Video Sequence for New Product Launch

Long gone are the days of bringing in communications last-minute for your new product or service release. While it may have been enough before to send out a press release and schedule a press conference a few days before your big release, it’s now imperative that companies large and small take a more strategic approach.

Today, video can help to support all stages of your new product launch. In this post, we’ll identify the types of video you can leverage pre-product launch, for the product launch, and post-product launch.

THE PRODUCT PRE-RELEASE VIDEOS

Your pre-release product launch videos are meant to build interest and the easiest way to differentiate them is by audience. Your first pre-release product launch video is for your own team. This internal video should inform the team of the most important details of the new product, a product demo, and the product release date. You can also include information about events related to the product launch. If you’re expecting your team to be a part of the release promotion, you can include a full outline and hashtags for sharing the release.

The second type of pre-release product launch video is for the world and online influencers you’re hoping will amplify your product release news. Rather than sending a traditional press release, a video press release can be effective in helping you to stand out from others pitching your recipient, to best illustrate how your new product works, and to help construct the story they share about your product. Alternatively, you can simply include your product release video with your press release. Whatever you do, be sure to include video when you reach out to press and online influencers you want to help to get the word out about your new product.

The last type of pre-release product launch video is for your customers and potential customers. Teaser videos can be a great way to build buzz prior to your release and there are plenty of ways to do it. You can incite curiosity by sharing partial glimpses of your product or the pieces that make it up. If you want to include people in your teaser videos, you can share short footage of the people who are working on it or create a video that shows people reacting to your new product (without actually showing the product).

Don’t forget that incorporating a social media campaign that encourages people to engage with these videos (ie Liking, Commenting, or Sharing) can take your product release buzz up a notch.

THE PRODUCT RELEASE

The product release video is the star of the show! Also known as the product demo, this video is your opportunity to not only emphasize your product’s unique features but also to highlight its ability to solve your customers’ and potential customers’ problems.

Like many of your other videos, you want to tell a story: Take a relatable, empathetic approach when sharing the dilemma(s) your team sought to solve yet get to the point when you’re announcing the new product and how it helps to address those challenges. Depending on the product you may want to include a product demo to showcase the ease in using it and wrap up your video by reiterating its value.

Your demo video should be professional yet not stuffy – After all, you want your new product to impress but you also want it to be something your viewer can easily imagine using themselves to solve a problem they have.

THE PRODUCT POST-RELEASE VIDEOS

If your product release video is the star of the show, consider your post-release product videos to be excellent supporting actors. In fact, it’s these videos that may be what captures your online audience’s attention in the first place. Why? Because in each of the examples of post-release product videos below, you’re able to take a more human approach to your new product.

For instance, what is more compelling than listening to someone describe the work they’re passionate about? Not much. This is why telling the reasons why you created your new product can be such a hit with viewers.

Structure these types of videos by asking open-ended questions about how the product was made, why you do what you do, and why you’re excited about sharing this product with them. Another type of effective post-launch product video is the customer testimonial, which allows a willing customer to rave about your new product in a testimonial video.

If you have the luxury, try to choose a customer that is doing interesting things with your product, has a unique story or memorable look that will stand out on video, who can articulate him or herself well, and who is engaged online (either with their own customers, fans, or friends). And if you have the luxury of being able to choose more than one customer to make a customer testimonial video, try to choose brands or people who are able to showcase different features of your product so that your online viewers are able to see the many benefits to using your product.

With proper planning, many of the videos shared above can be made ahead of time so you’re not forced to scramble through the video production stage.

Video can help you to make the necessary splash to get your new product on the radar of customers and potential customers (pre-release video), to efficiently show how it can help them (release video), and to keep the product a part of the conversation (post-release video). If you’re launching a new product or feature soon, tell us how you’ll incorporate video into your marketing strategy by sharing in the comments below or by tagging me on Twitter @Jennifer_Bliss