How do you communicate new features to customers?

1 Know your audience

Before you announce a new feature, you need to know who will benefit from it, how they use your product, and what problems they have. This will help you tailor your message to their needs, preferences, and expectations. You can segment your customers based on various criteria, such as behavior, feedback, industry, or role, and use different channels and formats to reach them. For example, you can send personalized emails to power users, create blog posts or videos for general users, or host webinars or demos for prospects.

2 Choose the right timing

Timing is also important when communicating new features to customers. You want to make sure that your announcement is relevant, timely, and not disruptive. You can use data and insights to determine the best time to send your message, based on your customers' activity, engagement, and feedback patterns. For example, you can avoid sending emails during peak hours, weekends, or holidays, or schedule them according to your customers' time zones. You can also align your announcement with your product roadmap, customer journey, or industry trends.

3 Highlight the benefits

When you communicate a new feature, you want to focus on the benefits and value it provides to your customers, not just the technical details or functionalities. You want to show them how the new feature can help them solve a problem, achieve a goal, or improve their experience. You can use clear and concise language, compelling visuals, and real-life examples or testimonials to illustrate the benefits. You can also use the before-and-after technique to demonstrate the difference the new feature makes.

4 Educate and support

Communicating a new feature is not enough. You also need to educate and support your customers on how to use it, why they should use it, and what to expect from it. You can provide various resources and guidance, such as tutorials, FAQs, documentation, or tips, to help your customers learn and explore the new feature. You can also offer live support, such as chat, phone, or email, to answer any questions or issues they may have. You can also monitor and measure how your customers are using the new feature, and solicit feedback and suggestions for improvement.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?