, and leaves a lasting impression.

Craft Compelling Messaging and Positioning Statements

With your value proposition in hand, it's time to craft the messaging and positioning statements that bring your product's story to life. 

This is your chance to engage, persuade, and connect with your audience. Here's how to compose messaging that resonates:

• Tailor your messaging to your customer personas, speaking to their goals, desires, and motivations.
• Create positioning statements that showcase your product's strengths, features, and advantages.
• Use language that's clear, relatable, and evocative, drawing your audience into the narrative.

Think of your messaging as the script for your product launch—a tale that captivates your audience, showcases your product's brilliance, and leaves them eager to experience it for themselves.

Step 4) Plan Your Marketing and Promotion Strategies

As the curtain rises on the next act of your product launch journey, it's time to turn the spotlight on marketing and promotion. 

It's all about creating buzz, building anticipation, and getting your audience on the edge of their seats, eager for the grand debut of your product. 

With the right marketing plan and promotional strategies, your product will take center stage and capture the hearts and minds of your audience. 

Build a Pre-Launch Marketing Plan

Before the big day arrives, set the stage with a pre-launch marketing plan that turns heads and creates a buzz. 

This plan is your roadmap to building excitement and anticipation for your product launch. Here's how to create a pre-launch marketing plan that's pitch-perfect:

• Craft teasers, sneak peeks, and countdowns that spark curiosity and leave your audience wanting more.
• Engage your audience with interactive content, behind-the-scenes insights, and exclusive previews.
• Build an email list of interested subscribers, and keep them in the loop with regular updates and news.

With a well-executed pre-launch marketing plan, you'll create a sense of anticipation that has your audience counting down the days until the product launch.

Utilize Various Marketing Channels

Your audience awaits, and it's time to reach them through the marketing channels they love. From social media to influencer partnerships, each channel is an opportunity to connect, engage, and share your product's story. Here's how to utilize various marketing channels to amplify your message:

• Leverage social media platforms to share engaging content, launch promotions, and interact with your audience.
• Create email campaigns that inform, inspire, and drive action, whether it's pre-orders, sign-ups, or event registrations.
• Produce and share captivating content— blog posts , videos, webinars—that showcases your product's value and benefits.
• Collaborate with influencers, bloggers, and industry experts to reach new audiences and gain credibility.

By utilizing a diverse array of marketing channels, you'll maximize visibility, reach a broader audience, and ensure that your product launch is the talk of the town.

Step 5) Set Up Distribution and Sales Channels

As we move into the next act of your product launch journey, the spotlight shifts to distribution and sales—the essential channels that bring your product to the hands of eager customers. 

Establish partnerships, set up distribution networks, and train sales teams to effectively sell and promote your product. With the right distribution and sales channels in place, your product will take center stage and become a star in the eyes of your audience. 

Establish Partnerships with Distributors, Retailers, and Online Platforms

Distribution is the magic that brings your product to the world. It's about making your product available and accessible to your target audience, wherever they may be. 

Here's how to establish partnerships and distribution channels that deliver:

• Identify and collaborate with distributors and retailers that align with your product and target market.
• Leverage online platforms, including e-commerce websites and digital marketplaces, to expand your reach.
• Build strong relationships with partners, negotiate terms, and ensure smooth supply chain operations.

With the right distribution partnerships, you'll bring your product to market with efficiency and ease, ensuring it's readily available to customers far and wide.

Train Sales Teams 

Your sales team is the face of your product—the ambassadors that introduce your product to customers and showcase its value. 

To ensure they hit all the right notes, it's essential to provide training and support. Here's how to prepare your sales team for a stellar performance:

• Educate sales teams on the product's features, benefits, and unique value proposition .
• Provide training on messaging, positioning, and how to address common customer questions and objections.
• Equip sales teams with access to internal beta tests , marketing materials, product demos, and tools to effectively promote and sell the product.

With a well-trained sales team, you'll create meaningful connections with customers, inspire confidence, and drive sales that contribute to a successful product launch.

Step 6) Prepare for Launch Day

The anticipation is palpable, the excitement is building, and the stage is set for the grand finale—launch day. 

This is the moment when your product takes center stage, dazzling your audience and making its mark on the world. But before the curtain rises on this momentous day, there are final preparations to be made and details to be fine-tuned. 

Finalize your launch timeline, coordinate the moving pieces, and plan a launch event that leaves a lasting impression. 

Finalize the Launch Timeline and Coordinate All Aspects of the Launch

Every great performance relies on timing, precision, and coordination, and your product launch is no exception. As launch day approaches, it's time to ensure everything is perfectly in place. 

Here's how to finalize the launch timeline and coordinate all aspects of the launch:

• Review and confirm the launch timeline, including key milestones, deadlines, and activities.
• Coordinate with marketing, sales, distribution, and customer support teams to align efforts and responsibilities.
• Ensure that marketing materials, promotional campaigns, and product inventory are ready for the launch.
• Conduct a final review of the product, website, and landing pages to ensure quality and readiness.

With careful coordination and a well-defined timeline, you'll create a harmonious launch experience that flows seamlessly from start to finish.

Plan a Launch Event, Either In-Person or Virtual

The launch event is the spotlight moment when your product is unveiled to the world. It's an opportunity to engage with your audience, showcase your product's brilliance, and celebrate this milestone. 

Here's how to plan a launch event that captivates and inspires:

• Determine the format of the event—whether in-person, virtual, or a hybrid approach—and choose a suitable venue or platform.
• Design an engaging agenda that includes product demonstrations, guest speakers, and interactive sessions.
• Promote the event through social media, email campaigns, and influencer partnerships to attract attendees.
• Prepare presentation materials, visuals, and media assets that tell your product's story in a compelling way.

Whether you're hosting an intimate gathering or a virtual event that spans the globe, a well-planned launch event is a perfect way to introduce your product, connect with your audience, and celebrate your achievements.

Step 7) Execute the Product Launch

The moment has arrived—the stage lights are shining, the audience is waiting with bated breath, and it's time for your product to take its rightful place in the spotlight. 

This is the climax of your product launch journey, where meticulous planning gives way to flawless execution, and your vision becomes a reality. 

Execute Your Marketing and Promotion Strategies

The curtain rises, and your marketing and promotion strategies take center stage. This is your chance to generate awareness, capture attention, and drive sales for your product. Here's how to execute a marketing performance that resonates with your audience:

• Launch your promotional campaigns across social media, email, and other marketing channels to reach your target audience.
• Share engaging content, impactful visuals, and compelling stories that showcase the value and benefits of your product.
• Leverage influencer partnerships and media outreach to amplify your message and expand your reach.
• Monitor and respond to customer inquiries, comments, and feedback, fostering a sense of connection and excitement.

With well-executed marketing and promotion strategies, you'll create a buzz that echoes far and wide, drawing your audience into the narrative of your product and its potential to make a difference.

Host the Launch Event

The launch event is the crescendo of your product launch—a moment of celebration, connection, and unveiling. It's the opportunity to engage with customers, media, influencers, and stakeholders in a meaningful way. Here's how to host a launch event that leaves a lasting impression:

• Kick off the event with a captivating introduction that sets the tone and welcomes attendees.
• Conduct product demonstrations, presentations, and interactive sessions that highlight your product's features and capabilities.
• Invite guest speakers, industry experts, and influencers to share their insights and perspectives on your product.
• Actively engage with attendees, answer their questions, and encourage them to share their thoughts and experiences.
• End the event with a heartfelt thank-you to attendees, partners, and team members who contributed to the launch's success.

Whether in-person or virtual, a well-hosted launch event creates a sense of community, showcases your product in its best light, and marks the beginning of a journey that continues to unfold.

Step 8) Monitor and Analyze Post-Launch Performance

As the applause fades and the curtain closes on your product launch, the journey is far from over. 

Monitor and analyze the performance of your product launch, assess its success, and identify areas for improvement. With a keen eye for data and insights, you'll gain valuable knowledge that informs your next steps and shapes the future of your product. 

Take a closer look at how to monitor and analyze post-launch performance with precision and purpose.

Track Sales, Customer Feedback, and Key Performance Metrics

The spotlight is on the data—the numbers, feedback, and metrics that tell the story of your product launch. 

By tracking and monitoring this information, you'll gain a clearer understanding of how your product is received, perceived, and embraced by your audience. Here's how to track the essentials:

• Monitor sales data to measure revenue, units sold, and overall demand for your product.
• Gather customer feedback through surveys, reviews, and testimonials to understand satisfaction levels and customer sentiment.
• Track key performance metrics, such as website traffic, conversion rates, and engagement, to gauge the impact of your marketing efforts.

With data in hand, you'll have a comprehensive view of your product's performance and the factors that contribute to its success.

Analyze the Data to Identify Strengths, Weaknesses, and Opportunities for Improvement

With the spotlight on the data, it's time to analyze, interpret, and glean valuable insights. This analysis is your opportunity to identify strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement, shaping your future strategies and decisions. 

Here's how to analyze with intention:

• Evaluate sales trends and patterns to identify best-selling features, peak times, and potential areas for expansion.
• Review customer feedback to uncover common themes, praise, and constructive criticism, informing your product enhancements and updates.
• Analyze key performance metrics to assess the effectiveness of your marketing campaigns and identify successful channels.

The goal is to learn from the data, adapt based on the insights, and continuously improve your product and marketing efforts.

Step 9) Continue Post-Launch Marketing and Engagement

The grand debut may be over, but the performance continues. It's about keeping the spotlight on your product, showcasing its ongoing value, and creating meaningful connections with your audience. 

With strategic marketing activities, attentive customer support, and active engagement, you'll foster loyalty, drive growth, and ensure your product remains a star in the eyes of your customers. 

Continue the journey and discover how to keep your audience captivated, inspired, and eager for more.

Implement Ongoing Marketing Activities

The show must go on, and your marketing efforts play a starring role in keeping your product front and center. 

Through ongoing marketing activities, you'll sustain momentum, build brand awareness, and retain customers. Here's how to keep the spotlight shining bright:

• Create and share engaging content—articles, videos, tutorials—that educates and inspires your audience.
• Launch promotional campaigns, discounts, and incentives that reward loyal customers and attract new ones.
• Leverage email marketing and newsletters to keep subscribers informed about product updates, news, and events.
• Utilize social media to share user-generated content, success stories, and community highlights.

By continuously showcasing the value and benefits of your product, you'll reinforce your brand, deepen customer relationships, and drive repeat business.

Address Customer Inquiries, Gather Feedback, and Provide Excellent Customer Support

Your audience takes center stage, and attentive customer support is key to ensuring they feel heard, valued, and supported. 

By addressing inquiries, gathering feedback, and providing excellent support, you'll enhance the customer experience and earn their trust. Here's how to deliver a standing ovation-worthy performance:

• Monitor customer inquiries and provide prompt, helpful, and personalized responses to their questions and concerns.
• Implement feedback collection methods—surveys, feedback forms, reviews—to gather insights and understand customer needs.
• Address any issues or challenges with solutions, workarounds, and proactive communication.

By actively engaging with customers and providing exceptional support, you'll cultivate loyalty, enhance satisfaction, and create brand advocates who share their positive experiences with others.

Step 10) Iterate and Improve

As the curtain falls on one performance, the next one begins. In this final act, we embrace the dynamic and ever-evolving nature of your product—the process of iteration and improvement. 

It's about refining, enhancing, and expanding your product based on customer feedback, insights, and market demand. 

Embrace the possibilities, explore new horizons, and discover how to make your product even better, brighter, and more captivating to your audience.

Use Customer Feedback and Insights

The voice of your audience takes center stage, guiding you on the path to improvement. By listening to customer feedback and gathering insights, you'll uncover opportunities to elevate your product and deliver even greater value. 

Here's how to turn feedback into action:

• Analyze customer feedback to identify trends, patterns, and areas where your product excels or falls short.
• Pay attention to specific requests, suggestions, and constructive criticism, and prioritize improvements based on impact.
• Implement changes, enhancements, and updates that address customer needs and enhance the user experience.

Plan for Future Updates, Enhancements, or Expansions Based on Market Demand

The spotlight shifts to the future, where new possibilities, ideas, and opportunities await. As you plan for future updates, enhancements, or expansions, you'll ensure your product stays relevant, competitive, and aligned with market demand. 

Here's how to plan for a future that shines bright:

• Conduct ongoing market research and stay attuned to industry trends, emerging technologies, and competitors' offerings.
• Explore opportunities for expansion, such as new features, integrations, or extensions of your product line.
• Develop a product roadmap that outlines the vision, objectives, and key milestones for your product's future development.

As we take our final bow, your product launch journey continues—a never-ending performance that's driven by innovation, dedication, and a passion for delivering value. With each iteration and improvement, you'll create a product that captivates your audience, earns rave reviews, and leaves a lasting impact. So, embrace the journey, celebrate your achievements, and continue to make your product a masterpiece that inspires, delights, and stands the test of time.

Tools that help successfully launch a new product

When it comes to launching a new product, having the right tools at your disposal can streamline the process, enhance your marketing efforts, and ultimately contribute to a successful launch. Here are some tools that can help you successfully launch a new product:

• Project Management Tools: Tools such as Trello, Asana, and Jira can help you plan, organize, and manage tasks related to the product launch. These tools enable collaboration among team members, allow you to set deadlines, and provide visibility into the overall progress of the launch.
• Market Research Tools: Survey platforms like SurveyMonkey and Qualtrics allow you to gather valuable insights from your target audience. By conducting surveys, you can understand customer preferences, pain points, and expectations, helping you tailor your product and messaging.
• Social Media Management Tools: Platforms like Hootsuite, Buffer, and Sprout Social help you schedule, manage, and analyze social media posts across multiple platforms. These tools are essential for promoting your product, engaging with your audience, and tracking the performance of your social media campaigns.
• Email Marketing Tools: Tools such as Mailchimp, Constant Contact, and Sendinblue help you create, send, and track email campaigns. Email marketing is a powerful way to keep subscribers informed about the product launch, share updates, and drive interest.
• Landing Page Builders: Platforms like Unbounce, Instapage, and Leadpages enable you to create and optimize landing pages for your product launch. A well-designed landing page can generate leads, capture email sign-ups, and provide important information about your product.
• Analytics and Data Visualization Tools: Tools like Google Analytics, Tableau, and Looker allow you to monitor key performance metrics, analyze website traffic, and visualize data. These insights are invaluable for understanding customer behavior, measuring campaign success, and making data-driven decisions.
• Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Tools: CRM platforms like Salesforce, HubSpot, and Zoho CRM help you manage and nurture customer relationships. These tools can track customer interactions, support sales efforts, and provide personalized experiences to prospects and customers.
• Beta Testing Tools: Successfully conducting beta testing requires tools that allow you to manage testers, collect feedback, and analyze results. As a comprehensive beta testing platform, Centercode offers a suite of tools for managing beta testing programs, recruiting and communicating with testers, collecting feedback, and analyzing results. Its collaborative features make it easy to identify and address issues before the product launch. TestFlight and Google Play Console are helpful tools for distributing your apps to iOS and Android users.
• Media Outreach Tools: Platforms like Cision, Muck Rack, and HARO can help you connect with journalists, influencers, and media outlets. Securing media coverage and influencer partnerships can amplify your product launch and reach a wider audience.
• Event Management Tools: If you're hosting a launch event, tools like Eventbrite, Hopin, and Bizzabo can help you plan, promote, and manage virtual or in-person events. These tools can streamline event registration, ticketing, and attendee engagement.

