I have now completed my second month managing the validation and launch of a new service for a large technology company. My continued mission is to share my learning and best practices along the way and do my part to help more new product and service launches succeed in the marketplace! No small task, given that at least 1 in 3 new launches fail in the marketplace every year, despite diligent research and planning.

In my first month, I focused on getting up to speed fast, identifying and building relationships with key stakeholders, quickly understanding marketplace dynamics and driving alignment around scope and key assumptions, framing fact-based strategic options, developing a robust timeline and, most importantly, keeping the communication lines open across the organization.

Month 1 was a little hectic, but the pace of activity only intensifies as the service is readied for launch and decisions are needed quickly to meet an extremely tight timeline! Strong communication remains imperative to continued progress toward the launch date.

Month 2: Validating the Proposition and Developing the Launch Plan

Finalize the Research Plan & Execute: All challenges are different and the research objectives and methodologies we choose to leverage vary based on these factors. It is important to identify the right questions that, if answered, will drive a higher probability of success. I am launching a new service in a very cluttered and competitive space. Most of the competitors are well known brands with the resources to support a large-scale initiative. Given these dynamics, it was important to get closer to the consumer to understand what needs were being met with current offerings, where there were gaps and ultimately, how our service could be positioned to uniquely fulfill these needs and differentiate versus key competitors.

I worked closely with internal Market Research to build a two-part plan. In the first stage, we conducted exploratory research in focus groups to uncover new insights, while gaining initial feedback on strategic hypotheses. In the second phase, we leveraged the learning from focus groups to refine concept options including positioning, packaging and pricing variables, to test in quantitative research. We chose an interesting methodology that allowed us to test more variables than a traditional conjoint analysis would allow. In this research, consumers will be exposed to holistic concepts. Based on their preferences during the exercise, top concepts emerge yielding the higher purchase interest, relevance and believability. These concepts are then tested against competitor concepts on both a monadic and discrete choice basis to understand the breadth and depth of appeal versus competitor offerings.

The net takeaway is to do the due diligence. This six-week process allows us to get close to the consumer to understand unmet needs and where we are best positioned to win in the marketplace. With one shot at success, we are spending the time and resources necessary to validate direction.

Develop the Launch Plan: The other big work stream in month two was developing the launch plan. How are we going to generate demand? With such a tight timeline, it must be nailed quickly to allow enough runway for creative development, production and deployment (which is why a robust timeline is important). This is where your relationships come in handy as well, because determining tactics, cost and timing requires a collaborative effort across functions (Product Marketing, Media, Marketing Communications, etc) and agency partners.

Building on the insights from focus groups, I developed a briefing document focused on the key consumer barriers to success. During focus groups, consumers clearly had concerns about the value of the service and had doubts about the company's ability to deliver the service. These barriers helped us to identify the “job” marketing was required to perform to overcome these challenges. Our message needed to focus on the value of the service and we needed to tangibly demonstrate the benefits to consumers. These barriers informed our marketing objectives and strategies and we used this framework to facilitate a brainstorm with the broader team to develop a list of tactics to address each strategy. We gathered costs and timing for each tactic and developed a recommended launch plan and timeline. This approach allowed us to focus on the behavior we needed to impact to be successful and kept the team focused on the task at hand!

Month two was another busy but productive month that moved at the speed of sound. With quantitative research in the field and a tactical launch plan developed, we are well on out way to launch! We focused on consumer needs, developing a proposition that not only best meets these needs of developing a targeted and focused tactical support plan, but also was collaboratively created to impact the consumer behavior needed to ensure success.

With research results expected in a few weeks, we must move quickly into creative development to bring the strategy to life. Month 3 is all about execution! I will continue to share my experiences next month, but I want to hear your thoughts. What are your research best practices in validating a new product or service? Is there a framework that you have used to successfully build an effective marketing plan?