FOUR PILLARS FOR A SUCCESSFUL PRODUCT LAUNCH

1. Assign dedicated resources
2. Avoid overcommitment
3. Implement scientific process
4. Leverage collaboration tools

Ramping Up
In many cases, product launch strategy development begins too early. Sometimes R&D and marketing are working on product claims, key features and benefits while product names are still under development and packaging is incomplete. It’s the cart-before-the-horse scenario. Of course, unforeseen exceptions can creep up but, for the most part, all of these situations should be completed to allow enough time for the strategic and creative processes to successfully drive deliverables, meet timelines and ensure a successful launch.

Once the details are worked out, it’s important to assign dedicated resources to those who can deliver a consistent, integrated plan of attack – resources that have the brainpower to carry the product launch into the marketplace. You want to grow your business by communicating the product’s value proposition, which will also reflect on internal and external partners and your bottom line.

Strategy and Planning Development
Working with dedicated resources who have the knowledge and expertise needed is a huge gain for you, as well as your product’s success. Make sure your resources work together to deliver consistent, integrated messaging and imagery.

In today’s marketing strategy development, your resources should be able to deliver on multiple touchpoints and strategies, whether it be interactive, advertising, public relations, social media, etc. All touchpoints should be considered from the start and chosen or eliminated based on your audience. Try not to over-deliver, but look at the big picture and hone in from there.

Go in for the Kill
At launch, deliver with a splash, a pop and a bang! Make it well-known that this product is at the top of its game and, depending on whether it’s a business-to-business or business-to-consumer launch, hit your audience hard by being on brand, on message and on time with deliverables.

Keep in mind you need to be communicating to internal and external resources, keeping them in the know on what is happening and when and how it is happening. This will be appreciated by those involved.

Evaluate, Evaluate, Evaluate
So, once you launch the product it’s all said and done. Or is it? Have you measured results? What key points can you take away from the launch? What have you learned, both pro and con, which should or shouldn’t be implemented in the next product launch? Have you debriefed all involved, both internally and externally, to regroup and share experiences? These are key factors in delivering a successful launch.

Source: “Four Pillars for Product Launch, Best Practices from World-Class Companies,” by Rick Sklarin and Ling Gee, Crimson Consulting Group.

In a recent product launch for Scotch® Tough Duct Tape products, it was determined that the personality should stand out against the other Scotch® Duct Tape products and be positioned as more rugged, masculine, robust and naturally, tough.

Go East accomplished this by shooting each of the Scotch® Tough Duct Tape products in a rusty toolbox. The tools in the box relate to the specific product and the type of projects for which the six different tapes are used (e.g., paint rollers, brushes, a paint mixer and the 5-in-1 tool with Scotch® Tough Duct Tape – Outdoor Painter’s Clean Removal tape).

The lighting in the photos is dramatic and comes primarily from the right of the toolbox. The roughly textured background is positioned at a great distance behind the toolbox and is not in focus, unlike the items in the foreground. In the photos the color of everything except for the duct tape packaging was converted to a bluish-gray monotone to emphasize the product and ensure it would stand out. This monotone color also provided a blue collar, DIY aspect that fit in perfectly with how the products would be portrayed.

In addition, a rough edge that underscores the brawny aesthetic was added to the collateral designs and further communicates the tough and rugged brand personality.

The photos were a great success and used on product launch materials for the sales force, sell sheets, point-of-sale items like shelf danglers and product displays, as well as other merchandising tactics.

The following are some strategies and tactics we like to employ:

Consider a pre-launch. These can be executed without alerting the competition and can cause some really good commotion about a secret new solution. There is some research that indicates you should be marketing toward the problem your product will solve before the launch.

We can also bring the product to social networks and capitalize on friends sharing information. There’s nothing like a great scoop to get people talking on Facebook and Twitter.

Some great product launches have really had fun with their approach. Mailings to buyers and store managers should be very “out-of-the-box.” They are a tough crowd and very, very busy. Simple, yet clever delivery techniques and stunning visuals can really get their attention.

Small budget? You can reduce all printing costs by going electronic.

Capturing the consumer will be much more targeted when your design agency knows the subtleties of your messaging. Samples that capture your consumer’s attention and drive them to action have a better chance when your agency knows how to communicate the essence of your messaging in quick and stunning imagery and words.

Another out-of-the-box approach is investigating the antonym, or opposite, of your goal. Artists will often turn a painting upside down to see errors or new compositional possibilities for their work of art.

At Go East we always look forward to opportunities to get involved early on so we can help our clients in telling their NEW story in a successful launch.