10 ways to launch your new product

The moment has arrived to unveil your product to the world, and choosing the right platforms and channels to announce your launch is critical to its success. Each platform offers unique opportunities to connect with your audience, generate buzz, and showcase the value of your product. 

Social Media Platforms

In the digital age, social media is a powerful platform for announcing your product launch and engaging with your audience. Utilize popular platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Pinterest to share captivating content, visuals, and updates about your product. To extend your reach and generate interest, consider running paid social media ads that target specific demographics within your audience.

Email Marketing

Email marketing offers a direct and personalized way to connect with your subscribers. Send a compelling product launch announcement to your email list, highlighting the key features and benefits of the product. To incentivize engagement and drive early sales, consider offering special promotions or exclusive discounts to your email subscribers as part of the launch campaign.

Company Website and Blog

Your company website and blog serve as central hubs for information about your product launch. Create a dedicated product launch page on your website that provides detailed information about the product, pricing, and availability. In addition, publish informative and engaging blog posts that discuss the product's features, use cases, and advantages. This valuable content will educate your audience and build anticipation for the launch.

Press Releases and Media Outreach

Garnering media attention can amplify your product launch and reach a wider audience. Write and distribute a press release that announces the product launch to relevant media outlets, industry publications, and journalists. Additionally, proactively reach out to journalists, bloggers, and influencers in your industry to secure media coverage, product reviews, and features that generate buzz.

Influencer Marketing

Influencer marketing allows you to leverage the power of influential voices in your target market. Collaborate with influencers who have a strong following and align with your brand values to promote the product launch. Provide influencers with early access to the product for review or demonstration, and encourage them to share their authentic experiences with their audience.

Online Communities and Forums

Online communities, forums, and discussion boards are valuable spaces where your target audience is actively engaged. Share the product launch announcement in relevant communities and participate in discussions about the product. Engaging with community members by answering questions and providing additional information will build credibility and excitement for the product.

Product Launch Event

A product launch event, whether physical or virtual, provides an opportunity to unveil the product and engage with customers, media, and stakeholders in real-time. Plan and host a memorable launch event that showcases the product and includes interactive elements. Promote the event through various channels to attract attendees and create a sense of anticipation.

Webinars and Live Streams

Webinars and live streams offer a dynamic way to showcase your product, provide live demonstrations, and answer questions from the audience. Host a webinar or live stream on platforms like Zoom, YouTube Live, or Facebook Live to engage with your audience in an interactive format. These live events foster a sense of connection and allow you to address inquiries and feedback in real-time.

Content Marketing

Content marketing is a strategic approach to creating and sharing valuable content that educates and resonates with your audience. Develop a range of content related to the product, such as articles, videos, infographics, and case studies. Leverage content sharing platforms like YouTube, Medium, and SlideShare to distribute your content and reach a broader audience.

Industry Trade Shows and Conferences

Industry trade shows, conferences, and exhibitions provide opportunities to showcase your product to a relevant audience in a professional setting. Participate in these events to connect with potential customers, partners, and industry experts. Leverage networking opportunities and use the event as a platform to demonstrate your product's value and features.

Product launch best practices

Launching a product is a significant milestone that requires thoughtful planning, execution, and continuous improvement. To ensure a successful product launch that resonates with your target audience and achieves its full potential, consider the following tips:

• Conduct thorough market research to understand your target audience's needs and preferences.
• Test and refine your product using feedback from beta testers and early adopters.
• Develop a clear and unique value proposition to highlight your product's benefits.
• Create a comprehensive marketing plan that leverages multiple channels for promotion.
• Execute a coordinated launch campaign for maximum visibility and reach.
• Monitor key performance metrics, sales data, and customer feedback post-launch.
• Provide excellent customer support to address inquiries and resolve issues.
• Continuously engage with customers and adapt your product based on feedback and insights.

Closing thoughts

As we bring this guide to a close, let's take a moment to recap the key stages of a successful product launch. Each stage plays a vital role in ensuring that your product makes a grand entrance, captivates your audience, and achieves lasting success.

Embarking on a product launch is an exciting journey—one that requires careful planning, precise execution, and continuous improvement. By following the stages outlined in this guide, you'll be well-equipped to navigate the complexities of launching your product and making a lasting impact in the market.

Thank you for joining us on this journey, and we wish you the best of luck with your product launch. Lights up, the stage is yours—let the performance begin!

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All You Need To Know About Work, Meeting & Event Spaces Industry

How To Plan And Host A Product Launch Event Successfully

Planning a product launch event could be an exciting and agitating experience at the same time. Granted, you’ve spent quite a lot of time and resources perfecting your masterpiece. You’ve also completed the registration process to qualify your product for the market. But it’s time for the icing on the cake- the product launch event itself. And the last thing you’d want is for anything to go wrong!

At the center of all this is a remarkable product launch event venue . Luckily, Fluidmeet offers some of the best event venues in Dubai. And with the varied nature of UAE’s populace, you’ll surely generate enough revenue that would make this worth your while.

Here, we will be sharing a few tips on how to plan and host a product launch. So if you’re eager to learn about the secret to a memorable event, stick around to find out.

Why Are Product Launches Events Necessary?

You have much to gain if you plan and host a product launch. Product launches are:

A great way to draw attention to your brand

If there’s one thing you can’t get enough of as a business owner, it is attention. Product launch events are thus an excellent way to inform the world about your company and its new product. 

It improves your brand’s reputation

A successful product launch event could create an excellent first impression for potential customers and investors.

Product launch events also significantly boost sales of new product

Your sales margin will be higher if you host and plan a product launch than if you don’t. The greater publicity around a new product would attract more people to try it out, thus leading to more sales.

It allows people to network with top brands in your niche for more strategic collaborations

If you seek to network with the gurus in your niche, you must take advantage of every opportunity to invite them to your big event. Additionally, the chances that they would honor your invitation are greater; because a product launch event offers more mutual benefits than a one-on-one meeting.

Product launch events are also a fun way to bond with your old clients and potential ones

Launch events also offer an avenue to connect physically with your clients while generating new leads and increasing your brand’s awareness. In fact, statistics show that 56% of consumers try out a new product based on recommendations from family and friends. So by creating a bond with old and new clients, you are paving the way for more leads.

Tips For a Successful Product Launch Event

According to a recent survey by Harvard Business School, about 95% of product launches fail due to inadequate preparation. Hence, proper planning is the most important prerequisite for a productive launch event. Here are some proven tips that would help you achieve a successful event. 

1. Pick a venue suitable for the product launch

Your event venue will set the atmosphere for the whole event. So the first secret to a successful product launch is picking a suitable event space. You could look into several options: ballrooms, conference halls, or even banquet halls in Dubai .

There are a couple of factors you should consider. Firstly, how conveniently is the venue located? And how easy would it be for your target guests to attend? You’d also want to check out the event hall’s capacity to ensure that it matches the guest count.

If the venue is too small, your guests won’t be comfortable. And if it’s too large for the number, the product launch would seem awkward. It would be best if you had a suitable event hall for an excellent first impression.

Another thing you need to keep your eye on is your budget. Does the price of the event hall match your budget? You can choose from a wide selection of event venues in Abu Dhabi , Sharjah, Dubai, and other prominent cities on fluidmeet based on your budget. The prices are also quite affordable, ranging from banquet halls and outdoor events spaces costing $30- $50 dollars per guest to ballrooms costing up to $72 per guest.

Does the ambiance resonate with the brand image you would want to create? Remember, the right venue can break or make the event. So if you need to book that event space ahead, endeavor to do so.

2. Define your audience

A common mistake most brand owners make is focusing too much on themselves and the product when hosting a product launch. While this is not wrong, the reality is that your product launch event should focus on the audience too! And the key to achieving this is defining your audience from the start.

You must first know those who are interested in your product. Also, research your audience’s needs and how your product meets them. For instance, a beauty business would have a different audience from a sneaker brand. So if you’re launching a new set of sneakers, you should ensure that the product launch focuses on convincing them of what the product offers instead of dominating the whole event with all the qualities of your new product.

If you don’t factor your guests into the product launch event, you might not please them. And the last thing you want is to kill the excitement around your product with poor delivery.

3. Promote your product launch event

It would be best to actively promote your product launch to generate excitement that would attract the right guests. Publicize the events by having a countdown on social media or pre-order sales. You could also give coupons and discounts or sell VIP tickets to the product launch event.

4. Invite the right people

Once you have defined who your audience should be, you should work towards inviting the right people. Naturally, the “right people” need your new product or can invest actively in your brand. But you shouldn’t just stop there. Your event should also have a “People magnet.”

Celebrities, media houses, and social media influencers fall under this category. And if you are launching an industry-related product, then inviting a top CEO in your niche would also cause quite a stir.

5. Don’t just inform, Entertain!

Hosting a product launch is beyond giving out all the reasons why your audience should purchase a copy each. It’s a great way to create lasting memories for potential clients and guests. And to give them something to talk about in business forums and on social media.

So, provide entertainment for the event that people can engage themselves in. You can employ many activities to make the product launch event more lively. However, incorporate those that align with your company’s values. Activities or games that allow the audience to interact with your new product are a plus.

A successful product launch could do more than create an excellent first impression for potential customers and investors present. It could significantly improve your brand’s reputation, boost sales, and open up even more opportunities for your brand.

So endeavor to make product launches a part of your marketing strategy. And if you’re thinking of a way to gain more attention, you should start planning your first product launch event. It’s probably not as complicated as it seems.

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How to effectively use a product launch strategy template

Tens of thousands of new products launch every year. Unfortunately, many of these launches fail to meet company expectations. One primary reason for this lack of success is often the company’s failure to plan properly. To avoid this issue, it’s crucial for companies to invest in building a strong product launch strategy with the power to generate attention and entice consumers to make a purchase.

Utilizing a product launch strategy template can help businesses develop the right plan, stay organized, and achieve positive results. Continue reading to learn more about what a product launch strategy is, why it’s important to the overall planning process, and how to use it.

Get the template

What is a product launch strategy template?

A product launch strategy is the process of developing a strategic marketing plan regarding the release of a new product or service.

The goal of a product launch is to generate excitement for the release of new goods or services and ultimately entice consumers to make a purchase. There are three primary types of new product launch strategy options, including:

• Soft new product launch : A soft new product launch is a small-scale event that requires little to no marketing strategy.
• Minimal new product launch : A minimal new product launch generally targets a very specific audience, such as current users or members.
• Hard new product launch : A hard new product launch is a full-scale launch that is designed to reach a larger audience. It requires a high-level marketing plan that often includes a big event held on the launch date.

No matter what type of new product launch your company is planning, it will include three basic phases:

Pre-launch phase

As the name suggests, this phase includes all the marketing tactics the company uses to promote the new product or service before its official release to the public. This phase often includes using marketing ploys such as email and ad campaigns, word-of-mouth strategies, and social media posts. The goal of this phase is to build excitement and generate new leads.

Launch date

The launch date is the day that the new products or services are available to the public or the smaller, targeted group. The goal for this day, as well as the days and weeks to follow, is to transition the leads generated during the pre-launch phase into paying customers. This step involves continued marketing and sales team preparation and hosting event day activities.

Post-launch phase

The post-launch phase requires consumer feedback, measuring success, and determining if product or marketing adjustments are necessary. For example, software development companies often use consumer feedback to develop product updates.

Whether your company is planning a small or full-scale new product launch, it’s critical to have a strategic plan in place and to use a product launch strategy template to stay organized.

Why use a product launch strategy template?

The number one reason for using a product launch strategy template is to ensure a successful product launch. Developing a product launch strategy can help your product marketing teams:

• Identify your target audience
• Set clear goals and objectives
• Plan launch activities
• Create a product launch checklist
• Maintain consistent communication
• Develop a product launch timeline
• Build comprehensive marketing strategies
• Identify product features

The product launch template allows teams to track these components in one convenient location. While some companies may still rely on Excel spreadsheets to track some of this information, this method is outdated and has its limitations. Instead, companies can utilize online product launch strategy templates such as monday.com’s templates to provide team members with real-time information.

What are some examples of product launch strategy templates?

There are several types of product launch strategy templates available today, such as:

Goal trackers

Some product launch strategy templates feature goal tracker capabilities. This type of template allows teams to set goals for different phases of the new product launch. While this form may be suitable for some small-scale launches, it’s not very effective for a hard-launch strategy.

Project managers may also choose to use a product launch strategy template that uses a checklist format. With this type of template, project managers can list every task required in the product launch strategy, assign each task to a designated team member, and track each task’s status. This template makes it easy for project managers to make sure everyone is completing their tasks on time.

Comprehensive

A comprehensive product launch plan template is ideal for full-scale campaigns that include many components. Not only does this template allow project managers to track launch goals and objectives, but they can also easily break tasks down into many different steps. Additionally, project managers are typically able to prioritize tasks and set clear timelines.

monday.com offers a comprehensive Product Launch Strategy Template  to help teams stay on task and improve launch outcomes. Continue reading to learn more.

Product launch strategy template on monday.com

Using our template, product managers can quickly and easily assign tasks to various team members, set priorities, and track deadlines. Managers can also set automatic tasks such as team notifications, including task assignments, due date reminders, and changes in priority settings. Since it’s fully customizable, product managers can set tasks up in a checklist format or separate them by various phases or stages. Managers and team members can also view content by calendar, timeline, roadmap, form, or workload for added convenience. As with most of our templates, our Product Launch Strategy Template integrates with many work management platforms such as Slack, Zendesk, and Microsoft Teams. This is not the only template monday.com offers to help teams stay on task.

Related templates on monday.com

In addition to our Product Launch Strategy Template, monday.com offers several additional templates and features that can help teams build a successful product launch, including:

monday.com’s Work OS

Our Work OS  can help your team stay on track whether you’re managing a product launch strategy or a standard marketing plan. This platform combines marketing, sales, task management, operations, and development to ensure everyone has access to the real-time data they need when they need it.

Marketing strategy template

Our Marketing Strategy Template  allows project managers to manage tasks, set deadlines, track budgets, and oversee goals quickly and easily. It also allows for team collaboration and keeps everyone up to date with real-time notifications. The template also integrates with many applications, such as Gmail, Mailchimp, and Facebook Ads.

