How can you ensure all team members have the same product launch information and resources?

It’s really important to also include the brand story as part of the launch plan and integrate how the product aligns to the overall narrative. Oftentimes, this is an afterthought in the process, and can cause marketing headaches in the end!

After your first few launches as a product marketer you should be able to create a template that is able to scale up or down depending on the product launch prio. In my experience, we launch p4 (improvement to product) vs p1 (competitive advantage, money making) very differently. So aligning your plan accordingly is key. You need all the key ingredients in order to be effective. From the key messaging, assets you will create (across audiences), localization, campaigns, PR, sales enablement, and more.

The launch plan is the starting point for the launch. However, it should be written with the intention of modifying as you go. For that reason, it is best to put tasks into categories such as Marketing, Product and Sales. Depending on the launch, there could be subcategories. In addition, critical paths and go/no go criterial should be identified.

In my experience a clear plan includes all departments and is followed with training and enablement so that each department role understands the product and their role to a successful launch.

For a successful product launch, ensure that all relevant team members are aligned. Create a checklist of all activities including scope, product details, documentation, training, internal, external communication etc. and have this available in a central place where teams can access information related to the product launch. Have a pre-launch kickoff for the team and communicate key messages and talking points. Incorporate learnings from each launch and share them for future successful launches.

It's often tempting to fall into the trap of when you have a hammer, everything is a nail. I'll use Slack as an example. Initially, Slack may seem like the perfect centralized communication platform for a product launch, but: - Slack is distracting and product launches require focus. Can you keep people focused on product launch-specific communication? - Slack is difficult for organizing information. You can create threads to group information together, but threads easily get lost. How often do you ask yourself "Where was that message again?". For the record, I love Slack. My point is make sure you're choosing tools with purpose, not because of convenience. Define your requirements, understand your collaborators, then choose a tool.

There are dozens of tools out there (Teams, Google workspace, Slack, Project, Monday.com, Asana) that can help you get there. But the most important aspect is not the tool but rather the processes you establish at the beginning of your project. You need to build clear guidelines so your team knows what to do in order to get things done.

No matter the tool, the most important thing is that all members of the launch team are aligned. The ceremonies around the alignment (eg. meetings, comms etc) are more important than the tool itself.

The most important thing about the platform being used…is that it’s actually being used. Using one that doesn’t facilitate to the processes and other tools your team is using isn’t helping. If you’re just creating yet another place where you’re having communication, keeping files, or tracking projects, you’re actually adding to your workload. Ensure you have team alignment and adoption with a platform where you can manage your communication, files, and tracking that works with your necessary processes.

Communication to all involved is the key for keeping everyone on the same page in a project and a central communication tool really brings efficiencies and tracking to optimize the deliveries within the given timelines

At this point, communication becomes crucial. Not just telling people what you want them to do, but also engaging in discussions on how to do it. If you are assigning a task to someone, you do that for a reason, right? It's because they have a specific skillset. Leverage that. Get their insights on what THEY think is the best way to fulfill this task and adjust you plan accordingly.

I have seen products failing in the SLA’s are missing . I would like to bring in the concept of shared SLA here . While all departments/ functions have their individual SLAs tightly defined , the category manager must also ensure that the overall SLA for the product is adhered to even if their is a breach of any individual SLA , the subsequent functions must be empowered / communicated to compensate for ensuring that the overall SLA to the market / customer is met .

Based on my experience, it's important to define roles and responsibilities at the project's onset, considering each team member's skills and interests. This early clarity helps align the team effectively and leverages individual strengths for the project's success.

A lo largo de mi carrera pude evidenciar que la colaboración efectiva es fundamental para el éxito de los lanzamientos de productos, aprendí que asignar roles específicos a cada miembro del equipo asegura una distribución equitativa de la carga de trabajo y una comprensión completa de las tareas. Por supuesto que es esencial definir claramente las responsabilidades. Esto incluye no solo las tareas relacionadas con el lanzamiento, como la planificación de eventos y la creación de materiales promocionales, sino también la comunicación interna y externa. Además, proporcionar acceso a documentos compartidos, herramientas de colaboración y actualizaciones en tiempo real, garantiza que cada miembro tenga acceso a la información más reciente.

Comme disait un célèbre philosophe « ce qui ce conçoit bien s’énonce clairement », ce qui veut dire que les zones d’ombres et les non dits sont un danger absolue dans une phase de lancement projet. Il y a plusieurs étapes à franchir pour un lancement marketing, il faut ne pas brûler les étapes, faire beaucoup de feedback aux équipes pour les rassurer et les accompagner aux succès du lancement. Les outils de suivis sont long à réaliser mais tellement utiles pour la suite, c’est un investissement indispensable.

I find it helpful to plan backwards from a launch by audience type, for example: - you want to train external users close to or just after product launch, so the information is fresh and applicable. This requires logistical planning for webinars and content development and approval well in advance. - 2-4 weeks prior to that, you’ll want to train and equip internal teams and stakeholders so they are prepared to answer customer and partner questions. Working backwards from an external launch date - depending on your company processes and internal timelines - typically requires at least 8-10 weeks to develop and deliver comprehensive internal and external training and enablement.

