I am fortunate enough to be a member of Triberr and I am a member of a tribe called Content Marketing, SEO, Social Media, & Web Design which is dedicated to Marketing in its many forms. Ever week one member of the Tribe ask’s a question of their Tribe mates and we then post out the answers.
I asked the following question as I know my readers would be interested in the different point of views. The company you work for or a client is coming to you for a new product launch. What is the one marketing method you would recommend to them regardless of the nature of the product or the market they target and why? Six marketing gurus answered and here is what they had to say:
Joel Chudleigh answer
@deepfootprints
Digital Marketer specialising in PPC, SEO & Social media marketing. Like good food, wine, friends & being outdoors. http://deepfootprints.co.uk/
Answer
Perhaps the only one thing that would 100% be on the cards is an email to the database of the client/company. The launch would need to have a practical way to get a hands on trial/look at the new product so that the email isn’t just a one off piece of news but can lead to further communication and ideally sharing of the news.
Hilton Hamann Answers
@thewhiteou
Author of Days of the Generals, now in 8th reprint. Building a social media biz at my blog www.twitluddite.com http://www.twitluddite.com
Answer
My advice would be: Think like a publisher and get your blog properly organised and set up. Run it like a magazine, newspaper or television channel. In my opinion, a blog should be the core of any company’s marketing effort as it is the one piece of media that you own and control. Social media and advertising campaigns should drive clients/stakeholders etc to the blog where you can tell your story the way you want to. It is the space where you can ask for email addresses, conduct polls, ask questions, interact with readers and viewers, show authority and much more.
Matt Southern
@MattSouthern
Social media guy at @bureaugroup. I blog, I read a lot and I drink way too much coffee. Helping people do great things online is what I love most. Let’s talk 
http://mattsouthern.com
Answer
Taking full advantage of today’s digital marketing opportunities I would recommend that they reach out to their most influential brand advocates to help build buzz about the product prior to the launch date. Part of the job of a (good) social media manager is to recognize and reward brand advocates. Brand advocates are the people who always speak out about your brand and have gained influence through their blog and social media profiles. I would advise the client to send their new product to these people absolutely free. Send it way ahead of the launch date to give them time to use it and form their opinions. Rewarding them by giving them an advanced look at a new product is a great way to strengthen your relationship with them. Since they have a history of speaking out about your brand it’s safe to assume they will spread their opinions of the new product to help build some organic social media buzz. Most people trust peer recommendations over traditional marketing. Getting reviews and recommendations from people outside of your company will do more for a new product than any piece of corporate advertising ever could.
Jay Baron
@jaysbaron
An unwavering professional who shares ideas, speaks publicly about design and SEO, and creates conversion-focused websites. http://www.madtowndesigns.com
Answer
Regardless of the product the only marketing tool that is still the most valuable is an effective website. This doesn’t mean using a template or getting a cheap website just to be online. This means spending the time, money, and resources to ensure that your website communicates your brand, the benefits of your product, and why they should buy now. The website is going to be the hub of your marketing efforts. It’s where potential customers will do their research, make a purchase, and contact support. Your website either screams: “You mean so much to us as a valuable customer that we have spent the time to put together this website for you.” Or it says, “We don’t believe in our product enough to spend the money to invest in a website that you will actually care about.” Best of all your website is the only marketing that you can track all of your results, and make changes quickly to meet the needs of your audience. No other form of marketing can offer you the same return.
Genius Startup
@GeniusStartup
Launch your startup! Resources, strategies and secret tips to build a successful online business: http://www.geniusstartup.com/
Answer
Make sure the product, or at least the way you present it, has such a wow factor that people can’t help but tell other people about it. Create excitement in jaded web surfers and half your marketing work is done.
Neil Davidson
@WEBPRESENTER
my web presenters-web video production-Online response specialist-producer corporate videos-corporate marketing-brand builder-communicator-talent agency http://www.mywebpresenters.com
Answer
Well I am pretty biased here but I do believe that a well made video is perfect for a product launch. The best example ever is not low-budget but was very creative at the time – Apples’ 1984 -http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhsWzJo2sN4. Another fantastic example is how Dollar Shave Club grew massively in a short space of time using one product launch video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUG9qYTJMsI
It is not just the video’s themselves but also the marketing. Steve Jobs was well-known for his technique of building anticipation and leveraging the press and media for their launches at Apple.
Dollar Shave Club will have had a marketing plan behind the video that involved some key influencers helping to propel the awareness of the video in the early days before the viral effect took hold.
I hope you find these points as useful as I did. Please let me know if you have any other ideas that you would recommend