Feedback tracker template

User feedback is a crucial element of the product launch process. Our Feedback Tracker Template  makes it easy for teams to track and analyze this data to make future product improvements.

Frequently asked questions

How do you create a product launch strategy.

The first step to creating a product launch strategy is to determine the scope and scale of the launch and to identify your target audience. Then, your team can set clear goals and objectives and develop a comprehensive marketing plan to build anticipation and generate leads. Once a marketing strategy is in place, the team can set a product release date and start planning for the main launch event. When the launch event is over, teams should collect feedback to identify any customer pain points and make adjustments, if necessary,

What are the six steps of a product launch plan?

There are six basic steps of a product launch strategy:

• Invest in product testing : It’s crucial to test the product prior to the launch date. This step can include in-house or small user group testing as well as a soft product launch.
• Train team members : Make sure all team members, especially the sales team, understand the product features and benefits.
• Prepare for sales : Don’t host a launch event unless you’re certain the team can handle the influx of orders. For instance, be sure your online shopping module is working properly and that you have enough products in your inventory.
• Prioritize brand image : A common mistake business leaders make is to host a product launch that strays from the company’s brand image. Chances are that you’ve worked years to build this brand, so don’t let one product launch destroy that.
• Set campaign metrics : It’s important to set clear metrics before hosting a new product launch event so you can accurately determine success.
• Gather user feedback : User feedback is critical to the new product’s overall success. Don’t only collect user feedback, but analyze this data and make changes if necessary.

Host a successful campaign with a product launch strategy template

Take the time to build a comprehensive marketing plan using a product launch strategy template and you’ll be better positioned not only for this launch but for overall organizational success. By using this template, your team can stay on task and work together toward a smooth, successful product launch.

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How to Develop a Product Launch Strategy (+ Examples)

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The right product launch strategy could be the key to the success or failure of your new product or solution. 

According to  Harvard Business , about 30,000 new products are introduced every year, and around 95% of those products fail. The problem isn’t necessarily with the product or solution itself or with the  marketing  that comes after, but with the absence of a proper plan to begin with. 

Without a good product launch strategy, you miss many of the crucial stages involved in preparing your solution for success, from researching your competitors to building marketing plans. 

Today, we’re going to explore the most important steps you should take when planning your product launch to ensure your revenue soars into the stratosphere.

Why You Need a Product Launch Strategy

Failing to plan often means planning to fail. Just as it’s difficult to boost the ROI on your marketing efforts without a  solid plan  for how you’re going to use each channel, it’s also difficult to prime a product for success without plenty of prior research. 

According to Gartner , some of the most common reasons products fail include failing to meet customer needs, lack of differentiating factors, and bad timing decisions. Many of these problems could be rectified just with the use of a good product launch strategy.

In today’s competitive market, releasing a new product without the right strategy could mean you’re setting yourself up for disaster. You may end up releasing your product at the same time as a competitor with a much bigger marketing budget. Or you might focus all of your marketing communications on the wrong information. 

What’s more, it’s worth remembering that launching a product is a complex process. There are multiple stages involved, from getting your product ready to launch to connecting with shareholders and even launching advertising campaigns. 

Overlook just one crucial element on the road to success, and a product that would have otherwise generated millions in revenue could fizzle into nothing. 

How to Create a Product Launch Strategy: Step-by-Step

So, how do you create a product launch strategy? There’s no one-size-fits-all answer to this question. Some well-established businesses have their own pre-defined methodologies for how to effectively research each product and bring it to market. 

Other smaller companies and startups are constantly experimenting with new strategies, like announcing launches on  social media  or working with influencers. While there’s no limit to what your product launch strategy might involve, there are some steps every business should take.

Here are the most important stages in any product launch. 

Step 1: Define Clear Launch Goals

Whenever you establish a new business strategy, whether you’re working on a new marketing campaign or an updated approach to customer service, it helps to have goals in mind. While the most obvious thing you’ll want to achieve with your product launch is “ growth and sales ,” you may have other specific targets in mind. 

You might want to demonstrate how your business outshines your competitors by offering a wider selection of products and features than most. You might be interested in capturing the attention of a new market or drawing attention to your values to boost customer loyalty. 

Whatever your goals are, make sure they’re specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-based. Establish which KPIs and metrics you’re going to measure to determine whether your launch has been successful, such as “conversion rate” or “customer lifetime value.” 

For example, when Airbnb first launched in 2008, its goal wasn’t just to attract customers but to shake up the market with a new perspective of what travel could look like. It knew that accomplishing this goal would mean convincing customers to trust a previously unheard-of service. 

To boost its chances of success, Airbnb decided to use a referral marketing strategy, incentivizing users to refer travelers and hosts. Every time  someone referred a friend , they’d get $25 for each trip they took or $75 if they rented out their space. 

The strategy was a massive success because it helped to build trust in the brand. Studies show  84% of people  rely on recommendations from friends and family members. What’s more, because both referred customers and referring customers had something to gain from the service, people were excited to share the concept with their friends. 

Step 2: Conduct Customer Research

Once you have clear goals in mind for your product launch strategy, the next step is learning as much as you can about  your target audience . An exceptional product launch needs to help your customers resonate instantly with whatever you’re selling. This means you need to understand your customer’s needs, wants, pain points, and behaviors. 

The easiest way to do this is to dive into your data. Look at your existing information about your customers and what they like and dislike about your brand. Examine market trends and download reports relevant to your industry to get your finger on the pulse of the landscape.

You can also send out surveys , run  polls on social media , or create experimental studies to learn more about your audience’s demographics, psychographics, and behaviors. 

Another option is to conduct your own proprietary research. For instance, when B2B company Noluma wanted to draw attention to the benefits of light-protected packaging, they ran their own study to learn about the impact sunlight had on substances  like vitamin A . 

They found that light degraded vitamin A levels in as little as two hours. But when they spoke to their clients, they found businesses wanted evidence their customers actually cared about this fact. 

To respond to this demand, Noluma conducted more than a dozen focus groups and ran an influencer- supported marketing campaign  to collect more information. They found consumers really did care about the need for light-resistant packaging and were able to run a successful product launch campaign for their B2B prospects on LinkedIn as a result. 

They captured information from thousands of decision-makers, closed several major deals, and secured huge commitments for millions of light-protected milk packages. 

Step 3: Assess the Competition

Knowing what your competition is doing is almost as important as understanding your customers. Without the right  competitor insights , you could end up launching a product that can’t survive alongside the existing solutions on the market. 

Start with a SWOT analysis, listing all of your product’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. This will give you an insight into your indirect and direct competitors. Once you’ve found your potential competitors, gather as much information as you can about them.

Research their websites, social media strategies, and product successes and failures. Find out what features their products offer, how they create marketing communications, and what lead-capturing techniques are being used. The more you examine your competitors, the easier it will be to find ways you can set yourself apart from the crowd. 

For instance, Yac, a  voice messaging app for teams , looked at competitors like Zoom and Slack and found customers were wasting a lot of time in meetings they didn’t need to attend. They used this insight to create their marketing message, which revolved around encouraging customers to “take their time back” from other apps. 

The landing page created by the company for its product launch also went on to address exactly how their solution would help employees. Plus, it drew attention to a range of reviews and testimonials from successful companies, showcasing its value. 

Step 4: Define Your Positioning

Now you have a clear view of what your competitors are doing and what your customers want, the next step is figuring out how you’re going to position your product in the market. Based on your research, you should have a good idea of whether your  marketing strategy  should focus on drawing attention to a specific feature, benefit, or your product’s price.

Determine exactly how you want consumers to perceive your product and what specific problem you want to show them you’re solving. Think about how you can use your value proposition to generate buzz and excitement that sets you apart from your competitors. 

For instance, when everyday consumers were getting interested in the concept of micro-investing, new apps were starting to appear rapidly on the market. RobinHood wanted to position its solution as one of the most sought-after new investing apps on the market.

To do this, it created an air of exclusivity with a product launch campaign that required customers to sign up for a waiting list to get access. The fact that consumers had to wait to access the app made it seem far more exciting. 

What made the product launch strategy even more effective was that RobinHood allowed customers to potentially move up the list by referring friends and family members. This allowed the brand to activate its customers into doing most of its marketing for it. The campaign worked so well that the app had more than 1 million subscribers on launch day. 

Step 5: Create an Internal Product Launch Communication Plan

This is a crucial step in any product launch strategy, but it’s something many businesses often overlook. It’s easy to get so caught up focusing on your product launch communication plan for customers that you forget about internal communication. 

However, failure to have a strong internal communication plan means you risk misaligned teams and an inconsistent marketing strategy. You need to ensure everyone in your business is aware of your timeline for launch, your goals, and the strategic efforts you’re going to use. 

Getting everyone on the same page with a roadmap template or timeline will reduce the risk of unpredictable “leaks” that drive attention away from your brand. Plus, it can ensure all of your employees are working together to  optimize conversion rates . 

A good internal communication plan provides your teams with guidance on how you’re going to manage every step of the product launch, from the start through to post-launch. For instance, the Social proof  platform Yotpo  found after customers installed its software, they didn’t know what to do next.

The Director of Growth  said users were completing the installation and then getting lost in the next step. The Yotpo team decided the solution was to create an onboarding process that would teach consumers how to use the key features of the platform. 

The company also created customer emails triggered by customer actions in the onboarding process, aligning their marketing and service teams. This collaborative approach, powered by good research and internal communication, led to a 70% increase in customers using the onboarding service. User retention grew by 50%, and unique users increased by 42%, too. 

Step 6: Build Your Marketing Plan

The next step in building your product launch strategy, once you have your team aligned, is figuring out how you’re going to promote your new product. Creating a strong marketing plan can take almost as much time as the entire product launch strategy. 

You’ll need to define which channels you’re going to use to capture customer attention, such as email or  social media advertising . You’ll have to reach out to influencers and publications you might want to work with on press releases. Plus, you’ll need to establish a clear marketing budget and a consistent messaging strategy to use with your audience. 

The right marketing plan should always be:

• Use consistent messaging:  Identify your brand tone of voice and personality in advance. Make sure you know which benefits and features you’re going to be drawing attention to, and speak your customer’s language. Create editorial guidelines if necessary.
• Leverage the right timing:  The earlier you start building hype for your new product, the more interest you’ll be able to generate before the launch date. However, make sure that you’re promoting your campaigns at the right time to avoid losing customer interest. 
• Access the right channels:  Find out where your customers are and connect with them through the channels they use. Consider a multi-channel marketing campaign that leverages SEO content, paid advertising, earned media, social media, and more. 

Apple, for instance, manages to generate significant amounts of attention for its product launches with very little marketing investment. Preparing for product launches, Apple creates social media campaigns, videos, live events, and email marketing strategies tailored to their audience.

They don’t tell you much about the technical details or features of their products, but they will tell you how the product is going to improve your life. For instance, when launching the Airbuds,  Apple drew attention  to their convenience, long battery life, and comfort. 

The company is extremely cautious about how much information it reveals prior to launch, as this prompts both customers and the media to speculate about upcoming features. You may have noticed the company taking a similar approach with its new “Vision Pro” headset. It’s advertised to be life-changing, but we still don’t know much about it. 

As a result, countless tech companies have released their own predictions, increasing the hype and word-of-mouth marketing excitement in the industry. 

Step 7: Hold a Product Launch Event

Finally, it’s time to plan the event or the big day when you’re going to officially launch your new product. Hosting a dedicated product launch event is one of the best ways to attract engagement from an audience and leverage earned media from news publications. 

You’ll need to start planning your event several months in advance. This means planning marketing materials, securing a location for the event, and reaching out to any influencers or sponsors you might want to work with. Depending on your budget, you might consider holding a virtual event rather than a physical event to save on costs. 

Virtual events have grown  increasingly popular  in recent years, as they allow virtually anyone to attend. Plus, with virtual event hosting platforms, you can capture a lot of useful insights into how many people actually engage with your announcement. 

The best event should get people talking about your product straight away, answer any questions your previous marketing materials have ignored, and start boosting sales. You can even host regular events once a year to get people excited about upcoming releases. 

As an example,  Microsoft holds its Inspire conference  once a year to share insights into its latest products, developments, and achievements. Not only does the event give Microsoft an incredible opportunity to introduce all of its new creations, but it also leads to the production of tons of valuable content. 

The company shares videos of its speeches and sessions online for people to check out and follows up with press releases and blog posts. This ensures that people are left talking about all of the latest releases in the company’s library for weeks after the event ends.

Master Your Product Launch Strategy

Creating a successful product launch strategy can be a challenging process. There are a lot of things to consider, from your competitor and customer research to how you’ll manage marketing. However, investing in the right strategy can pay huge dividends for your business. 

With a comprehensive plan in place, you’ll be able to reduce your chances of a “failure to launch” significantly. You’ll gather the insights you need to get customers excited about your new products. You’ll know how to outshine your competition, and you’ll boost your chances of getting a positive ROI from your marketing campaigns.

If you still feel overwhelmed by the idea of hosting your own product launch, then you can always reach out to some experts for help. Contact Growth Collective today to learn how our product and marketing experts can help you produce the best possible product launch strategy.

What are the 7 steps of product launch?

The 7 steps of a product launch generally include idea generation , idea screening, concept development and testing, market strategy and business analysis, product development, deployment, and market entry or commercialization. 

How do you plan a product launch strategy?

A comprehensive product launch strategy starts with defining your goals. Once you have a vision in mind, conduct consumer and competitor research. Establish a strong plan for internal communication, position your product effectively, and create an advertising and marketing plan. Once you’re ready, plan and host your product launch event.

What are the 4 things to consider before launching a product?

Before launching any new product, it’s important to think about how the solution will fit with your brand and portfolio. Research your target customers and identify your competitors to ensure you have a valuable proposition to offer. Plan your product launch promotion strategy and messaging, and determine how you’ll deal with “post-launch” customer support. 

What are the 3 types of product launches?

There are various different ways to launch a product. The most common types of product launch include a “soft launch,” which delivers products to a handful of customers for testing; a minimal launch, which focuses on a specific market; and a full-scale launch. 

What makes a successful product launch?

While there are many factors that can make or break the success of your product launch, you’ll improve your chances of good results by assessing your customers, evaluating your competitors, and ensuring good product-market fit. Building the right internal and external communication plans for your launch process is valuable, too. 

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Product Launch Event Planning

Importance of a well-planned product launch event

Launching a new product is an exciting and crucial moment for any company. A well-planned product launch event can create buzz, generate excitement, and set the stage for a successful product launch. Careful and strategic planning is essential to maximize this important opportunity.