An excellent example of a company that successfully used SMM to boost sales is BlendTec, makers of commercial food blenders. They had a great product but few had heard of them. In 2006, they launched the “Will it blend?” viral video campaign, starring CEO Tom Dickson. Dressed in a white lab coat and safety glasses, Mr. Dickson asks the question, “Will it Blend?” and tosses various non-food items such as cell phones, toilet plungers and tiki torches in BlendTec blenders. (My favorite is the iPhone video.) The videos were intended to increase the company’s brand awareness by showcasing their product’s toughness. The content was so compelling it got consumers watching. Within five days of posting their videos on YouTube and on their own Web site, the videos had generated six million YouTube views. They even got their audience involved by asking them to submit their own “blending” ideas for future videos. Ultimately, BlendTec saw their sales jump by 700 percent.

BlendTec did everything right. Their campaign aligned their brand personality and key messages into an entertaining and engaging series of videos.

Now I’m thinking I need one of these blenders for my own entertainment purposes: summer slushy drinks!

Ever heard the term “virtual launch” when referring to a product launch? It’s a term I enjoy using which essentially means, “Let’s not load the sales reps down with a huge three-ring binder full of printed sales sheets, price sheets, brochures, FAQs, etc. It’s too heavy, too cumbersome and frankly, it really positions a company as old-school vs. innovative and modern. Instead, let’s be fresh and relevant and deliver the important information on an interactive USB drive or DVD – allowing the rep to navigate through the contents like a Web site to find important customer presentation materials, downloadable brochures, demonstration videos, etc. The rep will look organized and modern and the buyer will appreciate the efficiency.”

Ummm … OK, maybe you won’t find that definition at Dictionary.com. But, nonetheless, the definition stands.

When launching a new product, many teams look to their sales reps to determine what tools they need to sell the new product. It’s important to remember, though, while a sales rep’s job is to sell the product to the buyer, it’s not their job to advise on the business or communications strategy to do so. The insight a sales rep may be able to provide about their selling challenges will be quite helpful, but as marketers, we shouldn’t be settling for same-old, same-old. The rep’s job isn’t to think about how to launch the product better; as marketers, that’s our job and we can do it by reading between the lines and probing for deeper interpretations.

As you embark on your 2010 product launch calendar, think about including your agency in interviewing your sales reps to find out what the best tools could be. My suspicion is that after interpreting the feedback, 90 percent of the time, the groundwork will be laid for more interactive tools and less bulky binders. Would you agree?

Consider this:

• 70% of companies have renewed a relationship with a customer using direct mail
• Consumers receiving a printed catalog are two times more likely to purchase online than those who don’t receive a catalog
• 75% of consumers say they’ve made a purchase as a result of direct mail
• Worried about seeming wasteful? In 2007, 45.2 million tons of paper were recovered from recycling – that’s 57% of all paper and paperboard products

At Go East when we’re working on a project – to be distributed online or  via “old-fashioned” paper – we work hard to balance print and interactive strategies. Campaigns need to be integrated, but not redundant. They need to be impactful and they need to be targeted.

Don’t abandon one for the other or you won’t be able to capitalize on the biggest opportunities!

A: You can’t.

Was that painful to hear? Think about this: You might be successful, but you can’t ensure that you’ll be successful. Racing a new product to market ensures only one thing – and that’s missed opportunity.

Well, let me qualify that. You can race a new product to the market and ensure successful sales if you have a clear strategy. The problem with racing is that often teams get so focused on the final launch date, the strategy gets left behind – or worse – never developed.

A good launch strategy considers not only business objectives, but communication objectives for all of the audiences. What you say to the sales rep is different than what you say to the buyer, which is different than what you say to the consumer. Or at least it should be. (And, yes, you should be talking to all of those audiences.) If it’s not – you’re missing opportunities. Big time.

At Go East, we collaborate with our clients to create the communications strategy for new product launches. After all, how can we ensure success without this information? When you are working with a solid strategy, everyone can feel better about the accelerated timeline – including your team and the agency’s team.

So, think about this the next time you’re asked to participate in a product launch: How are you going to ensure success? Answer: Define the strategy and keep it close as you race to launch your product.

It’s crazy how Facebook has impacted my life and those around me. I’ve used it to connect with old colleagues, high school and college classmates and people I see all the time, like family and neighbors. I am also guilty of occasionally talking to my husband using the chat function of it.

It’s also interesting to think about how it has brought together generations of people. My mom is on it and many of my friends’ moms are on it. It’s become a must-have communication tool for my mom to stay in touch with her own friends and also see pictures of and stay connected with her grandkids.

Has Facebook impacted  your life? How?

