How to launch a Brand – My Experience

Ingredients of Brand Launch.

There is enormous information available on google on how to launch a product or brand, But what matters in an Indian market is not available anywhere. Practical issues and execution are different from the boardroom discussion and textbook.

The product launch is a Go To Market strategy which addresses to – What, how, when to launch, whom to target, timeline, cost of elements needed, expectations of return, rolling time, and other factors. It depends mostly on the type and nature of the product and also the demographics of the market.
In this article, I am going to share those fundamental things which I have seen in my decade-plus experience as a marketing manager. I will write my experience of integrated marketing communication planning and execution, along with concern about other departments such as sales, commercial, and HR, as a silent spectator what I observed over the years.

I am also mentioning those digital tactics which is essential for launch, although that I never used them as a manager, but as a digital enthusiast, I feel it right and would have used if given an opportunity soon.

I took my laptop to express my views on this because I see companies, especially start-ups and buddy entrepreneurs, are wasting money from their investors. In India, there are many intermediaries, in every sector who sits to make money and fool investors.

For example – Launch of MTS in India was a quintessential success, but I saw many intermediaries made millions right from the leasing of offices in commercial buildings and procurement of other materials.
I have seen how senior executives were wasting money to name of market Visits, relaxing in five-star hotels and throwing lavish parties but no value generation.

Well, that’s the big discussion which I will write in my next article.

Let’s talk about the ingredients of the launch. We can divide this into three parts –

1) Pre-Launch preparation

1.  Distribution network and readiness.
2. Warehousing and logistics.
3. Procurement of launch elements.
4. Recruiting the right talent.
5. Integrated Marketing communication campaign.
6. Trade Education and mapping.
7. Product Placement.
8. Visibility on Retail outlets.
9. Launch Event.
10. Pre-launch giveaways and contests.
11. Creating Influencers and fan clubs.
12. creating visibility on non-trade consumer touch points.
13. Selecting the correct launch timing.

We will Discuss these points one by one.

1. Distribution network and readiness:–  This is the most crucial task for a successful launch. I have seen many times how a weak distribution network has been set-up for a start or to meet the deadlines. Setting up a robust distribution network is the task which should address very carefully. in2010, when MTS was launching in Goa, the entire team reached there, without the onboarding of a distributor and set-up a proper trade network. Enrie project had to keep on hold and lakhs of company money wasted in traveling and lodging purpose. I pity for Leonid Musatov https://www.linkedin.com/in/leonid-musatov-935baa/

then CMO for MTS India. He could not even imagine what was happening under his leadership.

2) Logistics:- An important department, which very often overlooked and underestimated. But I have seen many times that it due to weak logistics and warehousing, the team has to face the issues like product availability and bringing the right material at right spots.

3) Procurement Policy:– I would like to say a few points of the procurement team and its policy. They should not work on comparing three quotations and selecting cheapest on; instead, they should work to get highest quality element in most reasonable Price but at the same time they must understand quality product has some price, and if it comes in our pocket, we must go for it. I have seen blunders done by procurement and commercial team. They know what is in a showcase, especially for them, not beyond that, I don’t want to give any examples because it may hurt many of my previous colleague in the commercial.

4) Recruiting the right talent:– a selection of the right candidate is not easy. It is like selecting a groom for our daughter, where a father doesn’t see only the looks and salary but also see his character, his SANSKAR, and mind it no one can predict in a 20 minutes discussion that this guy is a genuine or a good actor. Again I m emphasizing that An interview is not a speed dating. Please read my blog on this.
It’s strange that these days in most of the recruitment process – Actors are being selected but the genuine person who knows the job and ownership with the responsibility associated, are thrown out.

Only looks and acting skills are possible to judge in 20 minutes interview. There is no Cast study, role play, and plans are discussed in most of the interviews. It’s more of a robotic question- Answer session no discussion to check the vision and grip on the subject. Few people are not spontaneous they take time to think and reply, but it doesn’t mean that they would not perform, go to his attitude, way of thinking and his vision, but who’s cares, managers are not owners.

Some Disaster in Recruiting happens- I have one funny example from dishtv, one person came for an interview for the position Area Sales Manager, and zonal head took his interview considering that he came for circle sales manager because both posts were vacant.
He was selected and assigned him the Aurangabad cluster for sales. He ruined the market in his one year stint and jumped to another company with a higher package. 
From his point of view, he performed well for his career but destroyed the entire distribution network. It happens very often in various organizations

5. Integrated marketing communication:– Team marketing starts its preparing months before the launch date. I have mentioned the pre-launch integrated marketing communication in below part of this post. 

for more about IMC, you can read my blog on the below link. 

