5 Mistakes To Avoid During Product Launches

By Author: karen grahams
Total Articles: 42
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New product launches happen all the time. With over 30,000 new products launching into the marketplace in each of the last three years, marketers have to make sure their launches go off without a hitch to even get onto consumers' radar.

According to a Most Memorable New Product-Launch Survey conducted by Schneider/Stagnito Communications, 81% of consumers couldn't even name one of the top 50 new products that were launched in 2006. This is up from 57% the previous year.
For your product to be one of thousands consumers remember this year, avoid the following mistakes when launching your product:

1. Planning the launch right before you release your product
Don't make the classic mistake of developing a new product, testing it, making sure all bases are covered and then wait until the last minute to plan how you're going to launch it.

The earlier you start planning, the better. You can't create a launch campaign overnight and neither can a marketing agency. A good time to start planning your product launch is when your product gets signed off to get started in production.

2. Not creating ...
... a backup plan
What will you do if manufacturing problems happen? What if your product doesn't get distributed on time due to a railroad strike?

You need alternate dates and plans that spell out what needs to happen to meet those new dates. Keep in touch with manufacturing and shipping departments so that you aren't surprised if something gets delayed or moved up.

3. Assigning the launch duties to the CEO
Having your top dog in charge of a product launch seems like a good idea in theory, but in reality, top executives are often too busy to keep a close eye on a product launch. Yes, you need his or her input, but not on a daily basis. Put a product manager or brand manager in charge of the launch who can communicate with top management when needed.

4. Not telling your employees about the launch date
If you don't tell your employees, you won't get much word-of-mouth marketing to excite people before your launch. You want that buzz so people will look for your launch. Let them know all about the benefits of your new product so that they can talk it up and reinforce what is being said by the media.

5. Using the same old forms of media you used in the past
If you haven't had a product launch in a few years, you should evaluate the way you get your message out to the public. With over 6,200 magazines and 240 TV stations to choose from, it's likely you can reach your target audience exclusively if needed. There are many commercial printing opportunities out there if you just look for them. You can do your own commercial printing and mail out brochures and direct mail postcards to your target audience.

Between those traditional media and online media, you've got multiple launch venues to take advantage of. Don't forget any foreign-language venues if your product might appeal to international consumers. In the U.S., the Hispanic population is the fastest growing demographic, so don't leave them out - advertise in publications, TV stations and Web sites that cater to this audience.

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