By Nick Mason

We work with clients on lots of different product launches during the course of a year, from innovations in tech to the latest trends in food and drink.

The client has responsibility to ensure their new product or product extension is great, that there is a gap in the market, that the branding looks good and that its sales strategy is spot on.

With all of this in place, the job is then to communicate the benefits of the new market entrant. This is where we come in – more often than not with no significant advertising budget to complement the PR and Content campaign we will execute on behalf of our client.

There are a number of key steps to a successful PR launch, including:

1. Get the message right. Often there will be several different headline messages that need to be researched and shaped to suit different audiences the product is aiming to reach.
2. Tell a story. Many of the most successful product launches – ranging from Virgin and Apple to Innocent Drinks and the White Company – have a great back story. Something that really draws you, perhaps to do with the entrepreneur’s background or the way their Eureka moment materialised.
3. Choose the right channels. With so many different ways to communicate with potential customers, it’s important to spend time working out which channels are best for your product launch. For some, engagement via particular social media platforms is key. For others, sharing the story (and samples) with a more focussed group of journalists and influencers is often the best starting point, helping to fuel interest among consumers.
4. Target the right media. Despite rumours to the contrary, print media is still very much alive and well. Take a look at any newsstand and you will see hundreds of daily / Sunday newspapers and magazines to suit every interest – no matter how obscure. You need to know which ones are best for your product and, crucially, how to get in front of the right journalist – and get them excited! Aside from the plethora of print titles, there is the broadcast media, often more impenetrable than their print colleagues unless you have the right contacts.
5. Video content. All media seems to love great video content these days. Some will offer to come out and film their own pieces to camera. But the majority would prefer you to provide them with your own video which they can quickly upload and share with their online audiences. It all helps to drive greater engagement both for the website and, most importantly of all, your product. Alongside video, don’t underestimate the importance of great photography – both of your product and the team behind it. Sometimes it’s the iconic image that people remember most.

It is not always about the biggest budgets. Often, the brands with the coolest stories and the right strategy to quickly gain traction for their product are the ones that end up being the most successful.

If you’ve got a product ready to launch or in the planning stage, please drop the team at MASON a line. We’d be more than happy to advise on the right PR and Content campaign for you.