Two Critical Components of a Successful Product Launch

Brian Lawley

CEO, 280 Group LLC

Agenda

• Background• Beta programs• Product reviews• Resources• Q&A

• 280 Group LLCPresident & Founder

• Whistle CommunicationsDirector of Product Management & Product Marketing

• Symantec Director of Java and C++ tools

• Apple Computer Senior Product Manager, MacOS

• Claris Corporation (FileMaker, Inc.) Marketing Specialist

• Digidesign, Inc. (division of Avid)Manager of US channel sales and marketing

Brian Lawley

Additional Background

• Silicon Valley Product Management AssociationFormer President

• Won 2007 Product Management Thought Leadership Award Association of International Product Marketing & Management

• Featured on:

– CNBC’s World Business Review with Alexander Haig– KLIV Silicon Valley Business Report– Silicon Valley Business Journal: Top 10 Consulting firms

• Articles & white papers published:

– SD Forum– 280 Insider– AIPMM– SVPMA– Softletter

Hand-picked Product Marketing and Product Management experts to help companies define, launch & market breakthrough new products.

The Product Marketing & Product Management Experts

Consulting ● Contractors ● Training ● Templates

280 Group Clients

Running a SuccessfulBeta Program

Why Beta Programs Are Critical

• Outside validation to build confidence• Product readiness for ship• Early learning & feedback• Testimonials, quotes & success stories• Build ongoing relationships with a friendly set

of customers

First, A Bad Example

• Contacted• Interesting new product• For a friend of mine• Was I interested?

– Agree to terms– Download client– Test starts X/X/XX

• Win Amazon $$$!

The Results

• Logged on– No idea how to use the product– No docs or help system

• New builds appeared without details• Never confident about product• I began to ignore the emails• Not sure what ever happened

Now A Good Example

• Whistle InterJet• 10 customers using the product for 6 weeks• Supplemented QA efforts nicely• In-depth feedback from each customer• 3 early success stories• Many new feature ideas early on• 10/10 told us “Ready To Ship”

How to Run a Beta Program

• Setting goals• Write plan & sign off• Who manages the program• Length of program• Recruiting participants• Selection of candidates• Factors in response rates• Participation levels• Agreements

• Incentives• Kicking off the programs• Ongoing communication• Responding to participants• Communicating internally• Exit surveys• Final report• After the beta• Best practices

Beta Program Timeline

Task Amount of Time

Set goals, write plan, sign off 1 week

Recruit & receive applications 3 weeks

Select, notify, send agreement 1 week

Run program 3-6 weeks

Exit survey, tally results, write final report

1 week

TOTAL 8-12 weeks

How to Get Phenomenal Product Reviews

Why Reviews Are Critical

• Establish Credibility• More believable than marketing• Third-party opinion• Early adopters live by them• Key to creating a tipping point• Product’s brand• Good reviews lead to awards

Don’t let this happen

Your Goal

So What’s the difference?

• Some products will never win• Many products are equal• Occasionally you get a product that will win no matter what• Perception is everything• You can and must manage perception• Reviewers are overworked, underpaid (and some are lazy)

A Day in the Life of a Reviewer

• Deadline• Try out new product• Doesn’t work – make calls• Deadline• Try second product• Interruption• Second product works but don’t understand it• Deadline• First company never calls back• Finish second product review• Attempt to set up lab for third product• Don’t have the right equipment• Deadline• Interruption• Next day:

– Go back to first bullet– See “Groundhog Day” movie

Top 10 Ways to Get a Great Review

10. Put a Dedicated Senior Product Manager on the Job

• This will be as important as the product itself• Ideal candidate

– Responsible & good planner

– Done review programs before

– Has charisma

– Ultimately will convey to the reviewer what the company is all about (flaky, responsive, uncaring, customer-focused)

• Get a commitment from management that this will be her/his number one priority for 6 months

• Take them on the press tour• Build the relationship!!!

9. Work From a Timeline and Hold Bi-weekly Meetings

• Use a timeline to communicate/control• Factor in slippage• Insist on meeting every 1-2 weeks• Ask the PM to send a weekly status email

Sample Timeline for Analyst & Press Program

Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct

2 9 162330 7 142128 4 111825 2 9 162330 6 132027 3 101724 1 8 1522

Analyst & Press Program

Analyst ActivitiesKickoff/bi-weekly meetingsSet up analyst meetings

Finalize analyst list (1 friendly, 4 add'l)Calls to analysts to set up mtgs

Prepare briefing & review materialsPresentation

First draftInternal ReviewFinal version

Final modifications to rev guidePress kitsSet up test/review accounts

First meeting with "Friendly" AnalystModifications to materials/messages (if necessary)Meeting w/add'l 4 analystsCheck in on analysts/relationship building

Press activitiesPrepare press briefing materialsLong Lead Press Briefings Short lead time briefingsProduct ships

