Marketing & Sales Roundtable

Planning Successful Company and Product

Launches

September 2004
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11:30 Introductions/Objectives
11:45 Company and Product Launches: Presentation
and Discussion
1:15 Summary and Wrap-up
Agenda
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The Importance of Launches
A company.must choose a launch strategy that is
consistent with its intended positioning. The launch
strategy should be the first step in a grand plan for
life-cycle marketing.
Philip Kotler
Marketing Management
Does your product launch plan reflect all of the money
and time put into developing the product?
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Some Factoids
85% of new B2B products are failures
95% of new consumer products are failures
Failures = doesnt meet company objectives, withdrawn from market
within 12-18 months
Source: New Product News
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Positioning Strategy Process
Positioning Strategy
Statement
Technology and Total
Product Roadmap
Partnerships
Total Product
Assets
(Functional) Programs
Business Model
Market Entry Customer
Segment Critical Need and
Total Product
Requirements
Company Total Product
Solutions Potential
Differentiators
Competitors Total Product
Solutions Potential
Differentiators
Company
Differentiator
Barriers to
Adoption
Market
Drivers
Customer/
End-User Problem(s)
Definition
Mission
Statement
Applications
Technology
Enablers
Customer Segments
Critical Needs
Company Product/
Service Match
Market Entry Customer Segment
Roadmap and Market Segment
Leadership Roadmap
Market Segment
Product/Market
Category
Market Vision
Market/Customer
Segmentation
Competitive Differentiation Strategy Evidence
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Positioning Both Company and Product
Company
Positioning Strategy
Market
Technology
Product
Company
Product #1
Technology
Functions/Benefits
Product #2
Technology
Functions/Benefits
Product #3
Technology
Functions/Benefits
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Launch Objectives
Unite company around shared objective: making the launch
successful
Provide strategy evidence of the companys intent, and right, to
be a market segment leader in product/service category
Build independent third-party validation, and strategy evidence,
of positioning strategy
Start the buzz, market pull with a consistent message
architecture
Support long leadtime sales cycles
Facilitate fundraising

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Launch Objectives (cont)
Establish core technology/system as an extensible platform
for future products and partnerships
Establish broad-based awareness and credibility with xxx
customer segment
Generate market momentum/Accelerate the sales cycle for
Product XXX; delay customer purchase commitments to
competitors

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New Venture Launch Phases
Company funding announcements: PWC MoneyTree, Venture Wire, etc.
Company: Stealth mode
Identify system lite: business cards, industry event attendance
Content-free microwebsite: contact info, investors, team, etc. (note: may have password-protected real
site)
Phone listing
Company launch: Seeding the market
Company: team, market vision
Technology platform
Product category, general problem addressed
Product launch: Going public
Positioning strategy: problem solved, market and market entry customer segment, competitive
differentiation
Product details: architecture, technology and product roadmap
Key customers and partners (especially channels)
Pricing and product availability information
A grown-up website

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Pre-Announcing a Product?*
Why?
Complex problem/solution = market education
Big budget line item product = long budget cycle, complex buying process
Competitive pressures
Need market buzz for funding round
Risks?
Too much competitive information, too early
Market environment can change substantively
Product development slips
Obsolete an existing product
Analysts/Media wont cover the real deal
* Often executed as a crescendo launch, a series of targeted announcements leading up
to product launch
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Pre-Announcing Tips
Do
Describe key elements of technology
Explain benefits of technology/potential applications
enabled
Articulate initial total product assumptions (services,
standards, partnerships, etc.)
Dont
Name product, provide specifications
Announce pricing
Provide precise launch date
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Launch Dependencies: Strategy Evidence
Product
Concept
Preliminary
Positioning
Strategy
Business
Model
Beta Product &
Reference
Customers
Positioning
Strategy
Validation
Launch
Planning
Go/No Go
Go/No Go
Go/No Go
Go/No Go
Launch
Date
Ongoing Market
Reinforcement
18 months
Be prepared to postpone for key
pieces of strategy evidence!
Strategic
Partnerships
(channel)
Post Sales
Support
Plan
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Launch Plan Outline
Positioning Strategy Statement and Message Architecture
Objectives and Strategies
Competitors/Competitive Response
Market leverage/Influencer plan
Sales training and lead generation (closed loop)
Marketing programs materials
Schedule/Timeline
Momentum milestones
Appendix
- positioning toolkit
- customer segment profile
- buying decision process
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Positioning Toolkit
Sales, channel strategy
Product Release schedule

Programs
Ads, site sponsorships
CD, Flash demo
Customer seminars
Data sheets, application notes
Direct mail, e-mail, list promotions
Newsletters
Sales, channel launch; training
Trial, swap-up program
Trade shows, conferences, events; suite briefings
Advance press and analyst tour
Speaker program
Regional field sales champions
User groups, customer councils
Webcasts/Webinars with guest
experts: customers, analysts, partners
Lead management systemsalesforce.com,
eloqua, etc.
Materials
Brochures
Data sheets, application notes
Presentations
Price lists
Product catalogs
Product demonstrations
Product roadmap
Press releases
Technical articles
Technology, company backgrounders
Testimonials
White papers
Web site update
Launch Checklist: Some Strategy
Evidence Options
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Launch
Program
Manager
Launch Manager is Command and Control




Creative,
Website,
Interactive
Marketing
Product
Development/
Technical
Marketing: Data
Sheets & Demos
Press/Analyst
Relations,
Materials
Production
Strategic
Partners, Investor
Relations
Shows,
Conferences,
Events
CTO/Guru:
White Papers,
Simulation
Strategies
Sales:
Customer
Advocates
Content
Weekly Status and
Project Management
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Launch Responsibilities
Launch Strategy
Marcom: Creative, Website,
Interactive Marketing
Product Marketing:
Data Sheets & Demos
Marcom: Press/Analyst
Relations, Collateral
Biz Dev: Strategic Partners
Marcom: Tradeshows,
Conferences, Events
CTO/Guru: White Papers,
Simulation Strategies
Sales: Customer Advocates
Content
Finance: Investor Relations
Product Development:
Product Availability
Launch Manager and Champion
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Market Segment
S
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P
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Market
Entry
Customer
Segment
Company
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p
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Validation
Education
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Developing Strategy Evidence: Market
Leverage Model
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Market Leverage/Influencer Plan
Category Names Relationship/Objective/Program Company Owner
Investors
Sales Channel
Beta Customers/
Targeted accounts
Industry Partners,
Leaders, Gurus
Industry Organizations
Industry analysts
Financial analysts
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Launch Pitfalls
Launch planning starts too late in product development process
Positioning strategy half-baked and untested, externally
Not enough (credible) strategy evidence: bug-free product, the right at least
one Tier 1 - customer testimonials and references (negotiated into contracts),
application notes and documentation, channels, customer support
Proper market foundation has not been laid, no one has heard of the
company or product
A non-programmatic approach (escapes vs. launches): lack of launch manager,
market leverage and message models, launch objectives, plan, measurable goals
Lack of fully integrated plan (from product management to marketing
communications to product development)
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Summary and Wrap-Up
The Launch Plan is the chance to get the company and product
off to a good start in the market!
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Presenters
Rosemary Remacle, Consultant
Market Focus
408-244-0412
rosemary@mktfocus.net