Product launches are significant milestones for any company. It’s a chance to build up excitement about new products and services. Product launching events are a great marketing strategy as it builds up hype around your product.

These days, having a virtual product launch is also an option for brands, as an addition and alternative to real life product launches. These online product launching campaigns have many benefits.

However, in order to ensure that they reach your target market and achieve their objectives, you have to plan your virtual product launches well.

Online product launches have become even more relevant with the advent of lockdowns and social distancing measures. This is because it allows a large number of people to virtually attend it from wherever they are, while staying safe.

In Malaysia, online product launches have been rather popular among big brands like Apple and HP Malaysia. In fact, it is the digital brands that are leading the way for virtual product launches locally.

What is a Virtual Product Launch?

In essence, a virtual product launch is one that is organized and done on various online platforms. The new product launching event itself may be streamed live on one or more platforms like Youtube, Facebook or on the company’s website itself.

However, to build up hype and publicity for the launch event itself, campaigns are usually launched on various social media channels, as well as on Google.

What is the Best Strategy in Product Launching?

In order to learn the best strategy involved in a virtual product launch, we have to observe and learn from the best. Without much doubt, one of the masters of online product launch events has to be Apple,and in particular the late Steve Jobs. Everyone remembers his black turtlenecks as he presented the latest Apple products on a dark stage.

From this we can learn that the main strategy for virtual product launching is to have originality, a clear brand identity and a unique concept. These are the factors that will make your launch really stand out from the rest.

Planning Your Own Product Launch

Online product launching requires careful thought and planning. It’s best not to ‘cut and paste’ the ideas of any other companies.

Additionally, a virtual product launch is different from regular product launching events, so you’ll have to ensure that you employ steps that are suitable for online marketing.

Here are some of the most important steps to take when planning a product launch, listed in sequence:

1. Determine your target audience

This first step is essential in helping you determine and plan for the rest of the aspects for your online event. It is necessary so that you can determine the theme and goal of your event, as well as which platforms to promote it on.

 

2. Determine A Theme and Goals

For any event, even ones that take place online, you will have to set a clear direction. This will take the form of an event theme and goals. The theme you choose will help your creative team carry out their design tasks and the goals you set will help your marketing team determine the structure and platforms to carry out their campaigns.

 

3. Booking a Live Streaming Location

The event location you choose doesn’t need to be large, but it should be friendly to host production and filming equipment. The location itself can be a great marketing tool, and attract viewers based on its special qualities.
 

4. Build Expectation for your Event

Publicity for your product launching event is a must. You can release various content for social media platforms to build hype and even have a countdown for your event. The important thing is to keep the message direct and simple, while adding an air of mystery so that your audience will be more curious.

 

5. Plan For The Flow of the Event

Apple’s flagship product launches usually consist of a long presentation by the CEO. However, your company might want to include more elements for the audience that will entertain and engage them. Examples might include lucky draws, competition winner announcements, performances and so on.

 

6. Plan Event Details

As the new product launching event approaches, be sure to fine tune and finalize the details. Hire your presenter, go through the script, review backdrops and decor, finalize product displays and more.

 

Essential Strategies for Virtual Product Launches in Malaysia






 

Launching a product in any country, or internationally, has many common factors. However, if you’re launching your product in Malaysia, you have to be sure to localize your plans.

 

It’s also important to take into consideration local culture and sensitivities so you don’t offend your audience. Here, we will look at strategies that are crucial for your event to be a success:

 
1. Make Your Product Take Centre Stage

The focus of any product launch event should be your new product or service itself. Therefore, you should introduce it very early on in your event, and not keep the audience in suspense for too long.

 

Although you may feel the urge to talk about your brand and the other products you may have, this should be done very briefly.

 
2. Keep it Interactive

One of the main challenges in having a successful event is keeping the audience interested. One way you can do that is by making parts of your product launch interactive.

 

Among the methods you can use is by having a Q & A session, responding to comments, having a small competition with prizes, and the like. Making the event interactive also ensures that your audience feels appreciated and that they feel they’re part of the event even though they’re not physically present.

