An event of any kind takes a huge amount of planning, and product launches are no exception. It’s hard to know where to start and there is so much to do, from hiring an event marquee to putting on refreshments. And, of course, you’ll need to figure out how best to show off your exciting new product.
Here are a few essential tips to remember when planning your launch:
1. Exhaustively plan, then plan some more
Poor planning at a product launch can seriously damage the reputation of the product, so you’ll need to be meticulous about every detail. Start with the venue and once you have your event tents or room hired (for outdoor and indoor events respectively), everything else can be added in from there. It’s also a good idea to try to predict every minor and major thing that could possibly go wrong, and plan how to avoid such eventualities.
2. Whip up some excitement with a big build-up
To get people to attend your event and get excited about your product, you need to let them know about it! It’s never too early to start publicising your event and sending out invitations, so that people can save the date in your calendar. Use social media and local/national press to start building a buzz and run the odd competition or two to get people talking – then don’t forget to send plenty of reminders in the run-up to the big day.
3. Choose the perfect venue – don’t be afraid to splash out!
If anything is worth spending money on, it’s the venue and all the trimmings that make a product launch special. You want attendees to feel that you have complete confidence in your product, so much confidence that you’re willing to hire the very best event tent in a great location, decorate and furnish it fully and put on lots of refreshments and entertainment for your guest. If you skimp on the launch event, it will speak volumes about the faith you have in your new product.
4. Get the right people on your guest list, and build a relationship with them
It’s very important to get the right industry movers and shakers on your guest list, as well as key members of the press and key consumer groups. Don’t just invite everyone, even if you do want to get your numbers up, but concentrate on getting these very influential guests there. You should also think about tailoring your event to your target consumer market, the people who will actually buy and use your product – don’t try to impress absolutely every possible market and consumer because you’ll never be able to do it.
5. Show people a good time, as well as showing them the product
Of course, the product will need to be centre stage in your event tent or other venue, but don’t forget about hospitality and entertainment for your guests. Show them a fun and entertaining day, provide great quality refreshments and they will associate the enjoyable time they’ve had with positive feelings about your product. If you make the day too marketing based (even though it is a marketing event), you may only end up pushing your customers away.
