May 2006

10 Ways to Make Your New Product Stand Out in the Crowd
By Kay Paumier, Communications Plus

New products are the lifeblood of most companies. They can provide the bulk of the revenue, and give the entire company the opportunity to become better known.

But thousands of new products are announced each year, making it difficult to garner media attention. However, it is possible to get the word out about new products. You'll want to improve your chances of success either by adding something extra or by taking a slightly different approach. Here are 10 proven techniques to consider.

1. Involve the reporters, readers or viewers.

Having the reporter or readers participate in the story can be quite effective. For example, I recently suggested a newspaper invite its unemployed readers to volunteer for a job-search "experiment." The readers could work with my client, the author of a book on effective job searches, and the editor could report on the results. This approach gave a human-interest side to a topic that could otherwise deteriorate into a mindless parade of depressing stories about unemployment.

2. Provide product samples.

Getting editors to see, touch and use your product can be very powerful. A new type of lipstick received a half-page spread in a major newspaper, primarily because the company had supplied samples and the writers described their experience with the product.

3. Arrange product reviews.

For some products, a formal review may be in order. I have managed programs where the bulk of the publicity – and the sales leads – came from the product reviews. Of course, for this to be effective, you have to make sure that the product will do well. (No review is better than a bad one.) Learn as much as you can about the reviewer in advance; prepare a good reviewers' guide and stay in touch with the reviewer. Some of my clients have transformed potentially poor reviews into excellent ones simply by helping resolve some technical issues while the review was underway.

4. Enlarge the announcement.

Make the announcement bigger. For example, you can tie the announcement together with related, but non-competitive businesses. A participant in one of my workshops did that quite effectively. She had started a dating service for obese people, but did not have a single client, so she had no credibility. However, she connected with other companies providing services to obese people, and crafted a story about the increased market for such products and services. She ended up on the front page of the San Jose Mercury News – not a small accomplishment.

5. Position the announcement as part of a trend.

Editors love trends. When the Gap announced that it would open new stores aimed at middle-aged women, the development was reported as a shift in the women's clothing market (from focusing almost exclusively on younger women). Of course the coverage included the competition, but the resulting stories were long and detailed, resulting in a great deal of publicity for all the major players.

6. Prepare good visuals.

Editors need good visuals. Put some time and thought into an innovative photo shoot or a good, eye-catching diagram. Over the years, I've used everything from regular screen shots and "people pictures" to turn-of-the century ads and original cartoons. Almost always, the time and trouble spent developing those visuals has paid off handsomely.

7. Report on the product’s effectiveness.

Make the product's usefulness, purpose and benefit central to the story. For example, instead of just announcing a new software program, describe what the software can do "in action." For example, one company announced its online monitoring service by describing results of its study of website traffic. The resulting articles were long and were in the news section, which is typically better read than the new-products section.

8. Use the Web.

Capitalize on online tools. Most news releases should be sent over a wire service. Additionally, many products can be introduced through Web conferences or self-paced tours, which are increasingly cost-effective. Even if a conference is not in order, provide all product information online – visuals, demos, video and the like. And remember to post your release on your Web site. It may seem too obvious to mention, but it is overlooked only too often.

9. Capitalize on the media's plans.

Monitor editorial calendars, listings of feature articles that the media has planned. It's possible the editors are planning to cover a topic that might "fit" your product. For example, I pitched a case study to an editor who had scheduled a story on construction management. The article, which covered three-fourths of a tabloid-size page, appeared before we had even formally launched my client's construction management software, greatly enhancing the announcement that followed.

10. Present a historical perspective.

A "look backwards" can be a fun way to generate extra interest. We used that technique to introduce a new prescription medication. I researched turn-of-the-century treatments and discovered Lydia Pickham's Pink Pills (which were mainly alcohol). We included copies of Lydia’s ads in our press materials. (The copyright had expired.) Those ads were featured in dozens of articles and TV programs, increasing the general appeal of the announcement.

In short, think about how you can enhance your product announcement. Sometimes a little extra thought and care can dramatically increase your publicity.

© 2005 Communications Plus All rights reserved.

Kay Paumier is president of Communications Plus, a public relations and communications firm serving small to mid-sized organizations in the technology, healthcare and not-for-profit areas. For more information, phone 510-656-8512, email kay@communicationsplus.net or go to www.communicationsplus.net.