Developing the next hot high-tech product can feel like an exhilarating whirlwind of engineering feats and entrepreneurial hustle. But with the nonstop flurry of product development and marketing, it’s easy to overlook critical components that help amplify your launch. That’s where strategic public relations comes in. Partnering with the right firm to get the right PR fundamentals locked down ensures you successfully present your innovation to relevant audiences, stand out amid the noise, and spark those viral launch moments.
If you want to make a big splash, here’s how; we have developed the following high-tech PR checklist to make your product launch a resounding success:
Pinpoint Your Key Messages
Summarize your core value proposition and key differentiators in a few crisp, compelling messages. These should be refined until they capture the essence of why your audience should care. These messages will anchor all communications.
Identify Your Target Media
Ask, who are the journalists, outlets and publications with the best fit audience, topic expertise, and appetite for your story? Conduct deep research to identify relevant reporters, tailor targeted lists, and track past coverage of your space.
Craft a Press Release
While the press release has evolved, it remains a fundamental launch tool to succinctly announce your product to media and the world. Include quotes from executive leadership, details on your product’s features and value, highlight any launch events, pricing, and visual assets and announce through a reputable wire service like BusinessWire and PR Newswire.
Build Media Pitches
With a press release in hand, create customized pitches conveying why each media outlet is a great match for exclusive previews, product reviews, or related stories. Focus on their audience, popular topics, and past related coverage when tailoring your angle.
Generate Buzz with Influencers
Identify key influencers in your industry like analysts, prominent bloggers, and podcasters. They speak directly to your target audience, and offering exclusive briefings and demo access can help secure influencer insights, early buzz, and potential endorsements of your technology as launch time approaches.
Prepare Executive Leadership for Interviews
The product is only half of the equation, being able to articulate its industry-disrupting potential is an equally important part of a successful launch. Working with your PR team, you must anticipate and practice responses to hard-hitting media questions about competition, security issues, market challenges and more. The aforementioned messaging should be second nature and impactful soundbites prepared so leaders exude confidence and mastery of topics during press interviews.
Have Striking Visuals on Hand
From product photos, infographics, and demo videos to pictures of leaders and engineers, compelling visuals help bring your story to life across media coverage. Develop a media asset portal for easy access.
Build a Strategic Social Media Presence
Leverage Twitter, LinkedIn and beyond to share launch updates, highlight your leadership as thought leaders, and eventually provide access to demos and ambassadors. Insert relevant hashtags and “@” mentions to spark conversation and increase your engagement.
Host a Launch Event or Webinar
Consider hosting a launch event (in-person or virtual) to generate buzz, demo the product experience, and highlight executives. Or organize a pre-launch media-only webinar for a “behind the scenes” peek. It is also important to provide multimedia assets for remote attendees.
Monitor Results and Conduct Follow Up’s
Track launch week media hits and social media engagement. Review coverage and metrics to identify high-impact outlets and topics to further build on with additional outreach like contributed articles bylined by your leaders. Generating and continuing momentum helps support growth and sustainable interest in your product.
With strategic PR efforts, you have the power to captivate audiences far beyond early adopters. This launch checklist ensures you maximize visibility and mindshare from day one.
Have an impending product launch? Contact KCD PR to showcase how your cutting-edge technology will transform your industry!
