Brand extensions and new product launches are always exciting projects for marketers. Here’s a chance to unveil and introduce something to the world! That part sounds great, doesn’t it? The other side of the coin, however, is the massive pressure that comes with the territory. Everyone involved in conceiving, backing, developing, producing, and distributing the new product is counting on you to make customers interested in it. So much hinges on a successful product launch campaign. That said, if you follow a few simple steps, you will have a tried-and-true blueprint to help your product land with a splash!

Build Anticipation

The first phase of a proper new product launch campaign is the “tease” phase designed to build anticipation. It doesn’t matter if you’re introducing a new hybrid car or a new line of fleece fabric. If you can get your audience’s attention and intrigue them by telling them something big is coming, they’re likely to follow you to the next stop on the ride.

While teases are vague in their nature, ending with a launch date or website and social handles will help direct people to more information. These platforms can be integrated into your messaging, displaying a countdown clock, for example. Or, they can explicitly offer additional details or a longer tease than the one your audience has just seen.

Reinforce Your Brand

How many times have you seen a movie trailer that boasts: “from the director of (blank),” or “the team that brought you (blank)”? This isn’t just a trope, it’s standard practice. Why? It’s because every movie is a new product launch, and the director or team in these examples serves as a familiar brand. This messaging helps reinforce it. People remember what they liked from this brand before and are likely to sample their next offering if you remind them.

This same concept applies to launching virtually any new product. If your brand has any equity or goodwill with the public, associating the new product with it will help. You may say something like, “You already know (blank) makes great (blank). Now, they’re going to give you the newest, best (blank) you could hope for.”

Highlight Features

Being vague is an important component of the teasing stage of a new product launch campaign. Once you’ve moved to the selling stage, however, it’s time to get specific. It’s critical to highlight features that will be appealing to your audience. That means you must take the time and research who your audience is and what matters to them. Marketing a luxury automobile is far different than selling a rugged truck. Know your audience, and speak their language, highlighting the features that will stand out to them.

Explain Differentiating Benefits

After emphasizing new product features, you must go a step further and demonstrate how those features can benefit a potential buyer. One of the most effective ways to do this is a two-tiered approach. First, spell out in no uncertain terms what the feature will do for them. Great examples are “keeping your family safe,” or “saving you hundreds of dollars a year.” 

Next, go a step further and differentiate yourself from your competitors. There are many ways to do this, like a subtle, “outperforming others in its class.” You can go harder by quoting stats about “customers preferring this product two to one over (blank),” if you have the data to back it up. You can even take a swat at the hornet’s nest and call them out by name. “(Blank) can’t even do that,” etc. 

Call to Action

Now you have your audience’s interest. They’re ready to buy! The worst thing you can possibly do at this point is neglect to tell them how. Close by asking for their business and giving them an address, phone number, website, or social account to use to seal the deal.

Many new products will fail for no specific reason. Using these tried-and-true tactics to launch your next new product, however, should give it a fighting chance to succeed!