6) Trade Education and mapping:- Selection of Key Retail outlets, training, and education of all salesman, internal sales demonstrators or promoters and very important. Entire Trade network should assign to respective sales managers and it’s their ownership to download the details and motivate them to sale more or acquire new customers.

7) Product Placement:– I consider placing the product is a  science. A seasoned sales manager understand the capacity and potential of a particular dealer, keeping the factors like – A) Location B) Presence of another brand and stocking c) Dealer’s pre-commitment D) Motivation level E) The number of salesmen in the shop F) Demographics of market.

8) Visibility on Retail:–  Planning for visibility elements is equally important with its execution. I have the expertise in this, in 2015 I got an award from dishtv for POSM management. POSM stands for point of sales material.

Planning:– 1) Outlet category – A, B and C class  2) Product demographics and longevity 3) Budget 4) Innovation 5) Competition

Execution:– 1) Involvement of sales team 2) Trained merchandisers 3) daily Tracking by local marketing 4) Regular audits and create a sense of ownership

I will write a detailed blog on POSM Management in a separate post.

9) Launch event:– I would recommend launch events to be held a day before the launch. It gives you a perfect opportunity to showcase your product in front of your audiences and press. You present your product, show how it works, encourage people to ask questions, take bookings, and as a token of support ask them to share your event on social media. You need not host a big extravaganza event but even a small social get-together with trade partners, whos who from society and people whose word matters, will do you right. It depends on product type and your budget, but an event is necessary.

8)  Pre-launch giveaways and contests:- Run a contest and give your product away to a lucky winner from this participation. Make them share your product and its details on social media such as WhatsApp, Facebook, as a part of this contest. Giving giveaways is a popular trend these days in launch strategy, One Plus give away its new product in such competition these days, I hope everyone knows how OnePlus launched its oneplus6, onelus6T and now OnePlus7 these days.

9) Create influencers, get a partnership, and recommendation:– You can also reach out to influencers in your niche and collaborate them to recommend your product. We don’t need having Millions of followers but having a hundred thousand followers are also a sort of celebrity, make them the advocates of your brand.
Users can also be rewarded if they promote your brand in their circle. Affiliate marketing is that kind of set-up, that is more organized, but I’m merely saying to collaborate with influencers and user groups. Everyone likes freebies, so we need to create an incentive system for a recommendation.

10) Fan clubs:– These Fan Clubs work better than any company sponsored forum to solve the issues; they create an opportunity and topics to talk about the brand. They are better than any brand Ambassadors, who may use or may not use your product. Connect is very important, as an example, -1) Farhan Akhtar indorsing Intex Mobile phone, but we all have seen using iPhone.

2) Why would Ranvir Kapoor use askmebazar.com to check the plumbers and electricians?

There is no connection between the brand and the brand ambassador, and this is the reason behind the failure of these brands.

It is an excellent example of how lousy marketing ruined the investor’s money. Xiomi does that, they believe in the strategy – marketing without advertising, and this works for them.

11) Launch Timing:– a company has to do a detailed survey or research to understand the market Dynamics and determine the right time and right market.
You can’t launch woolen clothes in summers and at the same time opening BMW showroom in a sleepy town is naturally a fool’s business.
So the right time and right place are the most critical factors. For example, If the product for the rural population, then this is critical to check the monsoon timing. I have seen rural projects getting failed due to launching on heaving rainy days. Recently Dishtv launched its rural campaign in mid of may and get stuck in the middle of the monsoon, results the entire project have failed.
Other factors like – Political agitation is not the right time to launch. Just imagine what would happen if a product were launch in Anna Andolan in Delhi or Telangana Agitation in Andhra Pradesh. It happened with me when I was in Vishakhapattanam for a particular digitization project for dishtv, and separate state movement was going on. So management has to consider these factors before giving go ahead.

Case-study of MTS and Zing Launch

In my career, there are two successful launches which I have seen – MTS and Zing.
The reason for the successful launches was –

1) Preparation by the regional team

2) Localization of the project

3) Mirco Detailing

4) Passionate, honest, and dedicated marketing team.

The objective of the MTS launch Activity. I would like to bring back that objective from my memory lane.

