PRODUCT DESIGN TIPS: DEPLOYMENT

Deployment in this context denotes launching your product – to set it in motion – like a ball rolling OR a common one like launching a rocket into space, it is constructed and released to commission into space for exploration of a planet. I hope this links to something close to understanding. Launching will be used being a more acceptable word.

In product context, it means to bring a product/service to market for consumption. Some call it “go live”, some say “take/go to market” and many more terms in the business environment.

Product Ideation and Validation are preparatory processes that lead to launching a product. The ultimate goal is to take your product to the final consumer. This originates from an idea you have validated to reduce flip-flops in launching the product. We have discussed that in the past episodes of this series.

The following short tips might be helpful to launching your product/service when it is due for consumption by your target market. And lest I forget, launching your product could be a continual process and not just one off event as you declare it launched into the market space. The product could be versioned with improvements to meet customer needs with time.

Planning: A good plan could save you much resources and probably determine how successful your product will hit the market. In planning the launch of your product, you may want to review things like market demand, readiness of the product, competitiveness, cost with respect to inputs and profitability, competitiveness, sales channels, marketing models and target consumers’ needs and perception.

In addition, planning should be aligned to your vision for the product.

You may not have achieved 100% - can that even be achieved? But a reasonable level of acceptability could qualify your product to launch.

Launch Fast: Paul Graham has this to say about product launch:

"The reason to launch fast is not so much that it's critical to get your product to market early, but that you haven't really started working on it till you've launched. Launching teaches you what you should have been building. Till you know that you're wasting your time. So the main value of whatever you launch with is as a pretext for engaging users. Launch fast and iterate. It's a big mistake to treat a startup as if it were merely a matter of implementing some brilliant initial idea. As in an essay, most of the ideas appear in the implementing." …curled from Business Directory

Leverage: If you are a startup, it might be expensive to hire press, writers, bloggers or social media marketers plus some PR or a grand finale on your product. You may want to leverage on the influencers around you to try out your product and comment to people about it. Among your network, you could have good bloggers that can help write a review of your product and have user comments. You may also leverage on social media gurus in your network to make a lot of noise about it – you never can tell how far and wide social media can take your product launch announcements to. You could therefore leverage on the existing network of influencers to announce your product in the market. Perhaps a little formalities for broadcast on social media might add a taste of ceremonial launch.

Be Innovative: it is not just bringing your product to the market space. What is that difference from the norm of launching every product? If you tell me it is the normal gather people, hire an MC, arrange the products on a table for sighting and maybe a few for free to attendees of your event, then talk the talk…. Nope! That’s normal!

How about being creative to create a scene that everyone remembers and kind of laughs recalling the experience came from the launch of your product? How about a funny video? How about some blog to outlining the value proposition of your product? I leave it to your creativity.

 Demo: Some people are not ready to read the “How to” of a product. You could do some demonstrations on how to use, how it works, how to start, etc. this could come in form of a video, a drama scene of how it is used and solving that problem it is designed for.

Identify the Right Selling Channels: You may post a product and get as many likes as possible. Some of those likes could be just normal followers that admire you and not the product. Focus on the comments your post gets. Some are enquiries on how or where to get the product. Those should be your focal points.

Pay Attention to Retention: Retention is one of most valuable assets to lifetime of your product. Strategize on keeping your customers as they come. A customer well managed will be a great asset to growing your patronage than one time customer.

Marketing: Marketing is important for your product outreach but how you do it matters to the success of your product. While may like SMS campaigns, many get irritated with unsubscribed messages on their mobile phones. Same applies to email and many other channels as you may consider. Network marketing, as much as utilized by many, have also been abused and used to scam many people around the world.

In mapping out your marketing plan, surveys could help within your target market. You could end up adopting a marketing strategy that could deter customers from your product. You must analyze the target market to determine what suits its populace.

Feedback Mechanism: You may want to set an effective feedback mechanism to record expressions, comments and all notable reactions to your product. This is one of the reasons for launching your product. Feedbacks help improve your product. Changes can be effected in future versions of your product to meet consumer needs. Create the right channels through which reactions to your product will easily allow the user to send and for you to receive. And always try to acknowledge and act a.s.a.p.

Many strategies could be adopted as different things work for different people. However, this series is just a guide to product design from ideation to deployment summarized in three major milestones – Ideation, Validation and Deployment.