product launch marketing formula

Does your product launch marketing formula include a shopping app? It should.

Often, a product launch marketing formula involves a step-by-step process, but it should be an ongoing cycle. Many brands are challenged to gain attention for new products, and there’s no one ideal process for all launches. Instead, brands should take a cyclical approach to improving awareness of a new product, ensuring that the hype created is capable of building upon itself.

Incorporating a shopping app into a product marketing strategy can not only boost marketing efforts by reaching a larger audience, but the app can also provide a brand with data needed to improve the strategy. Third-party apps can offer insight on all parts of campaign creation while also providing a way to boost sales on debut. As you design, create, test, and improve your product’s launch plan, a shopping app can act as your brand’s best ally.  

Applying Engineering Fundamentals to a Product Launch Marketing Formula

There are a lot of pitfalls in the product launch process, from the risk of low demand to problems with gaining awareness. There must be a plan to manage these obstacles. One way to do so is to take an engineering approach, which continuously goes through a series of phases, to locate and correct issues.

  • Design: The design of a marketing plan is the blueprint for that campaign. This phase is where the brand determines target demographics, the platforms to reach those demographics, and the types of messages to use.
  • Create: This phase isn’t just about the creation of the content for the campaign. It’s also about encouraging others to create content. Take a social media campaign, for example. The use of hashtags used by online influencers helps build awareness for a campaign.
  • Test: Testing can include setting up focus groups to review commercials or A/B testing a product’s webpage. Beta users and reviewers may be given samples for their honest feedback. Finally, a smaller version of the overall campaign might be rolled out to a limited audience to gauge initial reactions and locate potential problems.  
  • Improve: Following testing, the brand can tweak parts of the campaign where it may be underperforming. If the viewers’ response to video content is less than enthusiastic, content can be changed. If the hashtag or social media event fails to inspire a following, the brand has the opportunity to re-think that part of their campaign. This phase is where solutions to potential pitfalls can be developed.

The improvement phase should occur in cycles. That way, the brand can create a successful campaign for a full-scale project launch that is both cost-effective and impactful.

Using Shopping Apps to Understand What Consumers Want

product launch marketing formula for your brandAny brand preparing to launch a new product has likely already gone through the above phases in the creation of the product itself. However, marketing plans rarely get the same treatment.  These campaigns can be difficult to adjust once they’ve already been rolled out, meaning that it may be too late to improve that campaign after an issue is discovered. A shopping app can be used to guide a brand through every stage of designing a campaign.

  • Gaining insight on demographics: During the design phase of your product launch, a shopping app can help you to gain insight into the purchase behaviors of your target market. This data also provides insight into who is the primary purchase decision maker in a household for specific products, as well as where to reach out to those consumers.  
  • Building buzz with a digital scavenger hunt: Some shopping apps offer a fun gamified component that works to get consumers to interact with products. Gamification is something Shopkick does in that it awards kicks (aka rewards points) when consumers locate and scan products in the store. Kicks can be redeemed for gift cards, further incentivizing the consumers’ interaction. During the create phase, a program like this can be used to build buzz in brick-and-mortar locations, by allowing a brand to direct consumers to their products in the store.
  • Re-evaluate content with rewarded video: Rewarded video is a standard feature on many shopping apps. Using this element can also be an excellent opportunity to test market videos, as consumers will watch knowing that they will be rewarded and they will be more likely to provide feedback that you can use to improve your brand’s message.
  • Maximize sales during product launch: With the insight on consumers’ behaviors gained from a shopping app, brands can sharpen the focus of their product launches, ensuring they’re reaching the right consumers, at the best places. As an added benefit, these shopping apps can be used to drive purchase of the product during its release, ensuring a successful debut.  

With shopping apps like Shopkick, brands can connect with consumers who are motivated, active shoppers. These types of shoppers are often seeking out new products, making them an ideal audience for new product launch campaigns.

With shopping apps like Shopkick, brands can connect with consumers who are motivated, active shoppers.

Building a product launch marketing formula is an ongoing process that brands should be ready to change at a moment’s notice. By using the fundamentals of engineering in creating their campaigns, brands will be better able to change direction while maximizing sales. Shopping apps can help assist in the process, allowing a brand to build sustainable enthusiasm for new products.

Shopkick works with our partners to drive excitement for new products through our fun, interactive shopping app. For more information on how this app can improve your product launch, contact us.

Image courtesy of Rawpixel.com

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Dima Volovik

EVP of Product and Engineering

Dima Volovik is the EVP of Product and Engineering at Trax Retail — Shopkick.

Dima Volovik is the accomplished product and engineering leader who led teams to deliver innovative and commercially successful e-commerce products, marketplaces, and enterprise solutions for Amazon, Comcast, Fandango, and Universal Music. Before joining Trax, Dima was the Director at Amazon, where he led product development and Engineering for Amazon Appstore and Amazon Prime Video, CTO at Fandango, and Paciolan, head of technology at Golf Channel/Golf Now, and Global VP of Direct to Consumer Technology at Universal Music Group. Dima’s expertise includes developing consumer products, marketplaces, and enterprise solutions.

Dima grew up in Baku, Azerbaijan, where he received his MS in Electrical Engineering from Azerbaijan Oil Academy, and he currently resides in Los Angeles, California, with his family.