One thing I've found helpful is creating a "FAQ" for your internal stakeholders, especially right before launch. As questions roll in, continue updating your FAQ document. This creates a win-win situation — it makes it easier for you to answer questions quickly during a busy time and other stakeholders can browse both for their answer but also may come across questions that are good to know but they did not think of.

A way to make training and communication for a product launch more relevant and compelling is to involve one or two seasoned commercial team members in the process and presentation. This can help shift the dynamic from "us/them" to "we, together" as they share best practices tactics and tools.

In my experience each major feature or product launch would require extensive online training materials to be created to train internal support and sales teams, and should include a mix of digital and in person portions to ensure effective uptake of info. Technical documentation for clients / customers is also created in the lead to the launch. The goal is that everything is ready before you press the big red launch button.

Not all launches require the same level of information and resource. The first stage of the launch process should determine exactly what’s required to ensure a successful launch is achieved. Finally, avoid the temptation or sometimes pressure to launch before everything is ready.

Choosing a central communication tool isn't just about picking the coolest or most popular one. It's about finding something that really amps up team communication and gets everyone working together smoothly, especially during a product launch. Asking for opinions, suggestions, and feedback is key here. It's not just about talking; it's about listening too. In a real team, everyone's voice matters. A team where folks can't speak up isn't a team at all; it's more like a mini-dictatorship. So, find a tool that lets everyone chime in and collaborate to win!

In addition to above, split Feedback into 1. crucial to Scale-up plan and driving adoption 2. Good to have Align stakeholders on these split

O feedback é um processo contínuo no lançamento de um produto, ou seja, validar aquilo que foi planejado irá mudar o patamar das decisões estratégicas e principalmente entender o que está certo no processo e no plano para buscar potencializar .

It’s important to have a product launch exit meeting to collect feedback and lesson learn with the team in order to improve and enhance the process for future product launch to be more effective and efficient.

Your team-mates are a treasure trove of information. They understand the customer problem, and have a POV that should not be missed. Steps to solicit feedback: - Prepare a visual: doc, prototype, presentation. - Allow for people to digest by sharing it in advance. - Setup a meeting to let them give you feedback. Anecdotal feedback is very valuable. If possible, meet in person. - Listen, not present. - Document notes where they can see their inputs. - Close the loop.

The important part of celebrating is to be sure to include everyone who is involved. This means the whole project team should be recognized. Also, some consideration should be given to what type of reward is most important to each individual. While it might be impractical to cover all variations, it is still the best to ask and not assume.

Celebrating success is definitely important. One technique I’ve used in the past is to have peer team members nominate another peer who they want to recognize as going above and beyond. Peer recognition is more powerful in many cases than supervisor recognition. You can also create incentives such as gift cards or more meaningful rewards for P2P recognition. It’s also powerful for team members to share postmortem insights into what could be improved for broader product GTM expansion.

The most powerful and sometimes underutilized words at work are "Thank You." This might be because it is work -- we already get paid to do a good job. But that's not enough. People want to feel accepted and appreciated for their competence and in their contributions to the team. Celebration and appreciation must be done in many forms: 1. Remind managers and team members to say thank you 1:1. Direct feedback always results in more smiles :) 2. Use company sponsored appreciation and rewards programs. These systems also track how often people receive them 3. Use internal comms channels like newsletters, chat tools, team meetings, and town halls to highlight key projects and the individuals behind them.

Agree. Get the company excited about every product launch! You don’t have to spend a lot of money to celebrate a launch. The team involved in getting the product to market should be recognized. A celebration of a product launch creates awareness and knowledge of the product for the employees and customers. Celebrate the hard work as a team!

Rewarding your team members for proper use of key messaging it great. I’m a huge fan of celebrating your success, especially if you can find a way to offer public praise. This also helps encourage others outside of marketing to stay on message.

Each department has its own role to play in a product launch. By virtue of this fact, the information required and the resources therein will undergo a change. Its not about everyone having the same info, it's about everyone having relevant info. It is imperative to have a dashboard with key pointers for everyone to understand the milestone. Each section of the dashboard to have tabs with each department or unit to fill in their detailed milestones. Read access to be available to all relevant stakeholders for visibility but full access to each micro dashboard to ensure timely updates.

I would encourage everyone to know their audience before distributing the same product launch materials to everyone. For example, you might want new business and growth teams to adopt different sales motions. You might have plays that are exclusive to CS. The main thing is to make sure that all of your customer-facing teams are part of the launch exercise and that you plot out not only what you want them to know -- but what you are asking them to do before, during, and after launch.

It is valuable to include and incorporate influential team members for feedback, as they will then likely become proponents of the new product, offering a peer to peer scenario with the team, allowing for easier adoption and stronger confidence in the product. When the most respected individuals of a team show their excitement, it transfers to others.

It is not difficult if you use the proper approaches and tools. For example, we can cover this using standard PMP principles like: 1. Begin with a kickoff meeting to present critical information and goals and distribute resources. 2. Outline your communication plan's channels, frequency, and techniques for sharing project updates. 3. Project paperwork, such as project plans, resources, and timelines. 4. Creating a feedback process to encourage open communication among team members to detect gaps, difficulties, or misunderstandings about project resources or information.

Always keep your project scope visible. It is so easy to add a few extra tasks at any phase in a project. This can impact timeline and resources. Regularly review the project scope with team members and stakeholders.