Best Practices

How to Launch a New Product

Project Management, Brand Strategy, Content Creation, Website Design, Collateral

So you want to launch your new product

Launching a new product for your e-commerce brand requires a lot of forethought and planning. It’s also a great opportunity to get creative with your marketing and acquire new customers. Of course, lots goes into developing that new product and designing the best packaging, but we’ll focus on what happens when all of that hard work is done, and your product is in production.

Launch Strategy

First, consider how big you want this product launch to be. Do you envision it being a multi week takeover of your content calendar, or will it just be advertised the day of the launch? Will you give high value customers or influencers early access? (We recommend this to make sure your product page has reviews before the official launch!) Is it a LTO (limited time offer) or a full time addition to your product catalog? Is it a flavor extension, or a line extension? How familiar are your customers with the product? (i.e. is it something they might have bought from a competitor, or a completely new concept that needs more explanation). All these aspects will play into your strategy.

Project Timeline

Next, develop your project timeline. Work backwards from your ideal launch date and put in all the aspects of the project based on how far in advance of the launch date you will need them. Build-in time for feedback between the product launch team and any outside agencies working on your assets. We agencies love quick and thorough feedback! You can use something as simple as a Google sheet to manage the timeline, or use a project management tool like Asana, Zoho, Monday.com etc.

Now, what aspects of the project should you add to that timeline?

Renderings

Before you can get started on almost anything else on your timeline, you’ll need product renderings. These let you sell the product before you have it in hand to photograph, and often look sleeker than any product photography, so they’re great for your product page or Amazon listing.

Product and lifestyle renderings for Kalahari's new Rosemary Truffle Biltong flavor

Marketing card for Kalahari Rosemary Truffle Biltong

Marketing Collateral

Next up is marketing collateral. With design, production, and ship times, it should be early on your timeline. You’ll likely need sales sheets, marketing cards, and sometimes new mailer box designs. Other fun things to consider are stickers, apparel, and potential related giveaway items.

PR/Influencers

Let your PR team know about the launch to seed with the media. Get influencers involved early to gather product feedback, gain UGC content, and hype up the launch.

Content Calendar

Plan your content calendar for organic social, email, and paid advertising. Develop the messaging around your new product and any fun catchphrases that might be associated with it. Make sure you have your product description and keywords down. Develop an aesthetic for the launch that matches your brand, but veers away enough to create a visual distinction from the rest of your feed and emails to stand out. Consider all pre-launch messaging like teasers, launch day messaging like giveaways or discounts, and post-launch like further product information, product comparisons, feedback solicitation etc.

Content for Kalahari's Rosemary Truffle Biltong to be used on social and email

Website

Develop your product page, collection page edits, homepage graphics, and any pop-ups for launch. Consider if you want a landing page to collect customer information prior to launch and to tease the product.

You're Ready!

Now you’re ready to launch your latest and greatest product on your DTC e-commerce website! Anything we missed that you love to see in a product launch? Add it in the comments.
Need help launching your new product? We’d love to work with you!