New Product? Give It Nine Lives

The closeness between the words "new" and "news" provides a
telling clue to how easy it can be to get media coverage for
something that's new. By definition, the media are in the
business of covering what's fresh, what's unprecedented and
what has just happened. Follow a few simple steps and
publicity can make your product launch a significant
success.

First, carefully and honestly define specific markets for
your product. Media that target those markets are those you
should concentrate on. Forget about the mass media unless
even a skeptic would have to agree that your product would
matter to practically everyone.

Second, identify the primary benefit your product will bring
to each target market. String that together with the
identity of the corresponding population in a press release
headline, using the formula "New [generic product
description] brings [benefit] to [target market]." For
instance:

New Bridal Shower Game Ends Gift-Opening Tedium, Makes
Shower a Memorable Event for Hostess, Bride and Guests

Third, reword your headline for each target market. An
editor's paramount question when screening release
headlines, whether in a stack of faxes, in an email in-box
or on the Web, is "Is it relevant to my readers?" Naming the
readers in the headline answers that question without
forcing the editor to think. For example, while the headline
above would go to brides' magazines, the one below fits
publications for wedding planners:

New Bridal Shower Game a Sure-Fire Add-on for Party Planners

Fourth, complete the releases and distribute them to the
relevant media. The narrower a niche, the more you may want
to supplement established industry distribution circuits
with additional research and one-by-one mailing, emailing or
faxing.

Fifth, get to work turning your Web site for the product
into a magnet for folks searching for something like what
you've just released. Brainstorm generic keywords by which
people would search for your item and include as many of
them as possible on the home page and throughout the site.
Register your site or new product page not only with major
search engines but also with specialized industry
directories and submit your link at industry portals.
Include customer or expert testimonials for greater
credibility, and add links to media coverage when that
starts coming in.

Whenever possible, link the timing of your product release
to a holiday, the season, current events or a trade show to
increase its newsworthiness.

Most specialized magazines feature selected new products
near the front of each issue, often with a product photo.
You needn't send product samples or photos everywhere to get
such coverage, as editors will call for those if intrigued
by the release. The more lively and reader-friendly the
writing in your release, the more likely a busy editor is to
choose your item from the candidates received.

After half a year or so has passed, your product will no
longer count as "new." By upgrading the item in a relevant
way, however, you can consider it a new edition and start
the cycle over again.