Virtual Product Launch: Everything You Need to Know

Since the pandemic has taken over the world by storm, we are compelled to do everything virtually, right from attending schools to getting a degree and making our presence in an event. Physical events do deliver enchanting experiences to the attendees that they tend to remember in the long run; virtual events are as effective, given you plan and execute them appropriately. Along with various other kinds of virtual events, organisations are now considering organising virtual product launch events.

What is a virtual product launch event?

A virtual product launch is an event organized around the launch of a product to create a buzz in the market. Virtual launch events are similar to their physical counterparts; the only thing that varies is the medium. The idea behind hosting effective virtual launches is, to begin with, the launch long before the actual launch itself. You can start by developing a buzz and suspense in the audience. It is crucial to launch a product with proper planning; If you don’t plan to launch your product efficiently, this might create a poor impression on your potential customers, further affecting the sales. If the product is special, the launch has to be special too! Therefore, organizing an online product launch is the best way out.

How to Host a Successful Virtual Product Launch Event?

The idea behind hosting a virtual product launch is to open your doors to the market. A well-planned launch event will help you increase the impact of your brand in the market. Here are some virtual product launch ideas you can follow to launch your product effectively:

Select a suitable online launch platform

Selecting a suitable virtual launch platform to launch your product is the most crucial factor you need to consider. Several online solutions can make the virtual product launch event a smooth experience for you. Keep your agendas and requirements in mind before seeking out a platform. Along with charges, security, and accessibility, examine all the features they provide. Some platforms create a 3D virtual space bringing the attendee to the center of the venue. There can be walkways that would lead the guests to different spaces where you can place the product throughout the way, which would allow brand visibility. If you’re a Japanese car exporter and showing off a Japanese mini truck, for example, the attendees can walk through the main door towards the auditorium and have a look at the 3D figure of the product..

Make the virtual product launch memorable

If you’re planning a product launch, it is crucial to let the event shine. And it is possible only if you hire a professional virtual event platform. Select a solution that makes the product launch event a memorable experience. Experts suggest that if attendees experience certain things like they are there can interest them more in the product. It can lead to the interaction you would want to have with your attendees. 

Interaction is the key

Contrary to their in-person counterparts, virtual launch events require more interaction with the audience. While it is easier to keep the audience engaged in a physical event, it becomes difficult in the case of an online product launch event.  In virtual events, it takes more effort to get the audience involved and open to interaction. Make your virtual product launch interactive by involving fun activities. Without interactive activities, the attendees would find the event boring and eventually would leave it mid-way.  With evolving technology accessible, we are now open to limitless options. Make efficient use of artificial intelligence to give a twist to your virtual product launch. The audience tends to remember things that are different. You can use it to create a filter for your product. Along with giving you some relevant outputs, it will increase the engagement of your product and the value of your company. 

Encourage the attendees to get involved

Whenever you’re conducting a virtual product launch, make sure your attendees are interested in being a part of the event. One way to keep the excitement alive throughout the event is by dropping a few trailers of your products before the virtual launch. You can also conduct some games and fun quizzes throughout the entire duration. Encourage your attendees to participate in the fun session and ask questions. To keep them more excited, you can also promise them gifts to the winners at the end of the day. Focus on accumulating your target group and encourage them to participate in your event. 

Have one-on-one meetings

In the pre-covid era, when there would be a product launch event, the company would host one-on-one desk meetings with their potential buyers, reporters, and influencers to introduce them to the product. With the new normal of events, the companies are opting for virtual appointments. With their choice of moving online, they are having twice the reach of a physical event. Look for an online event solution that allows you to have a one-on-one meeting with those interested in your event. Research shows these meetings tend to have deeper conversations without any distractions that would have been present otherwise. 

Collaborate with popular faces

While launching your product virtually, you can collaborate with celebrities or experts with good numbers of followers. It will help increase engagement and awareness about your product. People get star-struck when they see a celeb; they would want to attend your online product reveal, given they won’t have to travel to see a celebrity. It will garner more engagement and a higher number of people attending your online product launch event. If your company, for example, is launching a new bike model, you can invite an athlete who has been in the news lately. It will grab more eyeballs, and more people will attend the event. 

Deepen bond with your audience

Now that virtual events are here to stay for a long time, focus more on your social media and communications. Start by responding to people’s comments and messages on social media. You can also engage with them via live sessions. It will help in strengthening the bond between you and your audience. You will be amazed to see the actual power of social media that you can use to gain the audience’s trust and turn your target audience into your customers. 

