Prelaunch: PR and Social Media
Photo by The Climate Reality Project
How to start generating buzz with PR and social media before your product launch.
By Robin Anderson
You have created your first communications assets. You're a month out from launching your product. How do you lay the groundwork to capture the attention of journalists for PR and create market buzz on social media?
With anything you do, it’s critical to begin by identifying your goals. Defining success ahead of your launch will help you to measure what is working and help refine your strategy as you quickly approach your launch date.
For example:
Are you looking to drive traffic to your website?
Have your story published in a highly desired publication?
Get an interview on an industry podcast?
Be seen as an authority in this industry?
Plan to launch your website at least 30 days prior to introducing your product. It takes Google time to crawl and index your site to show up in search. Initial content in blogs should include introductions about the company and the state of union within your industry, to help build credibility. Use this content later to promote your company and product through social media.
When starting to promote, know that blanketing the world doesn’t get the attention you are seeking (the PR world calls this ‘spray-and-pray pitching’). So posting on every social media platform will not make the impact you desire. The result of this method can damage the relationships you have with influential contacts and interested journalists. The best way to determine where to build a following is to first know who your audience is. When you know that, you’ll be able to narrow your focus to where you will have the biggest impact.
With that in mind, when it comes to pre-launch, the work is about you. Participate in conversations related to your industry. Share your expertise with others before you let them know about your product/company. As you meet those who are interested, capture their email, etc. so that you can share with them when you launch. Connect with others in your industry to help expand your reach.
“Seek out complementary businesses so you can help promote each other.”
PR
Make a list of publications and news sites that might be interested in writing about your product. Read previous articles and social posts to use to connect with reporters. Review and send feedback that can help them as a source or as a thought leader for the industry they cover. The purpose of doing the legwork is to get them familiar with you, to see you as an influencer in the industry. When the time comes for you to connect directly with them about your product, you’ll have a greater opportunity to gain their attention and interest.
Based on the connections you have made with reporters, two weeks prior to your launch send an email to your target list of journalists. Share with them the who/what/why now in a concise and captivating story. Make sure to let them know the date you will go public so that they don’t pre-announce before you are ready. One week prior to your launch host a pre-launch brief where you can show them your product. Thank them for their time and interest. The day prior to your launch send out an email to anyone who expressed interest. Do this to encourage them to share to extend your reach.
Have a press release ready to go on the day of your launch. It should not be the only source to introduce your product. But more of a formality. Use it to connect with your blog which will provide a more interesting read as well and build credibility - particularly if you can incorporate customer testimonials. Keep your press release brief but make it intriguing - how you are solving a very real problem with your product - it has to be attention grabbing. Having graphics or videos that help explain the product will help to capture attention and interest much more than text.
For your actual launch, consider hosting an event or using an opportunity such as a conference to make an announcement. Include customers who were a part of your beta, any industry influencers or experts, and third-party partners.
Social Media
To start building your base, begin by introducing yourself. While your initial connections are likely already business colleagues, family and friends, use this as an opportunity to expand your reach by telling your story - how you got to where you are now. Incorporate lessons learned along the way that connect you with former colleagues and friends. This lets your followers know why you are exceptional, and helps to establish your credibility within your industry. This will also help you to connect with your target as they see the hard work, how you got to where you are, and your gratitude, which enables them to relate to you on a personal level. Think of this as an opportunity to offer inspiring posts, including quotes from those who have inspired you or those whom you have admired from afar.
As you get closer to launch, begin to build buzz for your product. Encourage those you are reaching through social media to sign up to learn and get a sneak peak at your offering.
From Kiersten Gaffney, start by
Prime your network with where the market is today
Review the existing solutions that don’t meet market needs
Share where the market is going
Expose the new market problems
Tease out what you will create to get the job done
When you are ready to launch, start by sharing an interesting perspective as to how you are going to solve the problem. Weave the story of your company into the solution piece. Keep the focus on how you are solving the problem.
Having a launch plan is critical to grabbing opportunities to share your product and reach a larger audience through publicity. Once complete, conduct a postmortem to understand what worked well, and what didn’t. A product launch is just the beginning. Use this to continue to build awareness for your product and continue to engage with your audience through social media.
Need help planning your PR and social media communications before you launch your product? Contact us today!
FunFact Friday
Instagram: The dog that launched a social media giant
The very first image to be shared on Instagram was a photo of Kevin Systrom’s dog. Kevin, a co-founder of Instagram was using this as a ‘test’ by posting this a few months prior to the launch of Instagram. Instagram was a success, picking up one million followers in its first few months.