Creating a Memorable Experience

The success of a product launch event often hinges on the experience it creates for attendees. A well-planned event can leave a lasting impression on attendees, generating positive word-of-mouth and media coverage that can drive sales and build brand awareness. From the venue and decor to the entertainment and catering, every aspect of the event should be carefully curated to provide a memorable and engaging experience.

Maximizing Media Coverage

A product launch event is a prime opportunity to generate media coverage and create buzz around the new product. A well-planned event will attract the attention of journalists, bloggers, and influencers, increasing the likelihood of positive press coverage. Companies can maximize their media exposure and reach a wider audience by crafting compelling stories and ensuring the event is newsworthy.

Engaging with Key Stakeholders

A product launch event is a unique opportunity to engage with key stakeholders, including customers, partners, investors, and industry insiders. By inviting and involving these important groups, companies can build relationships, gather feedback, and create a sense of community around the new product. Careful planning is crucial to ensure that the event fosters meaningful connections and leaves a positive impression on attendees.

Driving Sales and Revenue

Ultimately, a product launch event aims to drive sales and revenue. A well-planned event can create excitement and anticipation for the new product, increasing interest and demand. By incorporating sales incentives, demonstrations, and exclusive offers into the event, companies can capitalize on the opportunity to convert interest into sales and achieve a strong launch performance.

In conclusion, the importance of a well-planned product launch event cannot be overstated. From creating a memorable experience to maximizing media coverage, engaging with key stakeholders, and driving sales, careful planning is essential to making the most of this critical opportunity. By investing time and resources into a strategic event plan, companies can set the stage for a successful product launch and ensure their new product gets the attention and excitement it deserves.

Identifying the target audience for the product

When planning a product launch event, one of the first steps is to identify the  target audience  for the product. Understanding who the product is intended for will help shape the entire event, from the messaging and tone to the activities and atmosphere.

1. Understanding the Product

Before identifying the target audience, it's essential to understand the product itself clearly. What problem does it solve? What makes it unique? What are its key features and benefits? Once these questions are answered, it becomes easier to pinpoint the audience that would find the product most valuable.

2. Market Research

Conducting thorough market research will help in identifying the target audience. This can involve analyzing demographic data, conducting surveys or focus groups, and studying consumer behavior. By gathering data on potential customers, event planners can gain valuable insights into who will most likely be interested in the product.

3. Creating Buyer Personas

Building buyer personas is a common strategy for identifying the target audience. These personas are fictional characters that represent different segments of the target audience. They are created based on market research and can include information such as age, gender, occupation, interests, and purchasing behavior. Developing these personas can help event planners visualize who they are trying to reach and tailor their events accordingly.

4. Aligning with the brand

The target audience should also align with the brand's values, messaging, and image. For example, if the product is a high-end luxury item, the target audience would likely be affluent consumers with a taste for luxury. Understanding the brand's identity will further narrow the target audience and ensure that the event aligns with the brand strategy.

5. Reaching the Right People

Once the target audience has been identified, event planners can focus on reaching them through targeted marketing and promotion. This can involve using  social media  platforms, industry-specific publications, and partnerships with relevant organizations or influencers. By targeting the right people, event planners can maximize the impact of the product launch event and increase the likelihood of reaching potential customers.

In conclusion, identifying the target audience for the product launch event is essential for its success. By understanding who the product is intended for, event planners can tailor the event to meet the needs and preferences of the target audience, ultimately increasing the chances of a successful product launch.

Conducting market research to understand customer preferences and needs

When successfully planning a product launch event, conducting market research is essential to understand customer preferences and needs. By thoroughly researching the market, event planners can gather valuable insights to guide their decision-making process and ensure the product launch event resonates with the target audience.

Understanding customer preferences is crucial for developing a product launch event that will capture the attention of potential customers. Market research can help identify what features, benefits, and messaging will resonate with the target audience, allowing event planners to tailor the event to meet these preferences. For example, if market research indicates that the target audience values environmentally friendly products, event planners can incorporate this messaging into the event to appeal to these preferences.

In addition to understanding customer preferences, market research can uncover customer needs that the product launch event can address. By identifying pain points or unmet needs within the market, event planners can position the product launch event as a solution, attracting customers actively seeking a product or service that fulfills these needs. For instance, if market research reveals a growing demand for time-saving technology, event planners can highlight how the new product addresses this need during the launch event.

Incorporating these findings into the product launch event planning process can significantly increase its impact and ensure it effectively reaches and resonates with the target audience. Understanding customer preferences and needs through market research is a foundational step in creating a successful product launch event that leaves a lasting impression on attendees and generates excitement and interest in the new product.

Defining clear goals and objectives for the product launch event

Defining clear goals and objectives is crucial when planning a product launch event. With a clear understanding of what you want to achieve, creating a successful event can make it easier to deliver the desired results.

1. Setting the Tone: Defining clear goals and objectives for the product launch event sets the tone for the entire planning process. It helps you and your team stay focused and ensures every decision aligns with the event's overall purpose.

2. Creating a Roadmap: Clearly defined goals and objectives serve as a roadmap for the event planning process. They guide the venue selection, the event space's design, and the event program's development.

3. Measuring Success: By establishing specific goals and objectives, you create a framework for measuring the success of the product launch event. This allows you to evaluate the event's effectiveness and adjust for future launches.

4. Aligning Stakeholders: Clearly defined goals and objectives help align all stakeholders involved in the product launch event, including the marketing team, sales team, and senior leadership. This ensures everyone works towards a common purpose and can contribute to the event's success.

5. Engaging Attendees: When the goals and objectives are clear, creating an event that engages and resonates with the attendees is easier. Whether the goal is to generate buzz, educate customers, or drive sales, a well-defined purpose will help shape the attendee experience.

In conclusion, defining clear goals and objectives is crucial in the product launch event planning process. It provides direction, aids in decision-making, and enables the measurement of success. By taking the time to establish these goals, you set the stage for a successful and impactful product launch event.

Examples of common goals, such as increasing brand awareness or generating sales leads

When planning a product launch event, it's crucial to clearly understand the overall goals you want to achieve. By pinpointing your objectives, you can tailor every aspect of your event to ensure that it aligns with these goals.

Here are some common goals that companies strive for when planning a product launch event:

Increasing brand awareness: This is a top goal for many companies, especially those introducing a new product or looking to expand their market presence. The launch event provides a prime opportunity to showcase your brand and create a robust and positive impression among your target audience. By incorporating branding elements throughout the event, such as company logos, brand messaging, and product demonstrations, you can effectively raise awareness and leave a lasting impact on attendees.

Generating sales leads: Another critical goal for a product launch event is to attract potential customers and gather valuable leads for future sales. This can be accomplished through various means, such as offering product trials or demonstrations, collecting contact information from attendees, and providing incentives for attendees to express interest in your product. By focusing on lead generation, you can maximize the event's impact and set the stage for future sales success.

Building industry partnerships: A product launch event can forge new partnerships and collaborations for some companies. Whether through networking sessions, collaborative presentations, or strategic alliance announcements, the event can serve as a platform for connecting with key players and influencers in your field. By prioritizing partnership building as a goal, you can leverage the event to expand your industry network and open doors for future business opportunities.

Showcasing product features and benefits: Of course, the primary purpose of a product launch event is to introduce your new product to the market effectively. Therefore, a fundamental goal is to showcase the unique features and benefits of the product in a compelling and impactful manner. This can be achieved through product demonstrations, interactive exhibits, and engaging presentations that highlight what sets your product apart and how it addresses the needs of your target audience.

By identifying and prioritizing specific goals for your product launch event, you can ensure that all aspects of the planning process are aligned with these objectives. Whether it's increasing brand awareness, generating sales leads, building industry partnerships, or showcasing product features, each goal serves as a guiding principle for creating a successful and impactful event.

Selecting a theme that aligns with the product and target audience

One of the most important decisions when planning a product launch event is the event's theme. The theme sets the tone for the entire event and can significantly impact how the target audience perceives the product. Selecting a theme that aligns with the product and target audience is essential to creating a cohesive and impactful event.

The theme of the product launch event should reflect the brand identity and the key features of the product being launched. For example, if the product is a high-tech gadget, the theme could be futuristic and cutting-edge. The theme could be upscale and elegant if the product is a luxury item. By aligning the theme with the product, it helps to reinforce the brand messaging and create a consistent experience for the attendees.

In addition to aligning with the product, the theme should resonate with the target audience. For example, if the product targets young, fashion-forward individuals, the theme could be trendy and fashion-oriented. The theme could be professional and sophisticated if the target audience is corporate professionals. By understanding the interests and preferences of the target audience, the event planners can select a theme that will resonate with them and create a memorable experience.

Ultimately, the theme of the product launch event should act as a reflection of the product and the target audience. It sets the stage for the entire event and can significantly impact the perception of the product. By carefully selecting a theme that aligns with the product and the target audience, event planners can create a cohesive and impactful event that leaves a lasting impression on attendees.

Brainstorming creative and engaging themes for the event

When planning a product launch event, one of the first steps is to brainstorm creative and engaging themes that will capture the attention of your target audience. A well-thought-out theme sets the tone for the event and can significantly impact the launch's success. Here are some key considerations for brainstorming themes for your product launch event:

1. Understand your product: The theme of your event should directly reflect the product you are launching. When brainstorming themes, consider the product's features, target audience, and brand identity. For example, a futuristic theme could be fitting if you launch a new tech gadget. Consider incorporating industry-related elements into the theme if your product targets a specific industry.

2. Consider your audience: The theme should resonate with your target audience and create excitement for the product. Think about what would appeal to them and what would make the event memorable. Consider surveying a sample of your target audience to gather ideas and insights for potential themes.

3. Get creative: Think outside the box when brainstorming themes. Consider current trends, popular culture, and unique concepts that will make your event stand out. Whether it's a specific color scheme, a whimsical concept, or a nostalgic theme, creativity is vital to capturing attention and creating a memorable experience for attendees.

4. Align with the brand: The theme should align with the brand identity and messaging of the product. The theme should reinforce the brand's image and values, whether sleek, modern, fun, or lighthearted. It should also be consistent with the overall marketing strategy for the product, ensuring a cohesive and impactful launch.

5. Incorporate interactive elements: Consider how the theme can be integrated into the event through interactive elements such as photo booths, themed activities, or immersive experiences. This will engage attendees and reinforce the theme throughout the event, creating a cohesive and memorable experience.

In conclusion, brainstorming creative and engaging themes for a product launch event is crucial in planning. By considering the product, audience, brand, creativity, and interactive elements, you can ensure that the chosen theme will set the stage for a successful and impactful launch. It's essential to take the time to carefully brainstorm and select a theme that will resonate with attendees and leave a lasting impression.

Factors to consider when selecting an event venue

One of the most crucial decisions when planning a product launch event is selecting the right venue. The venue sets the tone for the entire event and can significantly impact the overall success. With that in mind, there are several key factors to consider when choosing the perfect location for your product launch event.

1. Capacity and Layout

The first step in selecting a venue is to consider the size and layout of the space. You'll need to ensure the venue comfortably accommodates the guests you invite. Additionally, consider the space layout and how it will flow with the activities and presentations planned for the event.

2. Location and Accessibility

The location of the venue is also a crucial factor to consider. Is it easily accessible to your target audience? Is there sufficient parking or public transportation options nearby? These are essential considerations to ensure that guests can quickly attend the event.

3. Amenities and Services

When selecting a venue, it's essential to consider the amenities and services offered. Does the venue provide audiovisual equipment, catering services, or event staff? These amenities and services can make the planning process much smoother and ensure the event runs seamlessly.

4. Brand Alignment

Consider the overall aesthetic and ambiance of the venue and how it aligns with your brand and the product being launched. The venue should complement and enhance the messaging and image of the product, creating a cohesive and impactful experience for attendees.

Of course,  budget is always a factor  when planning an event. Consider the cost of the venue rental and any additional services or amenities that may be required. Finding a venue that meets your needs while staying within budget is essential.

6. Flexibility

Finally, flexibility is critical when selecting a venue for a product launch event. You'll want to ensure that the venue can accommodate any last-minute changes or adjustments that may arise during the planning process.

Overall, selecting the right venue for a product launch event is a critical decision that can significantly impact the event's success. By carefully considering factors such as capacity, location, amenities, brand alignment,  budget , and flexibility, you can ensure that you choose a venue that sets the stage for a memorable and impactful product launch.

Conclusion 

In conclusion, proper product launch event planning is crucial for the success of any business. It allows companies to create excitement, generate buzz, and build anticipation for their new products or services. Companies can ensure that their product launch event is memorable and impactful by strategically planning every aspect of the event, from the venue to the guest list.

Through effective marketing strategies, engaging presentations, and networking opportunities, businesses can maximize their chances of creating a lasting impression on attendees and ultimately drive sales. With careful attention to detail and a well-executed plan, a product launch event can set the stage for a successful product launch and propel a business toward its goals. So, remember, invest the time and effort into planning a remarkable product launch event, and watch your business flourish.

Your All-in-One Event Management Platform

Table of Contents

The 5 stages of strategic event planning, step 1: plan the event, step 2: launch the event, step 3: promote the event, step 4: manage the event, step 5: wrap up and measure event success, building a stronger, better event strategy: key takeaways, event strategy: the guide for 2024 and beyond.

Event professionals have a million things on their plates at any time. They’re determining event goals, mapping out a killer event strategy, building the event website, sending out event marketing emails, deciding on what type of event planning software to use, and making sure to hit event goals —  and that’s just the beginning.

As we enter 2024, in-person events are more important than ever. According to Bizzabo data, 97% of B2B marketers believe in-person events play a critical role in achieving business outcomes . Additionally, 72% of event organizers agree that in-person events are a crucial part of their organization’s overall marketing strategy. 

Even still, our survey found that 68% of event organizers plan to have a virtual component at their next onsite event. PCMA research uncovered similar findings: One of two event planners planned hybrid events so attendees could attend according to their preferences.

Meanwhile, Forrester found that B2B companies allocate as much as 40% of their budgets to events !

Add it all up, and organizations that aspire to be at the top of their industry must invest in their event strategy. It’s that simple. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the details of building an event strategy, event strategy examples, the five steps you need to create and execute your event strategy, and so much more. 

As event professionals know too well, planning and executing an event is a massive undertaking. To help you keep track of every step of the event-organizing process, we’ve put together a comprehensive event strategy guide focused on these five steps: 

• Plan the Event
• Launch the Event
• Promote the Event 
• Manage the Event
• Wrap Up and Measure Event Success

But first: What is an event strategy? An event strategy is a data-driven, intentional, measurable plan that outlines what your organization expects to accomplish through events and how you will achieve and measure those goals. 

Your event strategy should cover the types of events you want to put on, the tools in your event tech stack, the audiences you want to engage, and the metrics you’ll track to gauge event success.

