Melissa Smolensky's Heavybit Speaker Series talk 'Minimum Viable Launch: What You Need For Marketing Success'

1. Minimum Viable
Launch
June 16, 2015

5. The Art of the Launch

6. Success
PR + AR + Social Media +
Content + Online Ads + Excited Team
(synchronized storytelling)

7. Challenge at Launch:
New brand + New product
Goal at Launch:
Market positioning + Drive
signs-up for private beta
40+ unique articles | 1,000+ unique tweets
1,000s of private beta sign-ups
e.g.
example

8. Step One:
Set Goals For Your Launch

9. Messaging and CTAs

10. Step Two:
Timing Your Launch

11. Product is ready, really?
Tradeshows?
Industry news?
Timing Matters

12. Step Three:
Develop the Story

14. Heading
What is the overall message you want to get across
Subhead
Provide one sentence that explains the message in greater detail
Summary of News
First paragraph provides the news in an easy to digest paragraph form
Quote from CEO
Write their quote for them
More information on the product
Provide additional information on where to purchase
Quote from Third Party
Write a fictional quote from an analyst, customer, partner or investor
Elements of a Press Release

15. Heading
Subhead
Summary of News
Quote from CEO
More information
on the product
Quote from
Third Party
boilerplate +
contact info

16. assets - ads - newsletters - blogs
Brand Your Launch

17. Step Four:
Third Party Validation

19. Third Party Validation Resources
Analysts
Gartner, IDC, 451 Research, RedMonk and Forrester
Well-Known Customers
Brands your reporters know
Partners
Integration points, Advisors
Investors
Accelerators, Board, VCs

20. Step Five:
Reaching Out to Press

21. Find Your Beat
&
EMBARGOs

22. Hi X -
On X date at X time we will be launching funding alongside our
new product called X. If you agree to the embargo happy to
send you the release or set up time to tell you more.
Since we have not previously met, we do X.
Do you have time on X date to talk more?
Thanks,
X
The Pitch

23. A reporter wants
to talk, now what?

24. Step Six:
The Day Before

25. Coordinate
&
FOLLOW-UP

26. Step Seven:
The Importance of Day-of

27. ALL-HANDS ON-DECK
&
Follow-up, Again

28. Step Eight:
Thank-Yous

29. Objectives:
Set goals for Launch. (e.g. Brand positioning to Sign-ups)
Embargo Time:
Stick with it or you lose respect quickly
Minimum Viable Launch:
PR + AR + Social Media + Content + Online Ads + Excited Team
Prep for Interviews:
Answer the hard questions, someone will ask them.
Day Of:
Clear your schedule to focus on the launch. Encourage your team
to promote. Keep following-up.
Post Mortem, Team Drinks, Repeat.
Quick Takeaways

30. Thank You
@melsmo
mel@coreos.com
Now go and tell a great story!