Go East seeks an Interactive Director to lead interactive, social and digital media solutions and oversee the Interactive team. The Interactive Director provides strategy, user experience, information architecture and general technology planning for a wide variety of digital solutions including Web, social, email and rich media development. The Interactive Director is a key member of the new business development team and helps grow the interactive services at Go East. The Interactive Director partners with the Creative Director in the development of interactive services at Go East.

Responsibilities

• Develops interactive strategies for social media, Web site development, online advertising, rich digital media, SEO/SEM, and other relevant applications
• Participates in research, strategy briefings, agency and client meetings to determine the objectives and priorities of all interactive efforts
• Leads social and digital media strategy, information architecture, and user experience solutions; creates relevant strategy documents
• Understands and oversees the technical requirements and execution needs of interactive projects, partnering with technology specialist when needed
• Understands and oversees the content requirements and execution needs of interactive projects, partnering with content developers when needed
• Leads the interactive team, including supervising, coaching and hiring
• Provides expertise to clients and colleagues on all aspects of interactive, social and digital media
• Communicates interactive trends to the organization
• Designs and develops key roles and effective processes for interactive workflow

We require at least seven years interactive solutions experience leading interactive, social and digital media projects and managing staff members. A four-year degree in design, Web, media, communications or a related field is also required. Reports to the Creative Director.

Send a cover letter, resume, links or URLs and references. No calls please. We will be accepting applications through February 22, 2010.
Go East
403 Hayward Avenue North
St. Paul, MN 55128
goeastdesign.com
twood@goeastdesign.com

I’ve always been a fan of letterpress printing, and recently it has become popular again. Despite my normal refined design style, I very much like the inconsistent “surprises” and “imperfections” the method creates. I also like the effects of layering different block designs and inking techniques.

As a fan of wood type and letterpress, the Hamilton Wood Type Museum in Two Rivers, Wisconsin is a place I’ve wanted to visit since it opened in 1999. This past December, it hosted its first-ever hands on letterpress workshop — in conjunction with four individuals from Hatch Show Print in Nashville, Tennessee. Jim Sherraden of Hatch conducted the event with assistance from Jim Moran of the Hamilton Museum.

The weekend-long event not only allowed participants to use some of the wood type specimens of Hamilton, but some of the famous wood and titanium art blocks from the Hatch archives, too. After a quick “letterpress 101″ overview, we were allowed to play and make prints over the duration of the weekend. My co-worker Nicole Kouldelka and I produced dozens of pieces including these:

In my opinion, it’s not going anywhere. In fact, you’re only going to see more of it. You may have noticed that the topic of 3-D has been in the headlines a lot lately, especially during the 2010 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Last year, everyone was talking about 3-D televisions and programming – wheareas this year, manufacturers like Sony and Samsung are actually showing 3-D products. Sure, it will take time for the technology to be affordable and widespread; that was the case with color television and more recently, high-definition television, but I would bet it will take hold. You can even expect to see 3-D make its way into other products such as hand-held devices like smartphones. Last summer, 3M announced a new film that will let people view 3-D images on hand-held devices without using special glasses. Efforts are even underway to make video games a true 3-D experience.

3-D technology is exciting because it raises the level of realism by virtually eliminating the divide between audience and action. It’s interesting to think about the possibilities for advertising. To be able to feel as if you can reach out and touch a product or walk into a destination. It simply comes down to engaging the audience and 3-D will always initiate a sense of wonder. Even low-tech 3-D can be extremely entertaining. The 2009 Go East holiday card used anaglyph 3-D photographs which helped underscore the overall message and made the viewer feel as though they could reach into the card. It was fun, engaging and it initiated a lot of positive feedback.

I think the prospect of an enhanced entertainment experience in the home and on-the-go is truly exciting. Personally, I don’t like messing with classics, but a part of me can’t help but wonder what “The Creature from the Black Lagoon” would be like if created with today’s technology. Perhaps someday that Creature will invade our living rooms again.

Business Week recently featured an article by Dave Armano, a respected social media expert. He identified six social media trends for 2010. Here they are, along with some of my personal thoughts around his insights.

1. Social media will begin to look less social because users have the ability to filter out clutter and get more value out of their networks.
I think this is an interesting trend for businesses to consider as they begin to engage, or continue talking to, their customers through social media. It’s more important than ever to deliver compelling messages that are relevant and provide value to the recipient. This sounds cliché, but you really do only have one chance to make a first impression.

