New products—they are constantly flowing to meet today’s “yesterday’s widget is old” mentality. What’s different in the new iPhone? Is the new version of Hootsuite better? Which of the latest CRM solutions is right for my company?
Reporters often wonder what is significantly new about new products, so proper PR positioning can mean the difference between no coverage and powerful, on-message media. Fresh off a few new product launches, here is some insight that consistently helps us garner targeted coverage for clients.
Get Your Messages Straight…Before the Interview – Take time to develop core messaging around the new offering—including a clear target audience, key benefits and reasons for the new product (without knocking the previous version) and ensure the leadership team and company spokespeople are on the same page .
Plug the Business Benefits, Not the Product Features – Of course the product’s features are important, but they shouldn’t be the first messages out of the gate. Customers care most about the reasons for the features – and so do reporters. Explain the business benefits to cut through the clutter for reporters who stare at feature-centric pitches and press releases all day.
Get a Third-Party Onboard – If possible, brief at least one third-party analyst before the launch to kick the tires on the new product. More often than not, they will have valuable insights and questions about how the product fits the needs of the marketplace. And, bonus, one of these folks may be willing to contribute a quote to your launch press release.
Offer a Test Drive – Product reviews can be powerful. If your product stands up and is bug-free, offer key media a test-drive on their own. This type of coverage (if positive) can also be used to close key sales deals.