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Research Outline

Prepared for Ainesh | Delivered October 1, 2019

Tech Products: Roll-Out Plan Templates for Feature Launches

Goals

To understand how companies and organizations making tech products structure their roll-outs both internally and externally to help institute a product roll-out process.

Early Findings

  • Whether internal or external, a product launch plan can be segmented into five stages: initial planning , pre-launch activities , sales and channel launch readiness , launch day, and post-launch follow-up.
  •  Product launch checklists are useful too for navigating all of the processes and steps that need to be completed and be prepared for, including detecting, documenting, and fixing potential mistakes, before your product launch. The use of a checklist featuring the most common activities included in a product launch can be a beneficial tool to ensure a product launch goes smoothly, both internally and externally. Checklists and templates can vary but all should be thorough, contain the most up-to-date information, and be used consistently by every member of the product launch team.
  • An internal product launch plan relies heavily on communication that fulfills five key elements: information, timing, channels, language, and support.
  •   Information involves sharing key points with the members of the launch team that is related to their involvement. Key points include the launch objective, what the product does/what problem it solves, discussion of the target audience, the positioning statement, key activities and timelines necessary to the launch, and product awareness.
  •  Timing involves making sure every member of the product launch team knows what to do and has the materials needed to do it at each of the stage of the product launch.
  • A variety of communication channels must be used during the internal product launch. Communication should involve both the launch team members preferred channel as well as a backup channel used to share the same information. Communication channels can vary but may include email, face-to-face meetings, town hall-style meetings, and internal social media apps. A template placed online or in an area accessible by every member of your team is a strong way to ensure everyone has access to the most up-to-date information and resources.
  • The language used when communicating with members of the product launch team needs to be focused, clear and easy to understand. Industry jargon should only be used with those who easily understand it.
  • After the initial internal product launch, it is imperative that members of the launch team stay up-to-date and available to support other members of the company and answer questions they may have. The importance of fostering an understanding of and interest in the new product among other members of the company cannot be understated.
  • PowerPoint can be used as a tool to both organize a tech product launch and actually facilitate the launch. This PowerPoint product contains everything needed to create content ready marketing roll-out plan.
  • As long as all the steps are followed, an external tech product launch can take a variety of forms. One form is an email campaign. Email campaigns are a way to reach large numbers of people around the world. They involve an email announcing an upcoming tech product launch, followed by another announcement on launch day. The announcement would include relevant information about the new tech product as well as how/where it can be purchased.
  • Launch day is the culmination of all the steps taken by the launch team and how it is handled can have a big impact on initial interest and sales. Tech products can be launched in a variety of ways that will garner attention. Examples of launch events likely to generate interest include hosting a launch party at a unique venue, creating a branded hashtag in the weeks leading up to the actual launch and using it to offer teasers/generate interest, and launching at a large, well-attended event or convention like South By Southwest (SXSW). Using social media and blogs to build interest or seeking television news coverage or ads, like Google's "Made By Google" event are additional ways new tech products can be launched externally.
  • There are resources available online that provide free product launch templates that can be used to create a product launch plan for a tech product.