Events have never been more critical. After several years of avoiding in-person events or only attending virtual events, attendees are ready for the evolution of events. Is your strategy ready for what audiences expect in 2024? Let’s take a look.

The planning stage is arguably the most critical part of the process. After all, it’s the foundation upon which the rest of the event lies. In this section, we’ll look at how you can build a sound foundation — from setting event goals to choosing an event type and format.

Set Event Goals

The first and most crucial step of your event strategy is determining why you’re organizing an event in the first place. What are your event goals? Here are some common goals you may want to include in your event strategy:

• Increasing brand awareness
• Generating leads
• Improving customer/organization relationships
• Educating prospects
• Educating employees
• Driving more activity in target accounts
• Retaining or delighting customers
• Driving sales opportunities in target accounts

“As much as we’ve changed and improved technology to be able to connect with people, nothing yet replaces real-time, face-to-face interactions in terms of creating new opportunities.” Hugh Forrest Director, Interactive SXSW

There are many reasons to organize events, but be sure to choose a few measurable goals and prioritize them so you can market your event and measure success more easily.

Once you’ve solidified your event’s goal or goals, it’s time to make sure that they are SMART and CLEAR. There’s nothing worse than setting a goal but not having the mechanics to properly measure whether you’ve achieved that goal after the event. 

Master the art of measuring event ROI: “ The Guide To Event Marketing Attribution & Measuring Event ROI .”

Pinpoint Event Success KPIs

Your event goals will inform how you measure your event’s success. Just as there are many event goal types, there are many event KPIs you can use to measure success. To illustrate, here’s a list of some of the most popular event KPIs from a demand generation funnel perspective:

• Registrations
• Gross revenue
• Attendee satisfaction
• Attendee engagement
• Cost-to-revenue ratio
• Number of qualified sales leads
• Sales pipeline created

In comparison, when looking at your KPIs from an account-based marketing (ABM) perspective, you’ll want to surface metrics that show engagement across your target accounts. Each metric you choose should capture the level of engagement. Here are a few examples:

• Registrations from target accounts
• Gross revenue from target accounts
• Attendee satisfaction from target accounts
• Attendee engagement from target accounts
• Qualified sales leads from target accounts
• Sales pipeline created from target accounts 

Want even more KPIs and metrics to track at your next event? Read “ 23 Important KPIs for Measuring Event Success ” 

Strategize Your Event Budget

The next step in your event strategy is to determine what resources at your disposal to turn those goals into reality. In other words, it’s time to draft an event budget .

Align with your leadership to understand what funds are available to you. After that, create a rough event budget — itemizing each element you think you’ll need along with a description, estimated cost, and actual cost. 

Depending on your chosen event format, your event budget will vary. Here are some items to include:

• Event tech software
• Video production software
• Security and staff
• Badges and onsite services
• Food service and other vendors
• Printed and other materials
• Speaker fees 
• Transportation and hospitality fees
• Venue rental fees
• Thank you gifts

Set Event Ticket Pricing

As part of your budget conversation, you’ll probably discuss ticket pricing. Assuming you aren’t hosting a free virtual event or webinar, the best way to price your tickets is to work back from your revenue goals. If you have a particular revenue goal in mind, consider what types of ticket pricing tiers you can use to achieve that goal and what options you have for free tickets (e.g., virtual), subsidized tickets for different socioeconomic classes, and so on. 

Master the art of ticket pricing strategies: “ In-person, Virtual, and Hybrid Event Ticket Pricing Strategies .”

Choose the Right Event Management Tools

Event planning is complex. Luckily, event planning tools make everything much more manageable. No matter what your goals, KPIs, budget, or team size, you’ll want most — if not all — of the following tools to make event planning and execution more manageable and better for everyone involved:

• Event registration software
• Event planning and analytics software
• Event marketing software
• Onsite event registration software
• High-tech wearables 
• Mobile event app

Whether you decide to use a collection of platforms or an all-in-one event management solution, make sure that your event tech stack offers important features aligned with your event goals. For example, if you want to optimize attendee engagement and capture key metrics, you want to invest in a solution that provides third-party integrations with your existing platforms, plus options for onsite registration and a mobile-friendly event experience.

For instance, you may want to seamlessly send data from your event platform to Salesforce or HubSpot. In either scenario, having event software integrations will be essential. Integrating your event platform and your CRM allows better visibility into all your prospect and customer activities. Additionally, integrating your event software with your CRM empowers your sales team with more data they can use to curate their conversations and messaging and to better align with your overall event strategy.

Below is an example of how Bizzabo can integrate event data from contacts to leads into a CRM like Salesforce.

Create a Strategy for Onsite Registration

On the attendee side of the event, first impressions are critical. A plan (and contingency plan ) for your onsite registration process will ensure a seamless and delightful experience for your attendees.

For example, you may want to review event platforms that can build onsite kiosks for attendees. Although this allows for a faster check-in experience, you may still want technical support staff in case of an outage or other troubleshooting issues. A thoughtful and intentional onsite experience allows you to quickly capture necessary event data for analysis such as the following:

• Total number of attendees
• Total checked-in attendees
• Total checked-out attendees
• Total attendees with no status
• Real-time check-ins

Decide What Audience Engagement Looks Like

Once your attendee has checked in, you’ll want to make the event as engaging and accessible as possible  —  whether you’re hosting a large conference or a small satellite event . An easy way to do this is by investing in a mobile event experience, which allows attendees to engage with your event and each other in real time in the palms of their hands. A branded, in-app event experience can increase brand equity, drive attendee engagement, grow your event community, and help sponsors engage with their audience more effectively.

Another idea for boosting engagement is to partner with an event software partner that offers high-tech wearables . Want to encourage networking and contact sharing between attendees and sponsors? With high-tech badges, you can take your event experience to the next level and boost engagement, give sponsors better data, and make your event the talk of the town. 

Do you know what the five Cs of event management are? Read “ What is Event Management? The Ultimate Guide ” to find out!

Settle on Event Branding

We’ve covered a lot of the preliminary groundwork for planning an event. But there’s one more piece of the puzzle we have to cover before building out the infrastructure of your event: your event’s brand. 

Everything about your event — from the website to the promotional emails to the onsite decor and food served — should be an extension of your event’s brand.

The critical question to ask yourself is this: What feeling do I want to convey to attendees? What is the experience I want them to have? What do I want attendees to leave my event thinking about or talking about? 

A great example of an event with a strong brand is Social Media Marketing World , arguably the most prominent social media event in the world. Everything about the event’s online and offline presence conveys adventure and fun. Social Media Marketing World creates a brand consistent with the event experience, allowing attendees to feel continuity from one year to the next.

Source : Social Media Marketing World

Although not every brand needs to convey adventure and fun, every event should present an experience to the attendees. Failure to deliver an experience is as big of a mistake as not setting proper event goals.

Another excellent example of an annual event that delivers an unforgettable brand experience is SXSW. From year to year, attendees know that there will be next-level brand activations, an expo hall filled with swag and experience, and sessions to talk about for months to come. 

“Spend your time worrying about the attendee. What experience are we trying to create for that attendee? What journey are we trying to create for them?” Colleen Bisconti VP, Events and Experiences IBM

Want more inspiration for building a strong event brand? Check out these “ 12 Events That Deliver Unforgettable Attendee Experiences .”

Build Your Event Website

At this point, it’s time to build your event website — the storefront for your event. In most cases, it’s the first thing prospective attendees and stakeholders see. For the best results, ensure your event website has a strong vanity URL for social sharing, is accessible and mobile-friendly, and communicates the mission of your event. Your event website should include the following: 

• Date, time, and location
• Reasons to attend
• Clear registration CTA
• Sizzle reel from last year’s event (if possible)
• Images from last year’s event (if possible)
• Content from last year’s event (if possible)

Check out how GitHub nails its event website below:

Depending on your event, it may be worthwhile to create a pre-event “save the date” website before you have the rest of your digital event infrastructure built out. A pre-event website can be as simple as a landing page with information about your event. 

In fact, many events flip a switch the moment their event is over to encourage people to register for next year’s event. HubSpot, for example, did this the moment INBOUND 2022 was over. The INBOUND event site now features a retrospective and CTAs to register for next year. 

Create an Event Hashtag

Make it easier for attendees to connect with other fans by using an event hashtag. If you don’t choose an event hashtag, other people will choose them for you. If you don’t choose and share your event hashtag, you’ll miss the ability to track what people say about your event, opportunities for repurposing user-generated content (UGC), and owning the conversation.

One common best practice is to reflect the year with the event name. This can be especially helpful if someone already has the root of your event hashtag or if you plan on using your event hashtag in the future. Make it easy, make it memorable, and keep it on brand. 

Here are some examples of great annual event hashtags:

• Event Tech Live: # ETL22
• INBOUND: #INBOUND22
• Google I/O: #GoogleIO22
• Social Media Marketing World: #SMMW22
• Dreamforce: #DF22

Start Outreach to Partners, Speakers, and Sponsors 

No event exists on its own. To get the most out of your event, you need to enlist the support of partners, speakers, and sponsors. The sooner you begin reaching out, the easier it will be to lean on those names and spread the word about your event further down the line.

As you begin formulating your outreach strategy, determine why you’re reaching out to each potential stakeholder. Some questions to explore include the following:

• Do you need help marketing your event?
• Does the product or business values of the sponsor/partner align with yours?
• Do you need sponsors to help mitigate the cost of planning the event?
• Are you trying to attract more attendees with a marquee name?

For example, in 2022, Bizzabo partnered with Skift Meetings for a webinar on event data intelligence and how to turn insights into action. Bizzabo VP of Global Events Devin Cleary, Bizzabo Senior Event Content Manager Rachel Heller, and Skift Branded Content Editor Angela Tupper spoke at the event, which aimed to help event professionals leverage data to improve events. (Note: At the live event, Skift’s editor-in-chief Miguel Nunes, stepped in for Tupper.)

To help you organize outreach to potential event partners, create a list of stakeholders. Include the name of the stakeholder, the type of stakeholder they would be, the reason you’re reaching out to them, the contact’s name, the contact’s email address, and the status of their responses. You can then begin personalized outreach campaigns to start conversations.

Here’s a list of the critical information to include in this area of your event strategy:

• Stakeholder name
• Stakeholder contact information
• Stakeholder role (speaker, sponsor, partner)
• Reason/explanation for inclusion (e.g., major influencer, strategic partner, past sponsor)

“At Forbes, we really try to guide the sponsor experience so that they’re creating meaningful activations that can actually build the event.” Chardia Christophe-Garcia Executive Director, Audience & Community Marketing Forbes

Prepare Your Go-to-market Teams

Lastly, take your strategy to your go-to-market teams. You must convey your event’s goals, KPIs, vision, and other information to your sales and customer success teams, so they are prepared well in advance of the event’s launch. This will enable them to do proper outreach and drive registrations. 

As part of your GTM strategy, you should consider gamifying the registration process. Offer a $500 gift card to whichever rep brings in the most registrations, and be sure to set a minimum number of registrations to make the reward viable. 

Need more guidance for activating and enabling your go-to-market teams? Download The Event Organizer’s GTM Mobilization Kit . 

Create a Contingency Plan

If there’s one thing event organizers learned from the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s that creating a contingency plan is more than optional — it’s table stakes. According to the Event Preparedness and Resilience Survey Report , 86% of event planning teams say their risk management processes are “mature” or “emerging.” However, only 16.6% of teams say they are “mission-ready” to respond to whatever event challenges come their way. 

Do yourself, your attendees, and your team a favor and prepare a comprehensive plan for when the impossible becomes reality — whether that’s a natural disaster, pandemic, or other potentiality. 

Explore more ways to build a future-proof contingency plan: Event Contingency Planning: How To Build a More Resilient Event Strategy .

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Now that your event infrastructure is in place, it’s time to launch your event! Start by sending out an on-brand email from your CRM that is concise but excitement-inducing with information about your event and a clear registration call-to-action. 

Although you may want to send the announcement email to your entire list, we recommend creating thoughtful segments and unique email content for each segment. Some segment examples include the C-suite, marketers, salespeople, customers, vendors, sponsors, and so on. 

Check out this great announcement email from SXSW :

News Announcement and Press Releases

To market your event effectively, you have to take a multi-faceted approach on your website and through other channels. 

One of the first things you should create is a news article on your website’s press or news page announcing your event. Then, publish a press release to expand your event’s reach. As you begin writing the press release, focus on what makes your event unique. Is it the speakers? The mission? The topics you’re covering? Remember that prospective attendees and journalists may receive automatic Google Alerts depending on the key terms you include.

Press release platforms offer targeting based on industry, among many other criteria, and different PR networks come with different price tiers and analytics functions. 

• Business Wire
• PR Newswire

Prioritize Social Media and Co-marketing

Now that your event is live, it’s time to start marketing on social media. Devise clever copy and images to draw attention to your event, use your event hashtag, and post away!

Create posts that focus on different aspects of your event. For instance, one series of posts can focus on the amazing speakers at your event, and others can focus on your partners, different sessions, discounts, and anything else that makes your event stand out.

And don’t forget about the power of video. While promoting our Now & Next event — not to mention most of our events — we used “talking head”-style videos to add a human element to the ask. 

It’s a good idea to send event sponsorship packets to your partners containing copy, images, and promo codes that they can share. To help your partners out, even more, segment the materials that you give them by social media network (e.g., Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn), newsletter, and even blog articles. Each of these different mediums may call for different content lengths and styles, so you’ll have to adjust accordingly.

Here is another example of a social post that focuses on why folks should attend:

Activate Your GTM Teams

Remember when we mentioned you need to prep your go-to-market teams? Now is the time to activate them! Be sure they have email templates, unique links, and more to drive registrations and take part in the drive to boost attendance. In fact, we recommend holding a call with your GTM teams to give them the rundown again, ensure there are no questions, and keep everyone on the same page on goals, KPIs, and timelines. 

Next up, it’s time to keep your event at the top of people’s minds with event marketing . This is where the event promotion stage — which is critical for driving registrations and building excitement — begins. You want to set a clear cadence for email promotion, so you don’t overwhelm your audience and keep your event top of mind. Here are several email promotion examples to consider as you build out your event strategy: 

Super Early Bird Pricing: EMS

Speaker Spotlight: Litmus

Video: Influitive Advocamp

You can find more exceptional event email marketing examples here .

Level Up Social Media Event Promotion

Similar to the launch phase of the event, you want to promote your event through social media and co-marketing initiatives up until the event date. Here are a few tips:

• Don’t overdo it on posts, or you’ll frustrate your followers and could create a swell of unfollows. 
• Don’t forget to plug promo codes where applicable too.
• Don’t forget to share last-chance social posts.
• Consider using paid social posts to expand the reach of your event promotion.

