The reason to launch

If you have a new business, product, range or facility, it won’t be new forever… so it’s best you give it a good launch now and do it right!

This became apparent when I attended Sea World Australia’s launch of its new Plaza on the Gold Coast.

Its ‘white party’ theme included entertainment ranging from bands, fire twirlers and stilt walkers along with wonderful prizes. The catering was top notch and the event itself was hosted with a variety of guests (side note - Sally Pearson does very well on the dance floor).

I could see how this event was achieving its desired result – to launch the Sea World Plaza with a bang to ensure it would thrive in its relevant target markets. This is something Elevate is familiar with after launching a number of ‘new things’ in the past, including a whisky bar, health cafes, festivals, new branding and factories.

It is important to maximise from the hype of something simply being new, so don’t hesitate. Here’s what you should consider when planning a launch:   

Invitations: “Why is your launch event the coolest in town?” - Ensure that comes across in your invitation, along with your company’s personality. Get your marketing cap on to devise the most brilliant piece of invitation collateral you can!

With a small budget, you could design a quirky invite, with funky imagery and well crafted text. If you have more dollars to work with, send the invite as a gift: A jar of jelly beans in the brand’s colours, a model car with an invitation tucked into the driver’s seat or have a flash mob deliver the invite personally. 

Timing: While it’s important to strike while the iron’s hot, the venture doesn’t have to be launched on the very day it opens. 

Sometimes new products or facilities need breathing space (what we call a soft launch) to ensure everything is running smoothly before it is presented to influential markets. We’ve launched a new factory 11 months down the track and still achieved a brilliant result. 

Guests: Who are your key target markets and who are the people who can help you reach them?  

If it’s the launch of a new facility, consider Professional Conference Organisers (PCOs) who need options for their events and PR agents with a number of influential clients, while often needing locations for product launch photo shoots. 

If you’re launching a new factory or café, invite your current and potential business partners to see your brand in its best light.

Try and throw a few VIPs in the mix for credibility; perhaps your local member, mayor or celebrity.  

Food & drink: Lay it on thick and heavy! I know food is the key to my heart…so this MUST be the key to many people’s hearts. It’s all about your company showing its warmth and hospitality.

Entertainment: The ‘formalities’ of the evening should be about five per cent (such as a short opening speech), with the rest networking, entertainment, eating and drinking.

Media: Communicate your event to the media through media releases and alerts while hiring your own photographer to take high quality photos, which you can send to media after the event and use on social media. But don’t be upset if they don’t write a story as their attendance is incredibly valuable and they’ll remember you.

Choose your company’s best talent to participate in media interviews and train them on delivering the most succinct key messages around the launch and what it means for your company and community. 

At Elevate we love launches! Give us a call to chat about how we can launch your new business, brand, product or facility. Call us on 07 3180 3666 for an obligation free quote.