40 Things To Do For Your Next B2B Software Launch

B2B SaaS Product Launch Guide

Releasing new software can be a struggle for mature organizations, and even more so for early-stage startups. 95% of products launched by established companies are destined for failure, according to Harvard Business Review.

With the responsibility of executing successful debuts, Product Marketing Managers must deliver to achieve the statistical improbability that is the remaining 5%. Not only that but they're oftentimes tasked with testing market hypotheses in unpredictable and unprecedented scenarios.

To ensure your success, here is a B2B SaaS Product Launch Guide with 40 action items, segmented into four stages: Launch Preparation, Product Promotion, Soft Launch, and Public Announcement.

Launch Preparation

1. Review product demonstration, features, and specifications with the Product Management team
2. Establish key objectives for solutions and success metrics delivered to clients
3. Define specific go-to-market activities necessary to achieve organization's target objectives
4. Schedule launch date and project deadlines, then notify team members involved
5. Identify Ideal Customer Profiles (ICP) as well as buyer and end-user personas, determining their characteristics and challenges
6. Outline various use cases by product line as it applies to each ICP and persona
7. Declare the value proposition for your solution and positioning statements for individual features
8. Test your solution in the product staging environment to ensure proper functionality
9. Document each step of the implementation process with written instructions and visual guides to support technical documentation
10. Research competitive vendors to compare feature capabilities, pricing models, and proprietary differentiators
11. Preemptively address prospects’ sales objections?and FAQ posed by end-users
12. Propose pricing and packaging recommendations to the executive management team for approval
13. Update Sales proposals and contracts to include new product line
14. Notify the Finance department of changes for proper revenue recognition

Product Promotion

15. Identify SEO keywords to incorporate in copy for inbound content

16. Create graphics with a designer as a visual representation of the product's value

17. Draft script and record screencast for the production of promotional and instructional videos

18. Add technical support documentation to the Knowledge Base and include instructional video

19. Produce a product brochure and landing page summarizing the problem and the benefits delivered by the solution

20. Publish a release note along with the embedded promotion video to your company's page

21. Write blogs, eBooks, or white papers related to challenges addressed by the new product with SEO keywords

22. Draft copy for paid ads and social media posts with SEO keywords, then schedule publishing on and after the specified launch date

23. Edit the integration listing on your tech partners' app marketplaces to reflect the most recent updates

24. Replace content for deprecated products with references to the latest iteration

Soft Launch

25. Prepare training material that enables Sales and Account Management teams to educate prospects on the solution's value

26. Prepare training material that enables Customer Success teams to streamline implementation and monitor performance?for new clients

27. Train internal teams on functionality, messaging, competitive intelligence, and objection handling

28. Invite existing clients to beta test the product, guiding users through implementation and proper usage

29. Monitor performance of the beta testing group and request feedback from users

30. Leverage critical user feedback and product analytics to develop further enhancements

31. Compile written or recorded case studies revealing clients' use cases, outcomes, and testimonials

32. Craft a report outlining the results generated by the collective user group

Public Announcement

33. Publish ads and marketing collateral on websites, social media, and third-party pages

34. Inform industry analysts of the launch and sponsor press release coverage

35. Announce product launch to a wider group of applicable clients by email

36. Advise Sales teams on content to include in outbound email campaigns for late-stage prospects at target accounts

37. Compose outbound marketing campaigns inviting qualified personas within your ICP to trial your solution

38. Collaborate with technology and channel partners on co-marketing campaigns that include joint case studies, webinars, and podcasts directed at mutual audiences

39. Measure the success of your product launch by revenue generated and customers acquired within the target date range

40. Re-evaluate marketing efforts based on results of the product launch

Although many of these initiatives are universal amongst enterprise software companies, priorities may vary from one team to another. Therefore, you may copy and modify this spreadsheet to meet your team's needs and requirements.

It would be great to understand which steps you feel are the most pertinent for growth. Please comment with any suggestions you might have!