• To launch and promote MTS / create a brand recall value for the brand.
• You need to create a feeling of expectation and excitement for its launch.
• Popularize brand among the TG, through various touch points.
• Influence the sale of the product
 Pre-launch preparation of MTS:–
1. Identification of handset /recharge selling outlets
2. Educate retailers about MTS products /process & services.
3. Utiba mapping & stock placement.
4. Visibility at retail via Signages &current offer pos
5. Create awareness in the town via auto promotion.
Pre-launch preparation of Zing:-
1. Identification of DTH Selling outlets and a joint visit by the sales and service team.
2.  Educate retailers about Zing product, plan & margin other details.
3. stock placement and share the tracker asked by the marketing team.
4. Visibility at retail via the low-cost medium of visibility – strategically developed 6×1 ft shot skirting and Nonlit flex boards.
5. Create awareness in the town via auto promotion.
6. Wall painting on all entry, exit, and other strategically important markers.
7. Hoardings at Bus Stands
8. FOC- Non-Trade signages to boost visibility and create a top of the mind awareness.

2) Launch Day Strategies 

Launch Day Activity:– Launch day is the day of Action. An Environment of expectation, hope, and excitement have to be created. Along with offline medium, digital plays a vital role in the brand launch. I have described all digital marketing points, which are necessary for brand launch, but impressions on social platforms on the day of launch is very crucial. 

1) SEM and Facebook Ad:- Creating impressions on social media plays an important role. These days we may skip the outdoor hoardings, but we can’t have the luxury to skip social media.

2) All BTL tactics should be in running mode on launch day.

3) cover all customer touch points by POSM, street bannering, and whatever the methods can be available that day. Here, I am sharing the launch day Plan, which I had in my previous two launches. Launch day plan:-

Launch day plan:- MTS
 Create visibility in the town via street bannering.
 Van roadshow for customer engagement.
 Innovative semi-permanent branding at top DTH selling outlets.
 Entertainment act to create a buzz in the cities. It was different for each town in nature.
 Ad in cable tv.

Launch day Plan – Zing
• Connect to Trade activity, a joint visit to trade.
• Auto Booming
• The launch event in each town
• shamiyana activity and promote the special offer curtailed for launch week.
A Great launch is Great Go To Market strategy, in which digital media plays an important role.

Digital Marketing Strategies for a launch

• A dedicated website to give a base of traffic – A customized and useful looking website with the positioning on that particular city launch is essential. The SEO team should check how a user will search that specific product on google. Keyword research is the key to rank this website on the search engine.

• Blogs and Small videos:- objective is to create engagement and connect. These blogs can be read to understand the product, and small videos can be shared widely by the users. The video should be original and easy to understand, and its quality should be good. These content should make in such a way that users can share this content. Small videos will help to educate customers as well as bringing traffic on the website, which can be tracked through re-marketing. As a Digital marketing enthusiast, I must say these videos should be posted on youtube and also optimized. Brands keywords should use in a video’s description, title, closed captions so that It can be searchable and also boost its ranking.

• Facebook Remarketing:– never leave your customer if once they visited your website. It means they have at least a little curious about your product, but they did not opt to buy and leave your website at any specific point of time. Target them after a few days with a customized offer. After three days with a discounted offer and still, if they don’t, then again pitch them after seven days with more lucrative offers.

so taking the feedback from both launches, we can say that these are the activity for the Post-launch.

3) Post Launch Strategy 

It is time to make the momentum intact in the market. Retaining the customers as well as make them influencers of the brand is the next course of action. Below are some points which I can summarize for the post-launch plan.
1. Local Festival association:- Team should associate with all local festivals and engagements. Whether its religious festival, national or regional sports. Just keep the target group in mind, which must be matched with product positioning and offer proposition.
2. Prompt customer service and its promotion:- Service team should be on toes, be ready to address all grievances on time. Service readiness should be market well through all sort of channels that your company is committed to serving people even after the sale is made. Customers are used to getting the 24x7x365 day’s service, so make sure that your customer service department is always ready with the solution.
3. World of mouth publicity – World of mouth is the best way to advertise. People generally talk about the product which they use, and we need to push them a little reward. As I have written before that, a reward and incentive system is vital to get a recommendation. Fan Club is the place where we can promote this offer. We need to treat our happy users as brand ambassadors of our product.

To know about digital marketing strategy, Please refer the below blog.