Activate Registrants To Extend Promotion

Getting your partners to help you promote your event is one thing. But what if you could get your attendees to help you out as well? Having a short and memorable event hashtag is one way to encourage your attendees to talk about your event. But it’s not the only one.

For instance, the Bizzabo platform has two novel features that help turn your attendees into event ambassadors.

• Social media integration: When attendees register for your event, they have the option of linking different social media accounts to their profiles. If they want to share anything about the event across social channels, they can easily do so from within the platform.
• Ticket Boost: With Ticket Boost , attendees get rewarded for promoting your event. When they register for your event and at any other time up to an end date of their choosing, attendees have the option of sharing a unique link to your event on their social media accounts. If someone purchases a ticket through that link, the original purchaser gets a discount. Ticket Boost can also be set up so that both the original purchaser and the new purchaser gets a discount. The choice is yours.

If you aren’t using social media integrations or Ticket Boost, there are still many other ways to turn attendees into event ambassadors. Here are a few:

• Create a special promo code for them to share and track how many times it has been entered.
• Offer special prizes for event referrals and track those referrals over the web by assigning each attendee a specific tracking link.
• Encourage your attendees to share your event on social media (you can even offer a prize for the post with the most engagement).

For more info, check out these other creative tips for increasing ticket sales .

Don’t Forget Last-chance Event Promotion

It’s often the case that there are still event registrations to sell within weeks (or days!) of the event. Fortunately, there are several tactics at your disposal for last-minute event promotion.

• Email follow-up: Look through your database and see if you can segment a group of likely registrants and send them a targeted email. You may even want to tap your go-to-market team to do one-to-one outreach. 
• Paid targeting: Whether through Google Adwords, Facebook, LinkedIn, or Twitter, create a paid ads campaign targeting your ideal attendee. You may want to limit this geographically by industry, job title, and other criteria.
• Co-marketing (again): If your partners haven’t already done so, ask them to help you promote the event. Make clear how they will benefit from the additional attendees. While you’re at it, make it as easy as possible for them to promote the event by supplying them with images and copy to share.
• Consider incentives: If you’re really pressed for registrations, consider an incentive to get people to register. Whether a registration means a chance to win a one-on-one with the keynote speaker or a shot at a $100 gift card, you can drive registrations with some clever incentivizing.

Send Out Event Reminder Emails

Once your attendees are registered for the event, send them reminder emails at set times as event day approaches — such as 1 week, 48 hours, and 1 hour until the event. This is especially important for smaller or free events where attendees don’t have a sizable event registration fee to help them remember. 

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You’ve gone through all the work of getting people to your event. Now, it’s time to make sure that everything runs smoothly. Here’s how to make that happen.

Send a Welcome Email

On the day of your event, send your attendees a welcome email with helpful information. The email’s contents will vary depending on what format your event takes — hybrid, in-person, or virtual — but here are some ideas for what to include:

• The venue’s address and convenient ways of getting there
• Information about where and how to check-in
• The WiFi password
• A general overview of the event day with links to a detailed agenda
• A reminder about the event app
• Login information to the event website
• Last-minute agenda changes or updates
• Any event policies or expectations

Ensure Event App Adoption

If you’ve set up an event app , you’ll want attendees to get the most out of that investment. Start encouraging your attendees to download the app as soon as they register. Once they get to the event, drive home the importance of using the event app through signage and other reminders.

For example, Bizzabo offers a private-label mobile app solution for events, allowing attendees to easily interact with event content — like your agenda, speaker bios, and community networking options.

Monitor Social Media — and Respond 

Whether someone is sharing praise for a speaker, critiquing a particular session, or is simply asking a question about the event, you’re going to want to engage with them on social media. User-generated content is free advertising for your event, which can deliver a powerful FOMO push to those who opted not to attend. It may encourage them to register for the next event, though!

Be sure to check the hashtag regularly, respond to as many posts as you can, and reshare the most relevant and compelling content. Here’s a great example of a social media post from an attendee of INBOUND 2022 that highlights our new wearable technology, and we couldn’t help but share:

Offer an Early-bird Discount for Next Year

It’s never too early to start promoting for next year’s event! Try offering an early bird discount to attendees that expire after a certain amount of tickets are sold or a certain amount of time passes. There’s nothing like having registrations before you’ve already started strategizing for next year, right?

Congrats on creating a successful event! But your work isn’t done quite yet. Now, it’s time to make sure all of your loose ends are tied up. Here’s what you need to do.

Send a Thank You Email

Send out a thank you email to your attendees and stakeholders. Your event wouldn’t have been possible without people attending and stakeholders supporting it. Make sure they know that. Using email segmentation, launch an email blast to all your attendees. Depending on the sophistication of your event software integrations, you may be able to fine-tune email segmentation based on ticket type, sessions attended, and more.

Evaluate Event Success

You established your event for clear goals. Now, it’s time to look over your event data to see how successful your event was. Whether your event KPI for the event was registrations, pipeline generated, revenue generated, or simply attendee satisfaction, it’s time to dive into your event analytics.

If you’re using event software, you should be able to clearly visualize all of this information from the event dashboard.

If you want a deeper look at the most important KPIs for measuring event success, check these 23 out.  

Evaluate Event App Analytics

If you’re using an event app, you’ll want to see how people used it to determine whether or not it was worth the investment by asking the following questions:

• How many people downloaded your app?
• How many people used it?
• How many messages were sent?
• How many connections were made?
• How many meetings were scheduled?
• Did sponsors get the anticipated amount of leads?

Want to do more with data? Listen to this episode the Event Experience podcast featuring The Event Strategist herself, Nicola Kastner: Developing a Data-Driven Event Strategy

Send Out Event Surveys

After the event, allow attendees to speak about their experience, what they liked, and how they think your next event can be even better. A post-event survey with open-ended questions is a great way to get this type of feedback, but you also may want to use NPS (net promoter score) — one of the best tools at your disposal.

This survey asks a straightforward question: On a scale of 1–10, how likely is it that you would recommend this event to friends?

• Scores of 9-10 are considered “promoters” who will act as loyal enthusiasts for your event brand.
• Scores of 7-8 are “passives” who are satisfied attendees but are still vulnerable to competitive offerings.
• Scores between 0-6 are considered “detractors” who risk damaging your event brand through negative reviews.

NPS is then calculated by subtracting the percentage of detractors from the percentage of promoters. This score is a key indicator of how much value your event brought to attendees, which is something all major stakeholders will want to know.

But also, consider reaching out to the most active and engaged attendees to find out what they liked, what they’d like to see different at the next event, and other qualitative feedback questions. It’s essential to get a balance of quantitative and qualitative feedback so you can calculate the true success of your event. 

Want to scale your event strategy? Read “ 9 Ways To Successfully Scale Your Event Strategy .”

If there’s one thing to take away from this extensive guide, it’s this: Your event goals are crucial to building a successful event strategy.

Your event goals create the foundation for everything — from your event promotions to your success metrics to your event brand. Having concrete goals gives you the direction to proceed with your event strategy timeline and will help you determine the best tools for getting the job done — in 2024 and beyond.

Here are our key takeaways when strategic event planning:

• Identify your event goals and KPIs
• Choose event technology that can help you achieve those goals
• Create a consistent, branded event journey
• Find the right partners and sponsors to enrich your event
• Curate your event content for an engaging experience
• Communicate regularly and thoughtfully with your audience
• Measure, evaluate, and pivot for more successful future events

If that means leveraging out-of-this-world event software, we’re here to help. Click the button below to connect to a product expert and discover how Bizzabo can take your event strategy to the next level.

Want to start by evaluating your event strategy? Read “ A Guide for How To Evaluate Your Event Strategy .”

Editor’s note: This post was originally published in December 2019 and has been updated for relevance.

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Secrets to a Successful Pharma Product Launch: Best Practices For Impactful Events

Kathryn Humphries

November 17, 2023

In today’s competitive market, carrying out a successful pharma product launch is essential to achieving your company’s goals. With so much on the line, you need to get it right the first time. 

One of the most impactful channels to use when launching a pharmaceutical product is strategic events. When done well, pharma product launch events create buzz, educate HCPs, and motivate sales reps and leadership. 

But, executing flawless events as part of your pharma product launch strategy requires extensive planning, resources, and experience. If you want to ensure your pharma product launch events drive real results, follow these proven best practices. 

By focusing on the details, staying on message, and leveraging the power of experience, you can create events that accelerate your pharma product’s path to success. With the secrets to delivering successful engaging pharma product launch events in this guide, your product will hit the ground running.

Define Your Pharma Product Launch Goals And Strategy

Define your goals and strategy.

To have a successful pharma product launch, you must first define your goals and develop a comprehensive strategy. Some key considerations include:

• Identify your target audience : Are you focused on physicians, nurses, physician assistants, or a combination? Determining your key HCPs will guide your messaging and outreach.
• Set clear objectives : Do you want to raise awareness, educate HCPs about clinical data, gain early adopters, or drive prescriptions? Establishing distinct goals will shape your tactics and metrics for success .
• Develop your messaging : Craft compelling messages highlighting your product’s key benefits and differentiation. Align messaging across all channels for consistency in your pharma marketing strategy .
• Choose impactful launch activities : A mix of live and virtual engagement is ideal. Live medical education symposia, advisory boards , and speaker programs are highly valued by HCPs. Webinars , eLearning, and virtual congresses also have a role. An interactive and personalized event app can boost engagement for all activities.
• Leverage data insights : Use attendee data from your events to gain valuable insights into HCP interests and behavior. Feed these insights back into your pharma CRM to optimize future outreach. Continually track metrics to measure progress against your goals.
• Provide ongoing support : Continue to engage HCPs with educational resources, live and on-demand content to solidify your messaging after the initial launch period. Staying connected and responsive to customers builds loyalty and boosts prescriptions long-term.

Following these best practices will position your pharma product launch for success and maximum impact. Defining a comprehensive strategy, developing a targeted yet multi-channel approach, and leveraging data and technology solutions are key to winning in today’s competitive marketplace.

Create Excitement Pre-Pharma Product Launch With Teaser Campaigns

To generate excitement for your pharma product launch, implement a strategic teaser campaign in the months leading up to the event.

Build Anticipation

Dropping hints about your new product without revealing too much detail will capture interest and keep guests speculating. Tease information on your website and social media, through event emails to your mailing list, and at other industry events you attend. For example, you might share a product slogan or code name and ask people to guess what it is.

Create A Countdown

As the launch gets closer, share more details to create a sense of building momentum. For instance, reveal parts of your product logo or packaging design each week. Or highlight different product benefits and features in a series of social media posts or email newsletters. A countdown creates excitement by giving people a sense of progress toward the final reveal.

Drive Event Registration

A strategic teaser campaign should ultimately drive registrations for your product launch event. Once you announce the date and location details, the hype you’ve built will prompt people to sign up right away to be among the first to experience the new product in person. Offer an early bird discount or other incentive to encourage swift registration. And make sure you have event registration software that is fully customizable to your brand, easy to use, and can create a personalized journey for each individual HCP.

Deliver On The Hype

At the pharma product launch event, ensure you have an impactful product reveal and experience that lives up to the anticipation. Use interactive and engaging elements to showcase your product in an exciting way. Your HCPs will appreciate that you delivered on your promises and provided an opportunity to be part of something new in an exclusive setting.

A successful teaser campaign piques interest in your pharmaceutical product launch, builds momentum for your pharma product launch event, and delivers an experience that matches the hype. By strategically revealing details to generate speculation and creating a sense of progress toward the final unveil, you’ll have guests eagerly awaiting the chance to see your new product in person.

Plan An Engaging Live Or Virtual Pharma Product Launch Event

To achieve a successful pharma product launch, planning an impactful launch event is key. When launching a pharmaceutical product, in-person , virtual , or hybrid events are highly effective at educating customers and generating excitement. Consider the following best practices when planning your event:

• Host an in-person event to build personal connections. However, make it hybrid by offering a live stream or recording the event for those unable to attend. Promote the event through emails, social media, and your website.
• Create an engaging program. Include presentations from leadership, medical experts, KOLs, and patients highlighting the product’s benefits. Also incorporate interactive elements like Q&A sessions , panels, and product demonstrations.
• Focus on experience. For an in-person event, select a venue that reinforces your brand image and an interactive mobile event app . For a virtual event, use an engaging virtual event platform and optimize the user experience. In either format, provide resources for attendees to actively engage with the content.
• Generate media buzz. Invite journalists, bloggers, and industry influencers to build awareness. Offer embargoed media kits with the product news release, fact sheets, and images within your event app. Pitch reporter meetups or exclusives with company leaders.
• Follow up and measure impact. Send a post-event email with presentations, video recordings, and photos. Survey attendees about their perceptions and what they found most valuable. Monitor media coverage and social media mentions to gauge overall reach and sentiment.

“Any FAQs that are captured during the Q&A, for example, are perfect to help you develop future promotional materials and will help prepare sales reps for the types of questions doctors are going to ask when they go and knock on their doors.”

By applying these best practices, you can host a pharma product launch event that inspires your customers and sets the stage for a successful product launch. Through a combination of live, virtual, and hybrid event elements as well as comprehensive follow-up, your pharma product will gain valuable exposure and connect with the audiences that matter most.

For ideas and benchmarks, read our latest article about HCP event engagement . 

Leverage Technology To Enhance The Pharma Product Launch Event Experience

Leveraging technology at your pharma product launch event can significantly enhance the attendee experience and drive greater engagement. By incorporating a mobile event app , live polling , gamification , and more into your pharma product launch event strategy, you enable a highly interactive experience that fuels meaningful connections between your brand and HCPs.

Empower HCPs With A Dedicated Event App

An event app allows you to put vital event information directly into the hands of attendees. HCPs can view their own personalized agenda , session details, speaker bios, interactive maps , and more to help them navigate the pharma product launch event. They can also connect with fellow attendees through networking tools , ask questions, and provide feedback. For your brand, an event app generates data on attendee interests and engagement that feeds into your CRM platform, creating an omnichannel event journey .

To see some of the event apps SpotMe has created for leading life science and pharmaceutical companies, visit our customer page . 

Engage And Assess Instantly

Live polling during sessions is an easy way to spark discussion and gain instant feedback on your content or pharma products. Ask HCPs their opinions on trends in the therapeutic area or their experiences with current treatment options. Their responses can guide an open Q&A to address their concerns and shape future pharma product launch events.

Boost Engagement With Gamification

Gamification, such as leaderboards, badges, and points, taps into attendees’ competitive spirit to motivate engagement. Have HCPs earn points for interacting with your brand, then offer rewards and recognition on a leaderboard. This strategy boosts time spent with your brand both during and after your pharma product launch event.