 
3. Keep it Entertaining

Bringing in some performances is an effective strategy to keep engagements high during the event. One example of this is to perhaps hire a stand-up comedian as an event host to keep things humorous.

 

If you’re making technical speeches, make sure that they’re understandable and not too complex. Your audience has to understand what’s being presented in order to relate well.

 

The audience will only feel entertained and engaged when they can relate to what’s being presented

 
4. Make it Local

As Malaysians, one way you can attract the interest of your audience and increase the public’s attention to your event is to incorporate local elements.

 

This can mean using local slang words in your marketing, relating your products to local needs, talking about current issues in the country and so much more.

 

You also have to be careful not to offend local sensitivities and cultural norms while doing so.

 
5. Form Partnerships

Partnerships are one way of increasing publicity regarding your product launch. You can form partnerships with non-competitor brands or with influencers. It’s a great way to increase your product launch event’s reach.

Your product launch will benefit from the extra circle of influence your partner brings to the event. This can include followers or even a whole new demographic that may not previously be acquainted with your products.

 
6. Keep Your Message Simple

In any marketing effort, keeping things simple is a strategy that works most of the time. Focus on telling the audience about your product, its benefits and why they need it.

 

Keep fluff to a minimum and make sure your message is consistent throughout. Branding is as much about staying true to one voice and not diverging from it too much.

 

Tips on Having A Successful Product Launch

 



 

There really isn’t a ground-breaking secret to having a successful product launch. In essence, you just need to ensure that common sense reigns in your product launch events. Here are some tips that can help:

 
1. Don’t do things at the last minute.

Plan ahead months beforehand, including buying any supplies, making bookings and hiring external help.

 
2. Set a budget and stick to it so as to avoid overspending

   A good product launch doesn’t have to involve a big budget, as long as your message gets across as clearly as possible.

    
3. Create adequate buzz online for your event.

This is one of the key steps in attracting an audience online. You need to make sure that there is enough time between the start of your event marketing campaign and the event itself so that the message can spread.

 
4. Choose an easily accessible live platform

Choose a streaming platform that the audience can access with just a click. You should preferably avoid doing your launch on platforms which have a paywall or many layers of registration and verification.

 

Promoting Your Virtual Product Launch

 

You cannot plan for a virtual product launch without creating awareness about it. The whole idea of having your product launch event is to attract as big an online audience as possible.

A successful promotion will have to have the following elements:

 
1. Being Multifaceted

When promoting with online marketing techniques, you should promote on all the suitable platforms and not just focus on one. The more platforms you put your promotions on, the higher chances it will be seen by more audiences.

Among the platforms you can consider include social media, email, your own website and Google Ads.

 
2. Having a ‘Go To’ Site

Design a ‘go to’ page that contains all the necessary information so that you can link it in all your promo content.

This page will serve as an anchor so that anyone can view the details about the event, especially details you can’t include in your promotional content.

 
3. Keep an Air of Mystery

Rather than revealing more details about your product before the launch, it’s important to peak the public’s interest.

This means not revealing too much about the product beforehand. This will help you keep the audience curious enough to attend your virtual product launch to find out more about what’s going on.

 

Why Should You Host an Online Product Launch?

 

An online product launch actually has many benefits for your brand and business. These benefits include:

 
• An increased audience that will lead to more brand awareness for your company.
• Increasing your market share with more people being interested in your product.
• An opportunity to interact with your customers and discover their needs.
• The ability to introduce your products in more detail.
• Attracting the attention of other industry players, which can lead to partnerships and cooperation in the future.
 

How Do You Start Planning for an Online Product Launch?

 

If you’re at a loss of where to start, perhaps you can reach out to a professional events planner that specializes in product launching events.


One of the options you have is MyVirtually, a platform that specializes in online events including product launches. They will be able to host your new product launching event, while providing the necessary support and consultation you need to get started.
 

MyVirtually specializes in reaching out to your target audience all over SouthEast Asia, and we understand the needs of your company, no matter its size. Drop US a message to begin planning your online product launch today!