Review activitiesFirst 3 Friendly ReviewersSecond phase of reviewers (8-12 total)Third Phase of Reviewers (8-12 add'l)Final Phase of Reviewers/StragglersWeekly "Friendly" Check-in calls

Press CoverageDailiesWeekliesMonthlies

8. Get Your Materials & References Together

• Provide a complete press kit– Printed materials– CD with soft copies– Materials to include

• Press release• Brochure/data sheet• Reviewer’s guide• Photos & screen shots• Customer quotes, success stories, references and contact info• Personalized one page summary sheet

– When you send product for review– Materials included– Step-by-step instructions to get started– PM & PR contacts

• Don’t make them have to call you• Put all materials on the web (for when they lose the CD)

7. Do the Killer Demo: Practice Practice Practice

• May be the only time they see the product • A great demo:

– Shows top 5 features & benefits– Appeals to logic & emotion– Uses a real-world scenario– Flows and tells a story– Build tension & climax– Make sure that is an unexpected “Aha” twist

• Practice: – Internally– Pre-flight

• Refuse to change the demo at the last minute

6. Make It “Dummy Proof” With Custom Preset Accounts

• Set up demo accounts beforehand & test• Send reviewer customized letter with materials packet and

username & login• Check to see if the accounts are being used

5. Set the Competitive Argument

• Tell them what category you are in– Gets you into roundups (even if not necessarily a fit)– Makes the logical part of their work much easier

• If you don’t set the argument, they will• “But We Don’t Have Any Competition”

Set the competitive argument

4. Phase Rollout, Track Equipment, Check in Routinely

• Phase Rollout– Do 2-3 reviews early to iron out the kinks– Deliver the rest in waves– Ensures you can be responsive

• Track equipment– Spreadsheet with date out, date in, etc.– Add’l reason to contact reviewer

• Check in routinely– Call 2 days after product sent– Friendly call every week to make sure things going

smoothly/answer questions

3. Provide Immediate Responses

• Respond same day within 2 hours (preferably 30 mins)• Get commitment from PM (and engineering)• Give them your cell phone number• This will be the parachute if the reviewer accidentally

trips and falls out of the plane

2. Include Screen Shots & Photos With Captions

• Include at least 3 screen shots & photos• Highlight the top 3 features of the product• Include captions at bottom of the screen shot

– Visible when they open the graphic– May use it as a direct quote

• Give them the chance to take the lazy way out…

Sample Screen Shot

1. Write The Review For Them

• Provide A Reviewer’s Guide– Make it “Brain Dead Easy”– Include a TOC– Use a professional graphic designer – Get it printed

• Professional/together image• Forces schedule• More likely to be used

– This will be expensive and worth every penny

• Give Them PDF/Word Versions– Plagiarism is the highest form of praise– Give them the lazy way out– Allow them to copy & paste

Sample Outline For Reviewer’s Guide

I. Overview

II. Introduction

III. What to consider when evaluating XXX solutions

IV. A guided tour of XXX

V. Coming Soon…

VI. Summary

VII. Contact Information

VIII. Competitive Comparison

IX. FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions

Sample Reviewer’s Guide

Sample Guided Tour

Top 10 Ways to Get Great Reviews…

10. Put a Dedicated Senior Product Manager on the Job9. Work From a Timeline and Hold Bi-weekly Meetings8. Get Your Materials & References Together7. Do the Killer Demo: Practice Practice Practice6. Make It “Dummy Proof” With Custom Preset Accounts5. Set the Competitive Argument4. Phase Rollout, Track Equipment, Check in Routinely3. Provide Immediate Responses2. Include at Least 3 Screen Shots With Captions1. Write the Review for Them

Resources• Go to www.280group.com “Resources” section• Free White papers

– Product Marketing vs. Product Management– Product Roadmaps– Lightweight Product Process– Product Launches– Prioritizing Features– Product Reviews– Beta Programs

• Free Templates– Feature Prioritization Matrix Template – Beta Program Bug & Feature Database

Tools(FileMaker & Excel) – AdWords ROI calculator tool – Sample Product Roadmaps Templates – Developer Program Roadmap Templates – Developer Program Cost Estimator Tool – Evangelism Timeline Template – Competitive Feature Matrix Comparison Chart

Template – Product Launch Plan Marketing Budget Template – Press Release Template – Google AdWords Tips & Strategies

• Toolkits (templates & training)– Product Manager’s Toolkit– Product Roadmap Toolkit– Product Launch Toolkit– Beta Program Toolkit– Product Reviews Toolkit– Developer Program Toolkit

• PM Office– Standard– Pro

• PM Training– 4 day PM Fast Track – Certified Product Manager self—study course

• 280 LinkedIn Group• PM job listing sites• On-demand webinars• Product Management book reviews• Product Management 2.0 newsletter• Product Management 2.0 blog• Much more…

brian@280group.com

Two Critical Components of a Successful Product Launch

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