Product launches are overwhelming.
Late nights are the norm as teams pull together to ensure that all moving parts are aligned. Between launching the product marketing campaign, developing copy, and fixing last-minute bugs, your attention span will inevitably be scatterbrained.
When you’re bringing a new product to market, some business areas need more focus than others. For instance, you’ll want to make sure your messaging and positioning are impeccable. You’ll also want to ensure that customers receive as much support as possible through the initial onboarding process.
But still, team members are often stuck in a vortex of other responsibilities. You’re scheduling meetings, chasing deadlines, and chasing down assets. You end up feeling frustrated—not excited or empowered.
That’s where software comes in. You can eliminate redundancies, streamline operations, and ensure that initiatives are moving forward by moving tasks away from email and hallway conversations.
Here’s what you’ll need to consider when choosing software for your product launch.
1. Customization
Every company has its own unique workflows. When choosing software, you’ll want to adapt processes and functionalities to your specific needs. This means that before you choose software, you need to understand what your needs are.
Think about your workflows in terms of layers. You might have internal approval queues with project owners and compliance teams, for instance. Your software should conform to these ongoing communication patterns. Don’t settle for anything other than what’s natural to your team.
2. Accountability
Deadlines can be tough to manage—especially for organizations that are spearheading something new in ambiguous territory. But deadlines matter, and software can help.
By pre-programming alerts, milestones, “next steps,” and approval queues, team members can develop a better understanding of how their contributions impact the rest of the organization. By setting deadlines, team members can ensure that all initiatives are aligned toward a larger vision and that no initiative will slip through the cracks.
When evaluating software, look for systems that reinforce accountability and make deadlines easy to manage. Make sure procedures are flexible enough, however, to accommodate last-minute changes in direction and to ensure that all team members feel confident and comfortable.
3. Support Levels
There’s always a learning curve associated with new software. When choosing a software vendor, you’ll want to make sure you have the level of service necessary for successful onboarding. Technology fails. Processes get clunky. People get stuck. It happens.
What’s most important is that your vendor is responsive, available, and able to help you forge a clear path forward. Above all, your vendor needs to be a dedicated partner who cares about your business interests and goals.
With strong mutual respect, trust, and understanding, both sides will be well positioned to accomplish their goals.
By now, you’re probably wondering what marketing workflow software actually looks like. Take a look at this video, which provides a tutorial of Kapost’s platform. If you have any questions about what you see and whether it’s the right solution for you, be sure to reach out to the Kapost team.