The top 3 things brands must control for a successful product launch
There’s a lot that goes into pulling off a successful launch of a hot, in-demand product. Some things come down to luck, and launches certainly have a way of taking on a life of their own, but there are three factors in particular that your brand must control to make the right impact with your launch: distribution channels, timing, and storytelling.
A launch’s success hinges on the amount of passion and enthusiasm you’re able to build before the moment of your drop. Skillful, strategic execution of distribution, timing, and storytelling are what will allow you to stoke that excitement from your fans until the moment you’re ready to unleash it.
Controlling for these variables and expertly directing the flow as you count down to launch day will ensure a flood of positive energy at the moment that you’re ready to harness it. Conversely, a lack of planning or losing control over these three important factors is akin to springing a leak, turning a potential deluge into a dribble.
Let’s take a look at a few crucial ways that brands can protect their passion pipelines and guarantee a strong and steady buildup of enthusiasm throughout the phases of the launch.
Distribution channels: How and where should you make your in-demand product available?
Brands have a lot of options when it comes to distributing their products. Direct-to-consumer, ecommerce, specialized shops, online marketplaces, and even social media shops like the TikTok store — there’s plenty of opportunity to touch many different types of audiences based on the channels you choose.
Casting a wide net may seem like a strategic choice that will give you the best shot at sell-through, reach the broadest range of fans possible. And it may help drive other strategic goals, like increasing foot traffic in stores or strengthening your partnership with another retailer. Right?
Maybe. However, it is possible to use too many channels. It can confuse fans and siphon off energy from your main launch. The more channels you don’t directly own — the harder and more complex it becomes to control the other crucial elements of your release, like timing and narrative. When it’s too difficult to keep track of your various channels, the more likely you are to end up with leaks that sap the pressure from your passion pipeline.
Timing: How can you plan your perfect launch timeline?
Timing is everything when it comes to product launches. Two essentially identical launch strategies can end up delivering completely different results based on their timing, especially when multiple distribution channels are in play.
After all, one of the founding principles of a successful launch is exclusivity — something that is difficult to achieve if too much product is initially released in too many places at once. Many brands make the strategic choice to drop a certain percentage of inventory on launch day, then reserve some product to later stock in-store or at partner retailers. Fans understand this, and the most die-hard will still eagerly participate in your launch for their shot at being the first to get their hands on your release. But if someone goes through the trouble of shooting their shot at a supposedly exclusive drop, only to then find it on store shelves the same day, it demonstrates a lack of respect for their dedication.
There will always be a subset of fans who aren’t passionate enough to deal with the launch-day fervor, and are okay with taking their chances at finding it later in-store or even secondhand on eBay. But to your most dedicated fans, it means something special to be first. The long odds and exclusivity of a launch drive the thrill of fandom. A well-timed launch plays into this by appropriately staggering distribution so that the day of the drop is all about the most passionate followers.
Storytelling: Shaping the narrative of your launch
Storytelling is the third crucial component of a successful launch campaign. The way you promote, describe, and hype up your product isn’t just about getting the word out there to fans. It’s your mechanism for giving the product meaning — defining the difference between just another pair of shoes and a style statement that represents an artist’s vision.
Timing comes into play for storytelling, too. A brand has a limited amount of time in which they can control the narrative around a product. At some point, the conversation will be out of their hands, spilling over into social media and taking on a range of organic fan perspectives. This isn’t a bad thing, in-fact it can be ideal, but only as long as the brand has had the opportunity to plant the first seeds.
When it comes to high-demand products, fans will always be clamoring for leaks or insider info. Everyone thinks they want to be the first to see a new drop or get the secret scoop. But, just like your indoor plumbing, leaks can sap all the oomph out of your passion pipeline.
To understand this, consider how you would like your product to make its first impression: via a potato-quality pic taken in a poorly lit warehouse, leaked before you’ve had the chance to explain the artistic vision? Or via a professional, stylized photo shoot designed to highlight the design elements your brand has spent weeks teasing?
In the latter scenario, your fans will instantly connect the dots between your style choices and the overall narrative behind the product. In the former, they’ll wonder why this is something they’re supposed to be excited for at all.
If a narrative is not well-timed or gets out of the brand’s hands too early in the process, it can take all the steam out of a launch. It’s like punching a hole in your pipe and allowing all the water to drain out before it reaches your faucet. There might be a few drops of enthusiasm left by launch day, but you’re likely to find that it’s become a trickle, not the flood of passion that could have been.
Power your perfect launch with EQL
Of course, even the most carefully planned, strategic launch can still fall flat at the moment of your drop if you don’t have the right tech in place. Crashing sites, long waits, and a chaotic user experience can squander all the excitement you’ve spent weeks or months curating.
If you’re planning a big product launch, make sure you don’t squander all that effort. Power your launch with a platform that’s ready for all the demands and challenges of a high-heat drop. EQL was built for that very purpose by people who understand the ins and outs of fandom, passion, and launch strategy.
We’d love to chat about how we can help make your next product release a long-lasting success.