2. Corporations will look to scale their social media initiatives beyond the norm.
As more and more big companies leverage social media, they will enlist their most passionate employees to take on implementation and management tasks. Social media will no longer be the responsibility of one person, but rather many people — if not everyone — will get involved. I think it will be important that companies not only empower their employees, but also guide them by setting measurable goals and objectives, and give them the right tools to meet them. Organizations will benefit from enlisting those with their eyes open and ear to the ground; people who are keeping tabs on new and developing trends. Ultimately, this can help an organization grow organically at a much faster rate than it would had it built  and followed a roadmap. One project I hear a lot about is Twelpforce (@Twelpforce), an initiative by Best Buy. It’s essentially an online team of over 2,300 Best Buy employees that offer tech support and advice via Twitter.  They have done an excellent job of getting their employees involved and, to date, have answered over 18,000 customer questions. (Full disclosure: My husband works at Best Buy and leads the project.)

3. Social business becomes serious play.
New networks, like foursquare, are bringing some friendly competition to the game. As new social network sites are born, it will be important for businesses to leverage what they can. The challenge for businesses in 2010 will not only be to figure out how to play nice in the sandbox, but also how to monetize and determine the ROI of their investments. To play for play’s sake will not cut it any more.

4. Companies will outline and enforce a social media policy for their employees.
Guiding behavior online is a tricky proposition, but when an employee is participating in social networking they often become a voice of the brand. They need to understand that it can’t just be a free-for-all. Policies might outline which social network sites can and cannot be viewed during work hours, or companies could simply explain what type of behavior is expected, especially if current or prospective customers are within the network.

5. Mobile becomes a social media lifeline.
With many businesses and organizations banning personal use of social networking (kind of like banning use of the Internet a few years back) employees will find new ways to talk to their social networks. It will likely be via their smartphones. Sales of smartphones have significantly increased recently and adoption is steadily on the rise. This should be a consideration for 2010 as more people in the U.S . invest in smartphones. More user-friendly and innovative mobile versions of our favorite social networks will evolve in 2010. Using mobile marketing tools can be an effective and creative way to reach an audience anywhere and at any time.

6. Sharing no longer means email.
As we’ve already begun to see, Web sites are supporting the function to easily broadcast articles via Twitter or Facebook. We will see more of this in 2010, to the point where consumers will expect it. Today, a shopper is likely to email a product of interest to a friend, but very rarely do you see an option to post that information to a network to share with your all your friends. Businesses that either sell products online or publish information online should consider implementing this option in 2010. If not, they could lag behind.

I think 2010 will be an interesting year as it relates to social media and how people are engaging in and embracing it. I would love to hear what your 2010 social strategies are and how they fit into your full marketing plan.

Wordle

If you want to create a quick tag cloud of any Web site or copy deck, check out Wordle. Wordle is an online app that takes a URL, a del.cio.us user name, or any bit of writing and creates a tag cloud from your input. You can use it to get a quick sense of the important topics for a brand audit or Web site redesign. Above:  a wordle of Go East’s blog.

Google Fight

Sometimes, just to make a point, you need to compare topics. Google Fight is an online app that compares two terms in Google and gives a simple bar graph. Its simplicity is helpful and leads to some good conversations about search techniques. It also spurs philosophical trend questions like, “Why would ‘go west’ be searched more than ‘go east’?”

Spy

Spy is a social media visualization tool that pulls information from a variety of social media sites and feeds results to you as they appear. It pulls from Twitter, Flickr, blog comments, Google Reader and more. It is a completely spontaneous look at the what people are saying online about your topic right now.

My Year in Status

When it comes to highlighting trends in my own life, I like this Facebook app. It aggregates my status updates and pulls them into a cute collage that posts to my Facebook profile. I used it to pull all my statuses out and added them to a log I keep for future use. Now I can see my own trends in 140 characters or less.

Googlism

Finally, if you want to have some fun looking at what the Web is saying about a person, place or thing, you can try Googlism. Googlism is a fun tool that provides a random overview of searches related to your key word. Ever wondered what design is?  According to Googlism, as you can see above, “design is not a therapy session.”

What tools do you use to illustrate microtrends?

Sorry, but that means no turquoise jumpsuits made my list.

1. Facebook replaces personal email
Facebook has so much appeal (share photos and thoughts and keep up with long-lost pals). When you can write on someone’s wall or send a message through Facebook, why use personal email? Is this a new trend? I wouldn’t use Facebook for long, personal emails, but for quick exchanges – why not?

2. Targeting
We all get direct mail pieces that are specifically targeted to us, or are intended to be targeted to us. I immediately think of a magazine insert with my name printed on it. Whatever it is, chances are it was sent to you because of your age and gender. A new trend is to target consumers based on their  personality and individual needs. A recent article in Deliver magazine explained how a travel company named Backroads uses automated marketing engine technology from Nimblefish to mail postcards to past customers with photos of places these customers have visited. Not only will the message speak specifically to the recipient of the postcard (with their name) but it will also remind them of a past trip and suggest other trips they may like based on their history.

