Top 10 Ways to Roll Out New Products Successfully Kathy Gogan, VP Marketing

Why This Presentation? Recent Study of nearly 300 companies 93% of Marketing department responsible for product launches (89% control budget) 88% use multiple face-to-face meetings to rollout products 69% of companies spend >3 months to launch products (42% over 5 months) 66% of companies launch 5 or more products/year (45% - 10 or more) Source: Eloquent Market Survey, 2001

Critical Issues Increasing Sales & Margins!! Reducing Time to Market Communicating a consistent message to channels worldwide Ensuring the organization understands and assimilates new information Reducing product launch costs Source: Eloquent Market Survey, 2001

Is This You? Product Mgmt Product Mktg MarCom Product Mgmt Product Mktg MarCom Constantly Producing Information Market Needs New Products Field Fire Drills Support Channels Ramp Reps

Why Does It Matter? New innovations Increased Competition More, Complex Products More channels Less time to sell Eroding Margins

#10 It’s a Process, Not an Event

10. A Process, Not an event Understanding customer & channel requirements Integrated programs to “ready” the market” Ongoing product & program enhancements Product Launch “Launch Date” Product retirement or upgrade

Learn From Your Experience Test with a small team Make changes based on user feedback before “go live” Update continually Monitor results, usage, feedback

#9 Start Yesterday!

x.1; x.2 … 9. Start Yesterday! Market Assess. Market Assess. Product Req’ts Product Req’ts Product Dev’t Product Dev’t Product Launch Product Launch Market Assessment Product Req’ts Product Development Product Launch Today

9. Start Yesterday! Validate size of market and positioning as foundation for plan Build consensus on key messages Give yourself lead time to create sales tools Technology, solution partners play a larger role today Develop the Launch Plan Early

#8 It Takes a Village to Launch a Product

8. It takes a village to raise a child or launch a product! Leverage Cross-Functional Team Expertise Development Product marketing Sales (U.S., Int’l) Technical sales Strategic partners PR, MarCom Customers Support

8. Leverage Cross-Functional Team Expertise Launch manager – Oversee process Subject Matter Experts –Create content: Author white papers, presentations, webcasts to ensure message consistency Sales management, “friends and family” analysts, customers and partners –Bullet-proof launch messages, content, and delivery prior to general release –Early indicator of product success in market Pre-define roles and responsibilities for all

#7 Sales is From Mars; Marketing is From Venus

7. Sales is From Mars Marketing From Venus** Know Your Audience (and they don’t think like you!) –Sales: what it takes to win individual deals; don’t naturally sell “new stuff” –Marketing: best way to capture a market segment Walk in Their Shoes –Spend time with the telesales group for a day –Make a few cold calls to see what works and what doesn't. –Shadow a sales rep through an entire sales cycle—from the first call to signing the papers. You'll learn first hand what it really takes to get a deal done. Source: TopLine Strategy Group

#6 Get to the Point - Fast!

6. Get to the Point – Fast Where’s the beef? Keep It About the Customer Answer 4 Basic Questions* –Who am I selling to? –Why are they buying anything? –What do I have to sell them? –Why would they buy from me? Reinforce key messages –No more than 3 key sub-messages –Be creative – but make it meaningful –Repeat throughout *Source: Customer Message Management Forum

#5 One Size Doesn’t Fit All

5. One Size Doesn’t Fit All Different needs for: –Domestic and international launches –Field sales, inside sales, channel partners, distributors, technical sales, service and support –76% of companies tailor messages For each audience –Customize the message to what they care about –Tailor delivery with a blend of tools

Example DirectSupport

#4 KIS – Keep It Simple

4. KIS – Keep It Simple for Users Create a comprehensive self-service information center –Supports multiple forms of content Live events, help center, reference materials, samples, simulations….. –Accessible online and remote –Plan for peak usage, not average –Based on typical user desktop, no special requirements –Don’t expect the field to learn a new process easily LESS is MORE! –Refrain from adding “extra” information –Make everything easy to find –Delete outdated information

6. KIS -- Keep It Simple for Users Tailor content to different styles, user needs High – Tech Convenience High Touch “Fly-ins” Conference calls Regional Meetings Webcasts Ad Hoc calls Intranet/ Portals.pdf Datasheets PPT Slide Deck Interactive Demos Rich Media Broadcast Based on info from Insight Technology, 2001

#3 KIS – Keep It Sane

Why Launches Can Make You Crazy (educate, announce, certify,…) (Web, CD, face-face PDA, Document) (presentation, web cast, press releases, demos,..) Multiple Objectives Multiple Tools Multiple Delivery Options (Customers, sales, resellers, distributors, integrators) Multiple Audiences

Today’s Launch Process Challenges Delays in Selling Inconsistent Messages High Total Cost Complex Process Not Always Engaging No Structured Feedback Sales/Channel Internal Web Sites Phone Teleconferences Fly-Ins & Road shows Virtual Classrooms LMSs Webinars Marketing

Integrated Delivery Content Production Outbound Outbound: Flexible, Integrated, Repeatable Delivery Integrated Delivery Content Production Outbound Follow-Up Results Measurement Inbound Inbound: Tracking to Improve Effectiveness Where Launches are Going: Integrated Process Mktg/Ops/ Training Mktg/Ops/ Training Sales/Channel

Integrated Process Start with the customer presentation, messaging –Gain consensus on the target, value proposition, features Integrated communication programs –Re-examine at the list of what’s needed each time –Multiple-activity communication campaigns Build sales and channels into the programs –Communications content for all audiences managed together –Make it easy for subject matter experts to create, submit and update content into single framework

#2 Practice What You Preach

2. Practice What You Preach Reinforce your own process. –Otherwise, you encourage ad hoc calls, fly-ins, etc…. Use the same communication tools, -- located in the same repository. –Continually refresh the info with new demos, updated competitive data, etc. –Take actions based on the sales results, competition, usage, performance, feedback

#1 Promote Your Products Internally

1. Promote Your Products Internally, Not Just Externally “Build it and they will come.” - Field of Dreams

1. Promote Your Products Internally Use incentives as a way to entice attendees to participate Special “Go-to-Market” Plans internally as well as externally Tracking/follow up - powerful tools to monitor performance and evaluate rep readiness

Top 10 Rules - Recap 10. Learn from your experiences – It’s a process 9. Start yesterday 8. It takes a village 7. Know your audience 6. Get to the point – fast 5. One size doesn’t fit all 4. Keep it simple for users 3. Keep it sane with an integrated approach 2. Practice what you preach 1. Promote your new products internally

Questions?

Now the Commercial…

Eloquent LaunchForce The Closed-Loop Solution Built for Sales Readiness The Closed-Loop Solution Built for Sales Readiness Sales/Channel Integrated Product Simple Integrated Product Rich Media Compelling Rich Media Closed-Loop Effective Closed-Loop 2-6 Months Faster to Market Consistent Messages 25-50% Lower Total Costs Mktg/Ops/ Training Mktg/Ops/ Training

Control Center LaunchForce Rich Media Mktg/Ops/Train Info Center Sales/Channel Tracking Center Management

Thank You!