Inside the Briefcase
Developing a PR Strategy for Your SaaS Product Launch
January 23, 2017 No CommentsFeatured article by Robert Cordray, Independent Technology Author
For most IT companies, launching a new software-as-a-service product is a time of excitement and high hopes. It’s also a time for assessment, establishing goals, and strategy. When it comes to generating PR buzz, it takes some informed planning. Several factors can make your product launch PR more effective.
Consider your business goals as a basis for developing your key media strategy. Ensure that what you say and do aligns with your objectives. Also consider making risk management a part of your strategy.
Reflect on what could go wrong, ways to prevent it, and the best way to deal with things if setbacks happen. If you’re expecting high traffic, particularly in the beginning, make sure that your servers are sufficient to handle it. Have a strategy for what to do if there are connectivity problems, unexpected bugs, or even DDoS attacks (like those reported by Neustar) that can bring your service to a screeching halt.
Start drawing up marketing plans, and at every point stop to consider how this would be of interest to your customers – or potential investors, if your goals include them. Look for upcoming media opportunities—such as celebrations, milestones, elections, or technical releases—that you could adapt to be part of your campaign. Concentrate on the features and events that will get the most attention and generate the most buzz. Don’t forget to document these in a scheduled form so you and your staff don’t overlook anything, and compare the plans later with actual results.
With your plans settled, identify the activities that will help get the best results.
Construct a calendar to schedule press releases, though it may have to be revised. Consider that these press releases are persistent documents that can continue to deliver your message. Shapiro Negotiations Institute up until recently maintained a “Press Releases” page on their website with links to past articles, and featuring the familiar logos of some of the respected publications where these articles appear. This helps to build credibility and trust.
Reach out to various media sources such as industry magazines, major periodicals, or leading blogs to generate some interest in covering your product, and build up a list of contacts. Try to prioritize them in terms of value in connecting with the target audience and sustaining business growth. Schedule time for meetings with those at the top of the list.
3. Building Relationships with Editors
Reach out the same way to editors of various websites and publications so that you can pitch the idea of writing your own article or guest posting as an expert, with an eye to spotlighting your company and products. Know their writing requirements and publishing deadlines so you don’t waste any time or effort. Make sure the publisher aligns with your brand and product.
4. Building Customer Case Studies
There are over 28 million small businesses in the US promoting their products. Illustrate yours with some case studies as real-life examples of customers benefiting from your product. Ask customers if they would be willing to take part, and try to capture their whole buying experience. If you solved a specific problem for clients or your product brought unforeseen benefits, be sure to highlight those.
Social media is a good way to generate interest via open discussion. The average US consumer spends 15 hours per week on social media. Don’t forget to link back to your own business website. SaaS company PNMsoft demonstrated this two-prong approach by updating and sharing both their workflow management software and digital business platform pages on social media.
These pages were designed to engage with this type of audience, as their pages encapsulated several easy-to-digest elements (including video, photos, and well-constructed paragraphs to generate more interest. As expected, the company made sure to include clear calls to action in order to capture leads from their PR efforts.
6. Public Speaking Opportunities
Public speaking opportunities are another good means of exposure. Look for industry conferences or trade shows where you appear as a speaker. Create webinars or how-to online videos to familiarize people with your new product and the company behind it. Just be sure to make it engaging, informative, and in sync with your message.
Planning PR for a product launch necessitates careful and inspired planning. You want your business as well as your product to capture as much attention and positive feedback as possible, and hold it as long you can.
