When is it time to stop the development of an idea and push it out there? When is it the right time to expose your passionate belief to the harshness of others, to feel the gut retching tug of no takers and the criticisms of the real market? Simply put, “...the sooner the better”.

Launching a new product onto the market has a number of rules, yet those rules can be easily misinterpreted, leading to wasted opportunity and a loss of sales. The issue here is one of experience, the experience of the market you are launching into and understanding what makes it tick. All this is obvious I know, but when you are pushing your ideas into reality the ‘simple things’ can be lost in the noise of obsession. A successful product launch needs two things – a clear story of the product's origins and a good presentation of the product itself. This is what we are launching; this is what it looks like, how it functions and the benefits for you.

If you are planning to launch a new brand, service or product, take on board as much advice as you can from those already within your chosen market. All of this advice will be free; you just need to know who to ask and where to go and find it. Observation is critical also, if you can see the product or service being used that has inspired your concept, then don’t just look at its functions, take in the environment, the people, the spend level. All of these factors will help you know how to pitch your product when you eventually do. Thinking your product is better than what’s available doesn’t mean your presentation to the market has to be different also. Markets have language and by learning the lingo you will be able communicate easier and more effectively with your customers. After all you don’t just want nice comments – YOU NEED SALES!

Experience of the market comes with time, perseverance and hard work. But the irony is that the more you are submerged into a particular market the harder it can be to spot a new opportunity. The drudgery of the day to day exposure can cause this, so a fresh eye is very important, meaning that you yet again need to strike a balance - a balance between experience and new blood. Both combined will enhance the chances of a successful product launch.

So when is the best time to launch? The sooner the better; get to know your customer as soon as possible and adapt as you learn.

Thank you for reading and good fortune!

Francis O’Hare

Thinking up the ideas is the easy bit, we all do it. Why not come and learn how to turn your inspirations into reality!

www.francisohare.com