Failure To Launch
Don't you wish all things came with instructions?
I do I wish we had instructions for a lot of things...like this great instructional guide on "how to eat a shanghai dumpling." In the rush of life, we sometimes take things for granted and do away with the instructions. It may be okay to skip the "how to" for making a grilled cheese sandwich, but it can be disastrous to skip the "how to" for launching a new consumer product. TRUST ME...you need a strategy and plan of execution to launch successfully. Otherwise, you're leaving it to luck. I helped successfully launch one of the most successful CE lifestyle brands, helped re-launch a consumer electronics line and watched it roll in the money. I've also taken part in a few mobile app launches, watched many a product end up in vapor ware status and played witness to a dismal launch. Of all my experiences, I learned the most from the failed launches. One thing is for sure - if the Director of Marketing or CMO had a solid go-to-market strategy AND checklist, a lot of this could have been avoided. The go-to-market strategy is vital. Every decision matters - messaging, target, positioning, etc... Whether or not the strategy works isn't as important. The importance lies in thinking about the void you fill, the competitors in the space, and who your client truly is. Having a strategy with vision - a vision that everyone can believe in will help you brave the storms you are sure to face. Remember, you can adjust the strategy after you see results, but going in without a strategy is not an option. And NO - coming up with a viral video is not a strategy. Neither is setting up a twitter account and getting buzz with bloggers. These are activations or action items stemming from the go-to-market strategy. So, before you plan to launch your business, don't ask: How do I make this go viral?Or
How do I get buzz?
Or
How do we blow up on Twitter?
Or
Where do we find a social media guru? Instead, ask yourself the questions of any good strategy... Who are we?
What do we stand for?
Who is our client?
How do we help them?
How do we touch them?
...and hundreds more Feel free to email me for more questions or send me some of your own.
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