What SaaS B2B Software Vendors can learn From Apple's Product Launches and Keynote Presentations

New product launches have become an almost predictable part of Apple’s annual activities. The tech giant repeatedly amazes us with its new product launches, each time raising the bar for user experience by incorporating the latest technology trends.??

No doubt, Apple’s product launch videos and keynote speeches are well-planned exercises to drive users into a frenzy. They are carefully constructed to show the new products in their best light while leaving enough room for interpretation and imagination. There is a reason why Apple is known as the market leader when it comes to innovation.?

If you’re a SaaS vendor who has ideas about how to build and deliver innovative products that appeal to customers, this post might be helpful as you plan your company’s next big launch.?

Here are my top five insights from Apple’s recent product launches and keynote presentations to help you get started.?

1. Start with the product value, not the communications strategy

A big mistake that many product managers make when they’re working on a new product is to start with the communications strategy. They might be excited about a new feature, so they start planning a big launch around it, creating a whole campaign and website around that feature. Then, they suddenly realize that they have a half-baked offering with a great communications plan.??

This is the worst thing you can do. Your first priority should be to create a great product with the best experience possible. What is the most essential problem your product solves and what value does it need to deliver? Once you can answer these questions, start planning your communications strategy. This information can also be used to inform your engineering and design teams about your product’s most important aspects.?

2. Feature only the most essential aspects of your product

There will be many exciting aspects of your product that you can include in the launch, but resist the urge to over-feature. Focus instead on the one or two features that are essential to your customers or end-user. This will allow you to communicate your message more effectively, while leaving room for interpretation and imagination.??

You can always add additional features later. Your product will likely change as you make improvements. Even if you think you know everything that you want your product to do, there will be someone out there who will use it in a way that you haven’t even imagined. Be careful not to pin yourself down with promises that you can’t keep. What is the one most essential function of your product that you want people to know about??

3. Bring your audience through a familiar narrative?

As you plan your product launch, think of it as a story arc. You want to start with a clear introduction that leads into the problem that your product solves. Next, provide a short narrative about how your product solves this problem. You can conclude with a short description of the benefits of your product.??

Don’t just tell your audience that your product does something. Bring them through a narrative and experience that is familiar to them. A great example is the way Apple highlights the health aspect and life-saving stories around the launch of their new smart watch. Start with a real-life scenario that your audience can relate to. Then, explain how your product solves the problem and what benefits it brings.?

4. Use animation and video to give people a sense of how it feels to use your product

Animation and video are great ways to bring your product to life while giving your audience a sense of its user experience. You can also use video to show what your product actually looks like. This can be helpful at different stages of your product lifecycle when you don’t want to show a prototype, but you want to show something that people can relate to and easily visualize.?

5. Focus on simplicity, both in design and language

Apple products are famous for their clean, simple design. They don’t include a lot of the unnecessary features that many other companies’ products do. Instead, they focus on the features that are essential, and they do them extremely well.??

Be careful not to add unnecessary features to your product. Launch with only the essential features and then add more later once you’ve established your product’s success and proven its value. If you try to add too many features at once, people will likely get confused and frustrated.??

Lastly, when you’re writing the copy for your website and product, try to keep it simple. Cut out all unnecessary words and include only what’s absolutely necessary.