To successfully roll out a
new product, or upgraded version of an existing product, you need to inform
several audiences of the new product's availability and benefits. These
audiences fall into two major categories: Internal and
External.
(Note: we'll use a software product rollout as an example.)
Internal Rollout
There are two major
internal audiences for your product rollout: your Sales team, and your
Support
organization. You will also want to inform the general company about the
product. (Note: I'm assuming the Marketing department is handling the rollout;
if not, they're a third major audience.)
Before you announce your
product, you must train your sales team to sell the new product/version, and
give them the sales tools they'll need to succeed. At a minimum, they need an
updated Sales Presentation, Demo and Price List that reflect the new product.
In addition, updated collateral, case studies and a "Frequently Asked
Questions" or FAQ document are helpful.
It's not enough to just
give the sales force these materials; you need to train them in using them. If
you can schedule your product release around a full sales meeting, that's a
great opportunity for training - but often, you can't pull the entire sales
force out of the field for training. In this case, either a series of regional
meetings, web meetings, or a "train the trainer" session with
representatives from each region can reinforce the new key messages, sales
presentation and demo.
You also need to prepare
your Support organization before the product is released. One of the best ways
is to have them involved in the product beta or Early Customer Release program,
allowing them to develop for themselves the materials they'll need to support
customers. At a minimum, these include an updated test environment,
Support
FAQ, and Read Me/Release Notes.
If your company offers
product training, developing a new or updated training course for the new
product/version is also a critical activity that should be completed prior to
product release. At release, you'll also want to be able to announce a
full
schedule of related training.
Finally, it's important to
let the rest of the company know that the product has been released. At a
minimum, an email announcing the product, with a copy of the product Press Release
should go to everyone in the company. Even better is a celebration, showing the
new collateral, presentation and demo - to make everyone feel a part of the
company's latest success.
External Rollout
Just as the internal
rollout prepares the company for the new product, the external rollout
announces the product to the marketplace, customers and
prospects.
The most obvious aspect is
the rollout to Press and Analysts. This typically involves visiting key
analysts and press, and presenting the new product features, benefits and
availability to them. This requires certain materials, including a Press Release,
Rollout Presentation (similar to a Sales Presentation, but with a different
slant), Demo and customer references. Copies of updated collateral can also be
used in the leave-behind kit.
A Reviewer's Guide that
walks the reader through a product demo, highlighting the key differentiating
features with associated benefits and market needs, is a very useful tool for
generating complete, favorable in-depth reviews of the new product.
You should also present
the updated product to your existing customers. If you sell upgrades, this can
be a revenue opportunity, and an upgrade promotion should be part of the
package. In any case, you need to let customers know that the new
product/version is available, and stress the new features and benefits. The
overall tone is to reinforce that the company is an active, energetic entity
that is responsive to customer needs. An email with copies of the
press release
and FAQ are useful here. Customer Case Studies and
analyst quotes are also
helpful.
Finally, you should use
the new product/version availability as an opportunity to generate sales leads.
A special product promotion, centering on the new upgrade, is useful here,
perhaps combined with special pricing. Leverage any press generated from the Press
and Analyst rollout, and use customer Case Studies focused on benefits and ROI.
An advertising campaign centering on the new product will generate excitement about
both the product and the company, especially if the ads appear in issues which
contain reports and reviews of the new product, and in subsequent issues.
Preparation
This is a lot to do -
which is why preparation for the rollout should start 4 to 5 months before the
product is released! By being involved in the product Quality Assurance and
Early
Release programs, you can get a head start and leverage some of this work for
rollout deliverables.
For example, the QA
efforts can provide product scenarios and data for both the support test bed,
and the sales and press tour demos. And you can leverage work on the support
test bed for use in the demos. Likewise, work on the sales demo
"storyboard" can be used to develop the Reviewer's Guide.
Working with the Early
Customer Release program can generate customer references for the press and
analyst rollout, and case studies for the sales, advertising and
lead-generation activities. It's also an excellent time to test and refine your
new product training course. And experiences from both the QA and beta/ECR
programs can generate great input for the FAQ document.
Yes, a product rollout is
a lot of work - but if you work smart, it can be one of the most rewarding
activities of your marketing year.
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