Develop And Share Compliant Content

If you want to achieve a high attendance rate and keep HCPs engaged at your pharma product launch event, content has to be engaging and adhere to all pharma compliance regulations . All claims presented at the event must be validated and evidenced by clinical studies. Having one-click access, Q&A moderation, job code displays from MLR reviews, and on-screen disclaimers are just some ways to be compliant while using event technology. 

Remove Any Language Barriers

Depending on the size of your pharmaceutical product launch, your event may be local, regional, or global. And if it’s on a global level, you may have doctors, HCPs, nurses, or KOLs whose native language isn’t English. To avoid any miscommunication, you can use live captioning or translations within your event platform. 

Monitor Post-Event Behavior Change

Like all of your other events, your pharma product launch strategy should be an omnichannel journey and you should monitor how HCP behavior changes after your event if you want to understand the effect it has had on them. Collecting attendee data and following through with them post event using records fed from your event platform to your CRM is crucial to tracking the success of your pharma product launch and the increase in prescriptions.

By leveraging technology in these interactive ways at your pharma product launch event, you can gain valuable insights into HCPs’ perspectives and strengthen their connection to your brand. An event app, live polling, and gamification create a personalized experience for attendees that will leave a lasting impression. With the support of an experienced event technology partner that offers professional white-glove services alongside its event solution, you can implement an effective, compliant pharma product launch strategy to achieve your event goals and gain a competitive advantage.

Looking for an external agency to help manage the event technology for your pharma product launch events? Check out our recommendations of the top medcomms companies and pharma event management companies .

Measure Success And Optimize Future Pharmaceutical Product Launches

Once your pharma product launch events have finished, take the time to measure their success and determine key learnings to optimize future events. 

“After your pharma product launch, you want to trigger some kind of post-event follow-up, so there’s an organic reason why a sales rep or MSL should go and knock on a doctor’s door and be able to continue a conversation they’re already aware of. The sales rep could open with “I saw you attended the ESMO event in Madrid and I was wondering what were the most interesting sessions for you?” Having this organic touchpoint or kickoff point to start a conversation is crucial. But you can only do this if you use event technology to track attendance at your pharma product launch event and store it in your CRM to make it part of the omnichannel journey.”

Review Event Metrics

Carefully analyze all available event metrics and KPIs , including:

• Event registration and attendance rates. Compare to goals and past events.
• Content engagement like session attendance, interactions, downloads. See what topics and formats resonated most with HCPs.
• Social media mentions and shares during and after the event. Monitor relevant event hashtags.
• Post-event survey results on attendee experience, key takeaways, and intent to prescribe or recommend the product. Look for trends in the data.

Debrief With Internal Teams

Meet with internal cross-functional teams involved in the pharma product launch to review successes, challenges, and opportunities for improvement. Discuss:

• Feedback from sales representatives and medical science liaisons on attendee questions and concerns. Address any knowledge gaps.
• Lessons learned from the event planning and execution process. Identify ways to streamline efforts for the next pharma product launch.
• Technologies, formats, or experiences that enhanced HCP engagemen t. Explore expanding their use at future events.

Refine Your Pharma Product Launch Strategy

With the insights gained, work to strengthen your overall pharma product launch strategy and approach to events:

• Re-evaluate audience targeting to ensure you are engaging KOLs and high-value prescribers with the greatest potential to influence peers.
• Determine how to improve content based on attendee interests. Refresh or replace underperforming content.
• Continue an active social media presence to stay engaged with event attendees and extend the product conversation.
• Plan additional regional or local events, webinars, or peer education as needed to address any remaining questions or objections among target audiences.

By taking the time to properly measure your success, debrief, and refine your pharma product launch strategy after events, you can achieve maximum and lasting impact from the investments in your pharma product launch. Continuous optimization will enable you to accelerate product adoption and growth.

Get The Most Out Of Your Pharma Product Launch Events With SpotMe’s Event Platform

A successful pharma product launch event leaves a lasting impression and fuels excitement and demand for your new product.

But without the right HCP event platform , engaging HCPs is almost impossible in this digital era. By using SpotMe’s fully compliant end-to-end event platform which has countless management and engagement tools, you’ll achieve a pharma product launch event that inspires your audience and accelerates your pharma product’s path to success.

With 20+ years of unrivaled experience in the event tech industry, SpotMe is the first choice for enterprise event engagement in high-touch industries. Our event technology is trusted by 12,000+ event builders worldwide, including 10 of the top 20 life science companies such as J&J, Novartis, Roche, Sanofi, and GSK.

To find out how to leverage SpotMe to ensure your pharma product launch event is the catalyst that propels your product to new heights, schedule a live demo now .

As SpotMe’s Head of Content, I share useful insights and handy tips on event management, marketing, and tech every day. I have 6+ years’ experience writing, editing, and managing content for large international companies. When I’m not coming up with creative ideas, you’ll find me singing along to musical theater or traveling the world!

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Developing a DEI Strategic Plan Launch and Anchoring Event

Engaging a campus – of any size, no less a large, decentralized campus – in a DEI Strategic Plan and Implementation process is a significant, multi-year endeavor. A key challenge is to make your DEI initiative stand out amidst many competing demands for time and attention.

A launch and anchoring event can help raise the visibility of a major DEI initiative to a point where it is a known quantity for the majority of people in your campus community. Ideally, a launch and anchoring event will not only create broad awareness but will build curiosity to know more about DEI and to do more to support and advance DEI.

A campus-level launch—and subsequent year anchoring events—provide a cadence for the year to year implementation of a campuswide DEI Strategic Plan. It gives your DEI implementation a burst of energy—an energy emblematic of the effort your Plan needs to succeed.

There are many ways you can approach developing a DEI Strategic Plan launch and anchoring event. The essential ingredients are that the event establishes the Plan’s prominence, launches the Plan, marks the Plan’s progress annually and propels the Plan forward year to year.

The U-M Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (ODEI) has responsibility for the University of Michigan’s annual DEI Summit which served as our launch and now as our anchoring event in our five-year DEI Strategic Plan. Yet as the following section will demonstrate, developing and implementing this event involves shared goals and collaborations across the campus.

A primary goal of a DEI Strategic Plan launch and anchoring event is to bring members of your campus community together to focus on your campus DEI Strategic Plan and all that it represents.

On a practical level, such an event affords a platform to formally announce the launch of a campus DEI Strategic Plan, and in subsequent years of a multi-year plan, to share progress and plans for continued efforts. On a symbolic level, it signals to your community the importance campus leaders place on DEI and the priority attention that the DEI Strategic Plan merits.

A launch event puts the wheels in motion, galvanizing the efforts of many who will engage in the work the Plan represents. In each year of your plan implementation, an anchoring event serves to re-energize and refocus the energy and efforts underway.

The primary aim is to increase awareness of the DEI Strategic Plan, but in addition, such an event can include opportunities for learning, reflecting, and generating new ideas. Your campus DEI Plan launch and anchoring event is both an opportunity to celebrate the diversity, equity and inclusion your campus has achieved and a time to recommit to addressing continuing or emerging issues and concerns.

Meanwhile, the marketing and communications necessary to promote the launch and anchoring event helps to broaden campus awareness of the DEI Strategic Plan itself, as well as publicizing progress reports or updates.

While you want to bring as many people to the event as possible, your communications provide those who do not attend with an awareness of the Plan and ideally, other ways they can engage, such as reading a progress report, signing up for a training session or attending other DEI events.

Through well-timed and inspiring communications to your community, you can build and maintain momentum throughout the duration of your strategic plan implementation process, while providing transparency and accountability through stories of progress and plans for addressing ongoing challenges.

To develop a launch and anchoring event for your DEI Strategic Plan, it is important to engage the same set of constituents who helped to shape the plan for their ideas and input on everything from the date and time to the event format and agenda. The event should reflect the interests of a broad spectrum of campus community members.

If you plan to host multiple events in a DEI week or month, it can be beneficial to look for synergy with significant DEI initiatives underway on campus and to develop collaborative programming accordingly.

For example, if your campus has been advancing its work on accessibility and addressing the needs of people with disabilities, choosing a program topic related to accessibility and partnering with those involved in the initiative can reinforce the work being done and demonstrate a coordinated campus approach to DEI work.

Do not underestimate the time and effort—and collaboration—that planning and executing a major campuswide event involves! Forming an event planning team including those whose jobs center on major events is strongly recommended.

Seeking input from various groups and DEI-related advisory boards will build buy-in and can extend your reach when it comes to publicizing the event. At U-M, the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (ODEI) gathers input from multiple advisory groups and formed a student advisory group to help guide our planning efforts.

We collaborate with many campus offices such as Michigan Medicine, Organizational Learning, Center for Research on Learning and Teaching, Division of Student Life, and numerous others to plan timely and compelling programming for the annual DEI Summit.

A critical collaboration is with Michigan Creative, the central marketing communications office on campus. In addition to developing and executing a high-level communications plan, Michigan Creative produces the annual DEI Progress Report which is released and promoted alongside the DEI Summit.

A DEI Strategic Plan launch and anchoring event can be a single gathering, a day of activities, or can take the form of a symposium, conference or summit. At U-M, we held a Launch Year DEI Summit which included a community assembly with presentations by campus leaders followed by a daylong series of campus events.

To mark Year One and Year Two of our Plan implementation, we held a DEI Summit Week, which started with the community assembly, adding a keynote speaker along with remarks by campus leaders followed by a week of DEI programs and events, some hosted centrally and others hosted by various campus units.

Based on community input, the DEI Summit was expanded to a month long format to enable people to attend more events over time. The Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (ODEI) leads the planning for the annual DEI Summit.

The Deputy Chief Diversity Officer and a project manager have primary responsibility for the event, but a team effort makes it happen. Input is gathered from multiple constituents to select keynote speakers for DEI Summit events.

In Year One, U-M hosted noted author and academic Claude Steele, whose research focuses on stereotype threat. In addition to Dr. Steele, an inspiring alumni panel session featured alums from diverse backgrounds whose work has made a significant impact in the world.

In Year Two, activist and actress Diane Guerrero spoke at the community assembly, focusing on her experience growing up with parents who were undocumented and ultimately deported.

In addition to starting your planning process, ideally, a year in advance of your event (securing a large venue and a major speaker often require scheduling this far in advance), form a planning team and build a process that will gather input from multiple constituents, partners and stakeholders at all levels of the institution.

For our Year Three DEI Summit Month, CNN’s Van Jones served as the keynote. He spoke about the value of DEI for success in our global society and shared stories about his work ranging from addressing mass incarceration to environmental justice. A panel discussion followed, including Van Jones and student, staff and faculty panelists. Student performances have added an additional dimension to Community Assembly events.

Also in Year Three, a separate event was created for our Chief Diversity Officer to present a fuller progress update to the campus, so that the community assembly event could focus on the keynote address and brief remarks from campus leaders.

As you consider the design of your launch and anchoring event, aim to assemble an interesting collection of events that cut across diverse issues and topics to foster broad participation across faculty, staff and students. A key challenge is to find the sweet spot between the desires and interests of different groups. A set of activities and events can provide the balance and breadth you seek.

Of course, budget is an important consideration, and will impact the size and scope of what you plan to do, as well as the keynote speaker you can afford. Drawing from your alumni base, partnering with campus offices to pool funds, and building a grassroots coalition of support for what you are doing will go far in terms of attendance and engagement as well as keeping costs reasonable.

Plan your marketing and publicity concurrently with your event plan, as the two go hand in hand to create a successful outcome. As with any major event, it is critical to plan the work and work the plan. The stronger your planning process, the smoother your event implementation will be. Regular meetings, project management, and attention to detail are critical.

In addition to a centerpiece event (such as the U-M DEI Community Assembly), your DEI launch and anchoring event plans might include receptions with your keynote speaker (for students, especially, but also other invited guests), a luncheon or dinner for those centrally involved in your DEI work on campus, or other activities.

To manage the implementation of your launch and anchoring event, tap campus event planners and your campus communications team for expert guidance and assistance. At U-M, The Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (ODEI) partnered with our Development and Major Events Office to handle logistics for the day of implementation of the DEI Summit Community Assembly.

In addition, the ODEI project manager took the lead to coordinate a multitude of event details. In addition to the Community Assembly event, the U-M DEI Summit offered a set of co-sponsored events with campus partners including Michigan Medicine, Division of Student Life, the U-M IDEA Board Disabilities Task Force,  U-M Human Resources and the National Center for Institutional Diversity.

Programs were scheduled throughout the month of October, with topics such as “Ignite and Implement: Student Engagement with DEI Initiatives,” “DEI and Faith in Secular Spaces: Respecting Religious Identity,” “From #METOO to #NOWWHAT: Cultivating Safe, Harassment-Free Learning and Working Environments,” and “Young, Gifted, @Risk and Resilient: Promoting Mental Health and Well-Being Among Students of Color.

In addition, units across campus offered an array of DEI sessions, workshops, trainings, film screenings, performances and more. The new session with Chief Diversity Officer Robert Sellers, focusing on sharing an in-depth progress update with the campus community, drew over 200 people (and some 1200 more via live stream) in the week following the DEI Summit Community Assembly.

Faculty, staff and students came together to learn about real progress being made as a result of the DEI Strategic Plan work underway. Yet the talk also emphasized that there was significant work yet to be accomplished. Those attending engaged in table discussions and generated ideas for the ongoing DEI Strategic Plan implementation.

There are many ways to measure the success and impact of a DEI launch and anchoring event. It is best to approach this evaluation in a multifaceted way, by considering the viewpoint of many different constituents as well as tracking concrete indicators where possible.

Certainly, metrics from website traffic and social media—and especially, actual attendance at events—provide important indicators of success. Qualitative assessment is equally important. Gathering feedback from all collaborators and from key groups such as student leaders, advisory boards, faculty senate or other faculty groups, and staff at all levels and across diverse job types helps to build a picture of what went well and where improvement is needed.

Assessing the effectiveness of communications as well as the events themselves is important. Celebrate what went well and remain open to what can be done differently in the future to better meet the needs and interests of your campus community.

• Start planning early, a year in advance if possible
• Identify groups that can serve in an advisory capacity across students, staff and faculty
• Create a student planning advisory group—this helps ensure the needs and interests of students are amply represented in your planning and decision making and can help bolster student attendance and engagement
• Take the time to build out a program plan that takes into account the interests of many different groups on campus and considers areas of focus for DEI on your campus as well as timely topics at a national or international level
• Build your communications plan at the same time you develop your programmatic plans to ensure you have a robust plan for publicizing your launch and anchoring event
• Use a multimedia approach to communications including social media, paid digital marketing, short videos, print and digital advertising, targeted emails, digital signage and posters, banners, and even bus signs
• Send save the date messages to executive leaders, faculty and staff a few months in advance if possible
• Plan publicity so that there is a momentum building until the week before the event, then send final reminders a few days before the event
• U-M Record News Story on DEI Summit
• Complete listing of 2019 DEI Summit Events

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• What is strategic planning? A 5-step gu ...