3. Smaller workspaces
I’ve heard about a trend toward smaller office spaces. Are private, enclosed offices going away? According to Executive Travel Magazine, more and more people are working in teams rather than solo. As a result, companies are making bigger common areas. Bigger common spaces mean more places for collaboration. More places for collaboration, means smaller personal offices spaces (most are now 7′ x 7′, down from 8′ x 8′).

4. Embedded generosity
People feel good about donating but sometimes it takes more effort than they’d like. Embedded generosity makes giving and donating virtually painless. Buy a pair of TOMS Shoes online, and the company will donate a pair of shoes to a child in need. Buy a pack of Pampers with a “1 Pack = 1 Life-Saving Vaccine” logo, and Procter & Gamble will donate the cost of one vaccine to UNICEF.  How easy is that?

5. Clean and simple
One of my favorite design blogs is Brand New. Something I’ve noticed on the blog this past year is the refinement of logos. Cleaner and simpler refinements. I hope it’s a trend that continues into 2010. Which do you prefer: the before or the after?

Coupons aren’t just for food products. In fact, coupon distribution among non-food products is the fastest growing category of coupons.

While the economy may or may not be on the upturn, coupon use is definitely on the rise and not expected to fall off any time soon. In other words, existing coupon clippers continue to clip and use even more coupons than they normally do and, at the same time, new families have started clipping and redeeming!

One popular coupon distribution method is through a free-standing insert (FSI). (You know, those coupon pages in your Sunday paper). At Go East, we always keep the following ideas in mind when creating a FSI:

• When appropriate, the creative design should integrate with what the consumer may see when they get to the point of purchase.
• Remember, the coupon is typically cut away from the creative part of the ad, so repeating the product name – and showing the packaging (along with the offer) – is important.
• Simple is better. An FSI is not the time to educate consumers about how to use the product. Keep messaging minimal!
• Always work with an agency that is familiar with guidelines for your coupon distribution method. At Go East, we work with Valassis and SmartSource, among others.

One last thought about coupons – it’s not always about stimulating trial of the product. Other objectives can be met through coupons, including stealing market share, driving volume, building equity in your brand or introducing new products. FSIs have a particularly unique advantage in that consumers have invited the paper (via subscription) into their home. Some studies indicate that 72 percent of all U.S. households look at promotional marketing weekly. But wait …  there’s more: The results are measurable!

Even amidst a drop in the value of the coupons and shorter expiration periods, redemption rates continue to rise. This is good news for manufacturers who are trying to gain audience penetration – you should either continue your coupon strategy or get one now!

1. Memory
So 2009. Check your Sent Mail or your web browser’s History if you can’t remember what you did yesterday.

2. Privacy
Googled your name lately?

3. Experts
Who isn’t an expert these days? Anyone without a blog. And that’s like, two people.

4. Boredom
There’s an app for that.

5. Listening to a whole CD
Gotta love iTunes Genius.

6. Punctuality
This one is sort of ironic, but so true.

7. Telephone directories
Although my Favorites and list of Contacts reads like one.

8. Letter writing
See #7, above.

9. Printing photographs
Instead of boxes of photos, I now have hard drives of photos.

10. Paper statements
If you haven’t signed up for e-statements, you might want to make sure you aren’t getting charged for the paper kind.

What technologies have made your life easier? Do you feel any guilt for hastening the extinction of any of the items on this list? Are you going to miss anything on this list?

That type of packaging is successful in terms of marketing and sustainability. My kids and I have had multiple impressions of the Welch’s brand over the years and we associate the brand with our family meals. As far as sustainability, I feel a little better using the jars as drinking glasses rather than sending them off to be recycled. Well this great idea is making a packaging trend comeback.

New products are now experimenting with reusable packaging. After all, “He who designs the nicest package will have it reused the most.” POM created a beautiful cylindrical glass for its line of pomegranate teas. It’s a wonderfully sleek and very comfortable container to drink from. Although POM has since changed its packaging for an even more sustainable plastic bottle, the public is disappointed that the beautiful glass is gone.

Method home cleaning products have turned packaging design upside down by designing their containers first. This is a natural step toward growing reusability. Their hand soap dispensers are beautiful and refillable, and the refill comes in a low-impact package. My Method dispenser has been in my first-floor bathroom for two years now.

So, a challenge: How can we apply this type of reusability to other product packaging? Can someone please redesign cereal boxes/bags? Do product dispensers need to be packaged at all? Is there a trend you’d like to see?