You need the right product going to the right market with the right message through the right media.
Since 2009, The AIM Institute has helped Blueprinting clients (as well as others) plan better product launches through its LaunchStar® software and launch planning methodology. With this approach, you need the right product, targeted at the right market, promoted with the right message, through the right media.
- The right product is determined in the front-end of innovation, and is best done using New Product Blueprinting… which results in a Market Case or Business Case.
- The right market is also determined in the front-end. If you’ve done your front-end homework, you’re mostly just documenting it in your launch plan. Think of this as “who to tell.”
- The right message will press customers’ “hot buttons” in their language, not yours. This should be focused on key customer outcomes and is “what to tell.”
- The right media is another way of saying “marketing channels.” LaunchStar software includes 18 possible media—9 traditional and 9 online. This is “how to tell.”
For a strong launch, you should follow this same sequence: Nail down your product design and the market is intended for. Then fine-tune your message and finally decide on the media you’ll use.
It’s often a good idea to engage an external marketing agency to help you with your product launch. But you should “own” the right Product and right Market… and much of the right Message… while the agency helps you with some of the messaging and the right Media. If you let them work on the right Product and Market, you’ll waste time and (your) money.
For more, download the AIM e-book, 12 Rules of B2B Product Launch, visit www.launchstar.com. Also check out the 2-minute video, Launch new products with power, part of the B2B Organic Growth video series by Dan Adams.
Keywords: launch planning, product launch, product commercialization, front end, LaunchStar, right product, right market, right message, right media, who to tell, what to tell, how to tell