Immediately start the pre bookings

You can never be an expert in predicting what your customer is feeling at the moment. The launch of your product might inculcate interest in them if you are following the virtual product launch event ideas mentioned above. Use the opportunity to turn the attendees into your customers. It would be highly beneficial for your brand and product if you immediately start the pre-booking of the product. You can also give lucrative discounts or offers to those who pre-book the product right after the event. Delaying it might decrease the audience’s interest, and eventually, they end up not buying it.

Make the Most of Social Wall

Another way of keeping your audience more engaged and interested in your product and brand is by displaying a social wall at your online launch event. Ask your virtual product launch platform where you can show live posts or threads regarding the product. It is another efficient way of gaining people’s trust. Live user-generated content around the product and brand will make your attendees trust your brand even more. Another benefit of this feature is, it increases awareness and engagement of your brand and product. 

Brief the audience about the product

One of those many underrated advantages virtual launch events have over in-person product launches is they allow you to explain to the audience about your product all at once. Be it physical launch events or virtual launch events, you must give complete details about your product to the attendees. Make sure that the audience has a 360-degree review of the product. Inculcate things like pictures, memes, graphics, videos, and other such elements, and it stays with people for a longer duration. The idea behind this is to make it fun and gripping. 

Obtain Detailed Analytics

Virtual launch events allow you to monitor real-time data allowing you to get relevant information regarding audience engagement throughout the launch event. The in-built tracker provides necessary data as audience engagement, activities during the proceedings, and their touchpoints. This data will help you know if you have met your target or not. Dreamcast provides you with the statistics which are highly deciding for your brand and product. 

Get the feedback of the attendees

Getting feedback from the audience is as important as organizing the event. Once the event is over, send out feedback forms to the registered email ids. It could be in the form of surveys, open-ended questions, or follow-up forms. Obtaining feedback from the attendees gives them a sense of responsibility, and they are more likely to purchase your product. 

What are the benefits of Virtual Product Launch?

•  Compared to an in-person launch event, an online product launch helps you save a significant amount of time and money. It allows you to cut off all the logistics and other organizational concerns that come with a  regular product launch event and makes it a calmer event for you.
•  A virtual launch event comes with a lot of conveniences as it allows people from all over the world to log in and join the event. It doesn’t matter what part of the world one is, they can still attend without worrying about geographical barriers.
•  It enables you to reach out to a wide range of audiences generating more leads to your product than an in-person launch. Not only this, using technology to introduce your event to the audience makes you stand among forward-thinking organizations. 

8 Top-Notch Virtual Product Launch Event Ideas

Here are some virtual product launch event ideas shared by the experts you can stick to for organizing successful virtual launches:

1. Make it Captivating- To start with, keep the sessions short and engaging. You can include slides, graphics, and jokes to keep the audience interested in the event. You can refer to various virtual product launch examples and make your event as effective as you want it to be. 

2. Quality over quantity- Don’t compromise with the quality. Add variety to your event by including a 3D virtual layout of your company. You can also incorporate videos and presentations regarding your product. 

3. Keep It Short- Keep breaks in between the sessions. The physical launch events and online launch events are similar in some ways and different in others. Though it is easier to attend day-long physical events, it becomes inconvenient to do the same virtually. Keep this in mind and plan accordingly. 

4. Include Live Keynote Sessions- Though you can include pre-recorded videos, always keep the key-note sessions live. Make sure the sessions are informative as well as persuasive. 

5. Spice it up-  Adding live polls and questions in between the proceedings will make the audience feel involved. It will keep the audience engaged and help you get some relevant data. 

6. Engagement is the key- Another way of keeping the audience engaged is by including games and fun sessions in between the event. Select a platform that has gaming features. You can also challenge the attendees with puzzles, challenges, and giveaway prizes. 

7. Giveaway Goodies- You can include goodie bags for the giveaway to the winners of contests which can have discount coupons, official merchandise, and e-wallet memberships. 

8. Keep them wondering- Keep the audience guessing by dropping in trailers a few days before the actual launch. It is another effective way of building up the hype and promoting the product. 

Wrapping It Up-

If you’re planning a virtual launch event, make it engaging so that people stay for the entire duration. If they leave mid-way, it clearly shows they are disinterested in your event and the product. Consider an online event platform that offers inviting features. Since every other company is organizing events virtually, the level of the competition has gone to another level. Therefore, it becomes essential for you to make your virtual launch event different by adding something captivating, interactive, and engaging. 

If you infuse the virtual product launch ideas discussed above in your next online product launch event, you will see a positive change in the event. 

Virtual Product Launch FAQs