A new product launch is a risky endeavor for any business. You have invested in the development, marketing materials, licensing, copywriting, or patents, and have paid your employees to ensure the product is ready for market. But will it all pay off? The only way to make a splash with your product release is to market it in a way that catches consumers’ attention and sustains that attention long enough to educate them. Once they know your product, understand its importance, and associate it with a positive experience, it’s up to them to buy it.
Here are 5 PR Tactics to Catch Consumers’ Attention:
1. Influencer marketing. One of the best ways to get a buzz about your product is to send samples to influencers. This works best with social media influencers and “celebrities” in niche markets. If they use your product in an Instagram photo, people will be tipped that a new product is on the horizon and anticipate its launch.
2. “Leak” to social media. Gossip spreads like wildfire on social media sites like Twitter. If you share information about your product launch privately with industry influencers, they may spread the word and promote interest. Be careful about spreading news too early, however. Social media can be a very harsh environment for businesses if they’re not careful, so be sure you can deliver and exceed people’s expectations before starting social media gossip.
3. Tie your product release to a big event. Make your product launch more about the customer than your company by tying the release to a big event. For example, if there’s a large festival in your community, participate in it and connect your product to it. This should help more customers learn about what you’re doing. You might even be able to garner some media attention if you come up with an interesting enough approach.
4. Partner with other organizations. You can sometimes win the trust of one customer segment by partnering with a company that already targets the same audience. You can also promote a new product by partnering with a charity or fundraising campaign. Consider donating part of the profits of your latest product to a charity to penetrate the market and boost sales at the beginning of the launch.
5. Send news releases to industry magazines and websites. People most invested in your industry will pick up these magazines and websites to learn about the latest and most significant companies. This can help you grab the attention of early adopters and introduce your latest product into an established market. The online form of press releases – guest posts on popular blogs – works.
If you want a team of public relations professionals behind making your product launch, contact Tucker/Hall today.
