How To Throw A Product Launch Party

September 27th, 2017
Eazy Print Blog

Follow our guide on how to throw a product launch party! It’s that time of year again. The time of year when we’re forced to accept summer is never coming but winter inevitably is. The days are chillier, the nights longer and there is an air of anticipation; an expectation of change for the better? Maybe not, depending on our perspective. Either way the external industriousness of former months is put aside in exchange for a more sedentary lifestyle and retreat indoors. What can we do to while away the many hours waiting for spring? Well, we have two choices: we hibernate or we PARTY!

Whilst the former choice is great for bats, bears and hedgehogs, we humans thrive on a good party. It’s true! Spending small amounts of time socialising with friends, drinking moderate amounts of alcohol interspersed with a boogie or two is known to lower your risk of heart disease and stroke whilst increasing levels of dopamine in the brain, (the central power-drivers of brain function.) Let’s be honest there’s very few of us that don’t enjoy entertainment whilst blowing off the stresses of everyday life.

So, if there are untold benefits to partying in our social life, this can also translate into our business life. What excuse for a party do we have in the business world?

No-one does it better than Apple

Absolute masters at throwing a product launch party, Apple seem to have it covered and continue to rake in the customers, building their fan-base. Even if your company is smaller scale we can learn a great deal from the maestro about how to introduce a new product onto the market place with memorable panache. Not only do they have the world’s most effective product launch strategy under their belts but it’s also the most cost effective when comparing those of competitors. What can we glean from their expertise?

It’s all about high anticipation, building the hype, galvanising the community, generating PR and amplifying via Social Media.

September saw the latest Apple keynote and a new generation of iPhone, Apple Watch, and Apple TV.

Their first step is always to come up with a differentiated product that the customer will find compelling. Suspense is built by gradually released PR creating an early buzz in the industry. People love to be in the know and will seek every little bit of info they can find to share with others. Before long everyone is talking, tweeting, emailing and posting about the product and eagerly awaiting a launch date.

The event itself is always a carefully orchestrated masterpiece of entertainment. From the location, to the set, the guest list, and pre-release chatter, Apple remain committed to the cause providing a memorable experience for all in attendance, which extends beyond the launch date via a microsite memorialising the excitement of the event.

How can we join the party?

It’s all very well for multi-millionaire companies to ‘do their stuff’ with mega budgets but how does that work for the smaller business?

Read on for some Top Tips from the industry on how to throw a product launch party started:

Top tips

Define your purpose. Who do you want at your party? The media and Industry influencers? Customers? All the above? Simple is the best way to go so narrowing down your guest list will keep the focus on the star of the show – your all-new product!
Invite the right people. These are the ones you want to buy your product. Think about how they may benefit from the purchase and then work backwards from there in planning the whole event, an Apple rule of thumb implemented by Steve Jobs.

Steve Jobs

Steve Jobs – past master of the launch event

Timing of event. This is important as you seek the maximum impact of your launch on customers which will be reduced when commercial noise is loudest, e.g. Christmas, at the same time as a competitor’s launch.
Location. Think carefully about the size of your event. How many guests are you planning to invite? Does the venue reflect the product well or is it appropriate to the brand?
Marketing the event. Build on the hype. Create expectation. Use Social Media to keep marketing costs down but to get the message out there.
The theme. Is this exciting, refreshing, memorable yet professional? The theme needs to be represented throughout the event from the décor to the PR.
Entertainment. This depends on your audience and venue. A smaller event lends itself to a singer and live band whereas a larger event would benefit from a DJ. Be sure to play upbeat music to ensure a positive response to the product.
Event speaker. Could this be a guest speaker? Someone connected to the industry? A company leader? Make sure their personalities match the role they are assigned. For instance, Steve Jobs was a charismatic front man who drew in his audience whereas his successor took on a different role at product launches.
Live demos. You want to entertain your guests but ultimately you want them to recognise the products merits and go and buy it. How will you demonstrate your product? Through formal presentations, branding materials or passive displays? If you choose to present at the launch tell your story, build interest in your company using simple presentations, videos and photographs.
Swag bags. Do you plan to reward your guests with giveaways, samples and memorabilia of the event?
Tie in with Social Media. Before the event build anticipation by advertising details on SM. Afterwards create a microsite on Facebook to keep the event (and product) in the minds of those who attended and to inform those who did not.

After the party – an after party!

The hype will continue for several days after the launch thus creating a window of opportunity to contact interested guests and to keep the hype going for a little longer. Keep social media posts regular, making good use of the event hashtag and send out newsletters to all those expressing interest. Make it easy for people to learn more about your product with free trials, downloads, product videos and demos.

Tool Tips

Let’s Launch

Here’s a few simple and cheap ways of dressing the set at your launch event.

Flags

Printed flags are a highly effective means of promotion with a wide range of uses. Enlivening an event, custom flag printing provides your organisation with a colourful presence. The impact is immediate and the flags have life beyond the event.

Our Eazy Print portable, high quality printed flags are all supplied with poles and a selection of bases to suit a variety of uses.

The Blade Feather flags are perfect for indoor or outdoor use and range from 1.5m to 4m in height. The Feather flag is particularly suitable for outdoor events, being capable of withstanding winds up to around 18mph. They are an ideal option for use at outdoor events in different terrain and conditions.

We provide a high quality, cheap custom flag printing service with no compromise in quality. All our flag printing products are delivered printed and stitched with all the kit you need to install and use – from the moment they arrive.

Roller banners

Roller banner stands are retractable, self-standing banner stands. These display stands are a perfect solution for exhibitions, presentations and all kinds of business needs from meetings and seminars to reception displays.

There can be some confusion about what to call these roller banners. You may know them as Pull-Up Banners, Pop-Up Banners, Stand-Up Banners and Roll-Up Banners. We know what you want – and you’ve come to the right place!

Eazy Print provides top quality printing for single-sided or double-sided banner stands, banners with changeable panels or extra wide banners. We make eye-catching stand up banners that are lightweight yet sturdy, easily portable and simple to put together – and easy to put away after a long day’s event.

Choose the perfect banner for your needs – whether indoor or outdoor – from our comprehensive range. With sizes up to 2m wide, our stand-up banners are certain to make your business stand out.

Foamboard Poster Boards

We offer foamboards for indoor or outdoor use. Whatever your choice, these innovative products come in full vibrant colour. In a hurry? They are dispatched the next working day with free delivery. A cheap way of creating wayfinding signage or professionally presenting the table plan, they have a multitude of uses.

It’s great fun planning a party but sometimes you just don’t know where to start! The Eazy Team are here to help and guide you through planning and designing your event from establishing the theme, creating an impressive backdrop using stands and banners and designing & printing guest invites, brochures and flyers. You can visit the studios to speak to one of the Design Experts face to face or chat online or by phone. Contact us today!