Product professionals driving a product #launch want to exceed expectations and get well-deserved recognition for their hard work. Too often, it just doesn't turn out that way.
No matter how hard they work to deliver what their stakeholders ask for, it never seems to be enough. The hard work isn't appreciated, and the recognition for the hard work doesn't materialize.
When it's time for the next product launch, the cycle repeats.
A Product Launch Secret
There's a secret to a successful product launch, and it's an important one. Successful product launch planning and execution focuses on functional capabilities rather than the quantity of deliverables. Deliverables don't get you outcomes; capabilities do.
Rather than building a massive list of things stakeholders want, focus on what they need to support launch objectives.
The capabilities required for a successful launch are remarkably simple and straightforward. Assuming you got the product and audience right, your organization needs to be able to:
Promote the product
Qualify a sales prospect for the product
Guide a prospect to purchase the product
Book a purchase of the product
Deliver the product
Onboard customers on the product
Provide product help to customers when they need it
A product launch fails when one or more of these capabilities don't exist. Notice that each capability listed above is qualified with "the product".
While it's true you may have these capabilities for one product, a new product often introduces a new set of operational capabilities. Salespeople need to know how to pitch the new product. Sales Operations needs to book a sale. Finance needs to process payments for the new product. Customer Success needs to onboard new customers.
Launch Readiness Checklist
You are probably familiar with a launch checklist that focuses on deliverables. Our checklist focuses on readiness.
Think of it this way. Delivering a sales presentation to a sales team checks the deliverables box, but it doesn't check the readiness box. Having a sales presentation doesn't mean the sales team can sell.
The Launch Readiness Checklist delivers a boilerplate of common readiness capabilities to guide you through launch readiness planning. Use it to consult with your launch stakeholders in impact functional areas to define the capabilities they need to support your launch objectives. Then, use the readiness capabilities as a guide to determine the activities and deliverables required to achieve those capabilities.
Over a series of product launches, you will identify launch readiness patterns to include in your version of the Launch Readiness Checklist. As your checklist improves, your product launches improve, and you're one step closer to the recognition you deserve.
How to Get the Launch Readiness Checklist
You can do things the same old way and get the same old results. Continue if that's working for you. If it's not working for you, give the Launch Readiness Checklist a try.
It's simple and takes less than 3 minutes to get started.
Click on the image below
Complete the simple form on the landing page
Look for an email
Click the download button
Watch the tutorial video
That's it. Easy, peazy.
If you have questions or comments about the Launch Readiness Checklist, drop them in the comments below.