What is strategic planning? A 5-step guide

Strategic planning is a process through which business leaders map out their vision for their organization’s growth and how they’re going to get there. In this article, we'll guide you through the strategic planning process, including why it's important, the benefits and best practices, and five steps to get you from beginning to end.

Strategic planning is a process through which business leaders map out their vision for their organization’s growth and how they’re going to get there. The strategic planning process informs your organization’s decisions, growth, and goals.

Strategic planning helps you clearly define your company’s long-term objectives—and maps how your short-term goals and work will help you achieve them. This, in turn, gives you a clear sense of where your organization is going and allows you to ensure your teams are working on projects that make the most impact. Think of it this way—if your goals and objectives are your destination on a map, your strategic plan is your navigation system.

In this article, we walk you through the 5-step strategic planning process and show you how to get started developing your own strategic plan.

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What is strategic planning?

Strategic planning is a business process that helps you define and share the direction your company will take in the next three to five years. During the strategic planning process, stakeholders review and define the organization’s mission and goals, conduct competitive assessments, and identify company goals and objectives. The product of the planning cycle is a strategic plan, which is shared throughout the company.

What is a strategic plan?

A strategic plan is the end result of the strategic planning process. At its most basic, it’s a tool used to define your organization’s goals and what actions you’ll take to achieve them.

Typically, your strategic plan should include: 

Your company’s mission statement

Your organizational goals, including your long-term goals and short-term, yearly objectives

Any plan of action, tactics, or approaches you plan to take to meet those goals

What are the benefits of strategic planning?

Strategic planning can help with goal setting and decision-making by allowing you to map out how your company will move toward your organization’s vision and mission statements in the next three to five years. Let’s circle back to our map metaphor. If you think of your company trajectory as a line on a map, a strategic plan can help you better quantify how you’ll get from point A (where you are now) to point B (where you want to be in a few years).

When you create and share a clear strategic plan with your team, you can:

Build a strong organizational culture by clearly defining and aligning on your organization’s mission, vision, and goals.

Align everyone around a shared purpose and ensure all departments and teams are working toward a common objective.

Proactively set objectives to help you get where you want to go and achieve desired outcomes.

Promote a long-term vision for your company rather than focusing primarily on short-term gains.

Ensure resources are allocated around the most high-impact priorities.

Define long-term goals and set shorter-term goals to support them.

Assess your current situation and identify any opportunities—or threats—allowing your organization to mitigate potential risks.

Create a proactive business culture that enables your organization to respond more swiftly to emerging market changes and opportunities.

What are the 5 steps in strategic planning?

The strategic planning process involves a structured methodology that guides the organization from vision to implementation. The strategic planning process starts with assembling a small, dedicated team of key strategic planners—typically five to 10 members—who will form the strategic planning, or management, committee. This team is responsible for gathering crucial information, guiding the development of the plan, and overseeing strategy execution.

Once you’ve established your management committee, you can get to work on the planning process. 

Step 1: Assess your current business strategy and business environment

Before you can define where you’re going, you first need to define where you are. Understanding the external environment, including market trends and competitive landscape, is crucial in the initial assessment phase of strategic planning.

To do this, your management committee should collect a variety of information from additional stakeholders, like employees and customers. In particular, plan to gather:

Relevant industry and market data to inform any market opportunities, as well as any potential upcoming threats in the near future.

Customer insights to understand what your customers want from your company—like product improvements or additional services.

Employee feedback that needs to be addressed—whether about the product, business practices, or the day-to-day company culture.

Consider different types of strategic planning tools and analytical techniques to gather this information, such as:

A balanced scorecard to help you evaluate four major elements of a business: learning and growth, business processes, customer satisfaction, and financial performance.

A SWOT analysis to help you assess both current and future potential for the business (you’ll return to this analysis periodically during the strategic planning process). 

To fill out each letter in the SWOT acronym, your management committee will answer a series of questions:

What does your organization currently do well?

What separates you from your competitors?

What are your most valuable internal resources?

What tangible assets do you have?

What is your biggest strength? 

Weaknesses:

What does your organization do poorly?

What do you currently lack (whether that’s a product, resource, or process)?

What do your competitors do better than you?

What, if any, limitations are holding your organization back?

What processes or products need improvement? 

Opportunities:

What opportunities does your organization have?

How can you leverage your unique company strengths?

Are there any trends that you can take advantage of?

How can you capitalize on marketing or press opportunities?

Is there an emerging need for your product or service? 

What emerging competitors should you keep an eye on?

Are there any weaknesses that expose your organization to risk?

Have you or could you experience negative press that could reduce market share?

Is there a chance of changing customer attitudes towards your company? 

Step 2: Identify your company’s goals and objectives

To begin strategy development, take into account your current position, which is where you are now. Then, draw inspiration from your vision, mission, and current position to identify and define your goals—these are your final destination. 

To develop your strategy, you’re essentially pulling out your compass and asking, “Where are we going next?” “What’s the ideal future state of this company?” This can help you figure out which path you need to take to get there.

During this phase of the planning process, take inspiration from important company documents, such as:

Your mission statement, to understand how you can continue moving towards your organization’s core purpose.

Your vision statement, to clarify how your strategic plan fits into your long-term vision.

Your company values, to guide you towards what matters most towards your company.

Your competitive advantages, to understand what unique benefit you offer to the market.

Your long-term goals, to track where you want to be in five or 10 years.

Your financial forecast and projection, to understand where you expect your financials to be in the next three years, what your expected cash flow is, and what new opportunities you will likely be able to invest in.

Step 3: Develop your strategic plan and determine performance metrics

Now that you understand where you are and where you want to go, it’s time to put pen to paper. Take your current business position and strategy into account, as well as your organization’s goals and objectives, and build out a strategic plan for the next three to five years. Keep in mind that even though you’re creating a long-term plan, parts of your plan should be created or revisited as the quarters and years go on.

As you build your strategic plan, you should define:

Company priorities for the next three to five years, based on your SWOT analysis and strategy.

Yearly objectives for the first year. You don’t need to define your objectives for every year of the strategic plan. As the years go on, create new yearly objectives that connect back to your overall strategic goals . 

Related key results and KPIs. Some of these should be set by the management committee, and some should be set by specific teams that are closer to the work. Make sure your key results and KPIs are measurable and actionable. These KPIs will help you track progress and ensure you’re moving in the right direction.

Budget for the next year or few years. This should be based on your financial forecast as well as your direction. Do you need to spend aggressively to develop your product? Build your team? Make a dent with marketing? Clarify your most important initiatives and how you’ll budget for those.

A high-level project roadmap . A project roadmap is a tool in project management that helps you visualize the timeline of a complex initiative, but you can also create a very high-level project roadmap for your strategic plan. Outline what you expect to be working on in certain quarters or years to make the plan more actionable and understandable.

Step 4: Implement and share your plan

Now it’s time to put your plan into action. Strategy implementation involves clear communication across your entire organization to make sure everyone knows their responsibilities and how to measure the plan’s success. 

Make sure your team (especially senior leadership) has access to the strategic plan, so they can understand how their work contributes to company priorities and the overall strategy map. We recommend sharing your plan in the same tool you use to manage and track work, so you can more easily connect high-level objectives to daily work. If you don’t already, consider using a work management platform .  

A few tips to make sure your plan will be executed without a hitch: 

Communicate clearly to your entire organization throughout the implementation process, to ensure all team members understand the strategic plan and how to implement it effectively. 

Define what “success” looks like by mapping your strategic plan to key performance indicators.

Ensure that the actions outlined in the strategic plan are integrated into the daily operations of the organization, so that every team member's daily activities are aligned with the broader strategic objectives.

Utilize tools and software—like a work management platform—that can aid in implementing and tracking the progress of your plan.

Regularly monitor and share the progress of the strategic plan with the entire organization, to keep everyone informed and reinforce the importance of the plan.

Establish regular check-ins to monitor the progress of your strategic plan and make adjustments as needed. 

Step 5: Revise and restructure as needed

Once you’ve created and implemented your new strategic framework, the final step of the planning process is to monitor and manage your plan.

Remember, your strategic plan isn’t set in stone. You’ll need to revisit and update the plan if your company changes directions or makes new investments. As new market opportunities and threats come up, you’ll likely want to tweak your strategic plan. Make sure to review your plan regularly—meaning quarterly and annually—to ensure it’s still aligned with your organization’s vision and goals.

Keep in mind that your plan won’t last forever, even if you do update it frequently. A successful strategic plan evolves with your company’s long-term goals. When you’ve achieved most of your strategic goals, or if your strategy has evolved significantly since you first made your plan, it might be time to create a new one.

Build a smarter strategic plan with a work management platform

To turn your company strategy into a plan—and ultimately, impact—make sure you’re proactively connecting company objectives to daily work. When you can clarify this connection, you’re giving your team members the context they need to get their best work done. 

A work management platform plays a pivotal role in this process. It acts as a central hub for your strategic plan, ensuring that every task and project is directly tied to your broader company goals. This alignment is crucial for visibility and coordination, allowing team members to see how their individual efforts contribute to the company’s success. 

By leveraging such a platform, you not only streamline workflow and enhance team productivity but also align every action with your strategic objectives—allowing teams to drive greater impact and helping your company move toward goals more effectively. 

Strategic planning FAQs

Still have questions about strategic planning? We have answers.

Why do I need a strategic plan?

A strategic plan is one of many tools you can use to plan and hit your goals. It helps map out strategic objectives and growth metrics that will help your company be successful.

When should I create a strategic plan?

You should aim to create a strategic plan every three to five years, depending on your organization’s growth speed.

Since the point of a strategic plan is to map out your long-term goals and how you’ll get there, you should create a strategic plan when you’ve met most or all of them. You should also create a strategic plan any time you’re going to make a large pivot in your organization’s mission or enter new markets. 

What is a strategic planning template?

A strategic planning template is a tool organizations can use to map out their strategic plan and track progress. Typically, a strategic planning template houses all the components needed to build out a strategic plan, including your company’s vision and mission statements, information from any competitive analyses or SWOT assessments, and relevant KPIs.

What’s the difference between a strategic plan vs. business plan?

A business plan can help you document your strategy as you’re getting started so every team member is on the same page about your core business priorities and goals. This tool can help you document and share your strategy with key investors or stakeholders as you get your business up and running.

You should create a business plan when you’re: 

Just starting your business

Significantly restructuring your business

If your business is already established, you should create a strategic plan instead of a business plan. Even if you’re working at a relatively young company, your strategic plan can build on your business plan to help you move in the right direction. During the strategic planning process, you’ll draw from a lot of the fundamental business elements you built early on to establish your strategy for the next three to five years.

What’s the difference between a strategic plan vs. mission and vision statements?

Your strategic plan, mission statement, and vision statements are all closely connected. In fact, during the strategic planning process, you will take inspiration from your mission and vision statements in order to build out your strategic plan.

Simply put: 

A mission statement summarizes your company’s purpose.

A vision statement broadly explains how you’ll reach your company’s purpose.

A strategic plan pulls in inspiration from your mission and vision statements and outlines what actions you’re going to take to move in the right direction. 

For example, if your company produces pet safety equipment, here’s how your mission statement, vision statement, and strategic plan might shake out:

Mission statement: “To ensure the safety of the world’s animals.” 

Vision statement: “To create pet safety and tracking products that are effortless to use.” 

Your strategic plan would outline the steps you’re going to take in the next few years to bring your company closer to your mission and vision. For example, you develop a new pet tracking smart collar or improve the microchipping experience for pet owners. 

What’s the difference between a strategic plan vs. company objectives?

Company objectives are broad goals. You should set these on a yearly or quarterly basis (if your organization moves quickly). These objectives give your team a clear sense of what you intend to accomplish for a set period of time. 

Your strategic plan is more forward-thinking than your company goals, and it should cover more than one year of work. Think of it this way: your company objectives will move the needle towards your overall strategy—but your strategic plan should be bigger than company objectives because it spans multiple years.

What’s the difference between a strategic plan vs. a business case?

A business case is a document to help you pitch a significant investment or initiative for your company. When you create a business case, you’re outlining why this investment is a good idea, and how this large-scale project will positively impact the business. 

You might end up building business cases for things on your strategic plan’s roadmap—but your strategic plan should be bigger than that. This tool should encompass multiple years of your roadmap, across your entire company—not just one initiative.

What’s the difference between a strategic plan vs. a project plan?

A strategic plan is a company-wide, multi-year plan of what you want to accomplish in the next three to five years and how you plan to accomplish that. A project plan, on the other hand, outlines how you’re going to accomplish a specific project. This project could be one of many initiatives that contribute to a specific company objective which, in turn, is one of many objectives that contribute to your strategic plan. 

What’s the difference between strategic management vs. strategic planning?

A strategic plan is a tool to define where your organization wants to go and what actions you need to take to achieve those goals. Strategic planning is the process of creating a plan in order to hit your strategic objectives.

Strategic management includes the strategic planning process, but also goes beyond it. In addition to planning how you will achieve your big-picture goals, strategic management also helps you organize your resources and figure out the best action plans for success. 

Related resources

Solve your tech overload with an intelligent transformation

9 steps to craft a successful go-to-market (GTM) strategy

Unmanaged business goals don’t work. Here’s what does.

How Asana uses work management to effectively manage goals

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NJIT strategic plan sets course to become innovation nexus

Matthew Fazelpoor // April 9, 2024 //

New Jersey Institute of Technology - PROVIDED BY NJIT

NJIT Makes An Innovation Nexus   priorities :

• Learner advancement and success – Making experiential learning a hallmark by ensuring that every student has at least one high-impact, real-world experience. Additionally, focusing on creating a holistic campus environment and helping graduates realize their career goals.
• Faculty success – Pledges to attract and retain world-class faculty, leverage diversity as well as increase recognition for translating and commercializing research, while more tightly weaving lecturers and adjunct professors into the NJIT community.
• Research, innovation and entrepreneurship – Leveraging NJIT’s status as a highest level R1 research institution and catalyzing commercialization through internal and external collaboration and investments in infrastructure. Another key component here is the New Jersey Innovation Institute, an NJIT corporation that turns great ideas into new businesses .
• Engaged community – Calls for fostering a dynamic ecosystem locally, regionally and globally that nurtures learning, research, creativity and technological advancements to serve future students.
• Digital transformation – Builds on NJIT’s accelerated efforts during the pandemic that aim to blur the lines between online and in-person learning. Under this plan, NJIT hopes to become a boundless and smart campus integrating the latest tech, including AI.
• Fiscal excellence and resource stewardship – C uts across all colleges, departments, centers and offices as the university looks for new revenue sources, maximizes existing ones and improves fiscal management.

‘An acceleration of growth on all fronts’

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