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1. Product Launch Checklist
Duration
Stage Department Task Description Owner Start End Status
(Days)
Validate the understanding of Market
1 Market Problems Product Team Market Needs Problems that this new product was Sally 6-Jan-11 35 10-Feb-11 Completed
developed to address
Review the customer requirements that
2 Customer Requirements Technical Requirements
resulted in this product's feature set
Jim 10-Feb-11 35 17-Mar-11 On Track
Make sure that the Marketing and PR
functions have the product specifications
2 Customer Requirements Product Team Feature Specs and feature detail to help craft supporting Michael 17-Mar-11 35 21-Apr-11 Overdue
marketing materials, web pages, press
releases, etc.
Make sure that the Support function
understands the new product's feature set
2 Customer Requirements Product Team Support
to prepare needed documentation, training
Tom 21-Apr-11 28 19-May-11 At Risk
and support materials.
Review the competitive analysis to
understand the differentiation that exists in
3 Competitive Analysis Marketing Competition the new product. Make sure that the Jim 21-Apr-11 21 12-May-11 Not Started
product launch marketing messages reflect
this differentation.
Understand the market position that was
determined for the new product. Verify that
4 Positioning Marketing Positioning
the Positioning is still valid and the
Sally 10-May-11 21 31-May-11 Not Started
product's differentation.
Work with Marketing, Sales and PR to
4 Positioning Product Team Messaging make sure that all key product messages Paul 1-Jun-11 30 1-Jul-11 Not Started
flow from the Positioning.
Determine if the launch of this new product
is still aligned with corporate strategy. If
not, understand what must change - the
4 Positioning Executive Alignment
product or the strategy - to not create
Nancy 1-Jun-11 21 22-Jun-11 Not Started
market confusion or potential
embarrassment when the product is

2. Review the Business Case to understand
all assumptions that must go into the
pricing for the new product. See if anything
5 Business Case Finance Business Case
has changed since the Business Case was
Nancy 1-Jun-11 21 22-Jun-11 Not Started
approved that might require you to adopt
different pricing.
Work with Product Management and any
5 Business Case Product Team Pricing other stakeholders to finalize launch pricing Jim 15-Jun-11 28 13-Jul-11 Not Started
based on the Business Case.
Review the Product Roadmap to ensure
that all the planned features for the
pending product release are in fact in the
6 Product Roadmap Technical Roadmap
new product. If some features were
Sally 1-Jun-11 49 20-Jul-11 Not Started
omitted, make sure there are no references
to them in launch and marketing materials.
Set specific, measurable goals for this
7 Product Launch Product Team Set Goals Product Launch. Most often, the goal of a Tom 15-Jun-11 21 6-Jul-11 Not Started
Launch is to create sales momentum.
Select someone to lead the Product
7 Product Launch Product Team Pick Leader Launch, ideally someone from the Product Nancy 21-Jun-11 21 12-Jul-11 Not Started
Management function.
Ensure that the Launch team leader has
7 Product Launch Executive Sponsorship
executive sponsorship.
Sally 15-Jun-11 21 6-Jul-11 Not Started
Select members from each of the following
functional areas to serve on the Launch
7 Product Launch Product Team Build Team team: Product Management, Marketing, Jim 6-Jul-11 21 27-Jul-11 Not Started
Sales, R&D, Support/service, Channel
Management.
Begin meeting well in advance of the
anticipated General Availability date for the
new product. A new product launch
7 Product Launch Product Team Meetings
typically takes 6 -12 months to properly
Michael 15-Jul-11 21 5-Aug-11 Not Started
plan and execute. Determine how
frequently the team needs to meet. More
Decide on a set of communication
protocols and frequency of regular
7 Product Launch Product Team Protocol communication between members of the Paul 15-Jul-11 21 5-Aug-11 Not Started
Launch Team and those outside the
Launch Team with a need to know.

3. Using this template as your guide, develop
a detailed checklist of all activities that
7 Product Launch Product Team To Do List
must occur to successfully launch this new
Sally 21-Jul-11 28 18-Aug-11 Not Started
product.
Develop the pre and post-launch Marketing
7 Product Launch Marketing Marketing Plan
plan
Jim 30-Jul-11 35 3-Sep-11 Not Started
Develop the pre and post-launch
Communications plan. Consider both
internal and external communications.
7 Product Launch Marketing Communications
What press activities are planned? Will
Michael 5-Aug-11 28 2-Sep-11 Not Started
you communicate the launch to your
current customers differently that the
Develop your pre and post-launch events
7 Product Launch Marketing Event Strategy strategy (this can be part of the Marketing Nancy 5-Aug-11 28 2-Sep-11 Not Started
plan).
Determine the product release milestones -
working prototype, Alpha test, Beta test,
Release
7 Product Launch Technical
Milestones
General Availability. Document in the Michael 10-Apr-11 35 15-May-11 Not Started
Launch Plan and develop a launch timeline
around these dates.
Stay in close communication with R&D and
Manufacturing to determine if anything is
7 Product Launch Technical Testing
occurring during testing that might delay
Paul 1-May-11 63 3-Jul-11 Not Started
the General Availability or Launch date.
After you've completed your detailed
7 Product Launch Product Team Budget Launch Plan, develop a budget for the Jim 10-Aug-11 21 31-Aug-11 Not Started
Launch and get it approved.
Estimate how many impressions
7 Product Launch Marketing Metrics (exposures), leads, sales and profit will Tom 15-Aug-11 14 29-Aug-11 Not Started
result from executing your Launch Plan
Using the approved Launch budget and
estimates from the previous step (or from
7 Product Launch Finance ROI
the Business Case), develop an ROI
Sally 15-Aug-11 14 29-Aug-11 Not Started
projection for the Launch.

4. If you plan to launch in international
markets, ensure that localization
7 Product Launch Product Team International
requirements, pricing and distribution are in
Jim 1-Aug-11 28 29-Aug-11 Not Started
place.
Discuss as a team the risks to the Launch
Plan, particularly those risks that might
7 Product Launch Executive Risk delay the launch or cause the launch to fail. Tom 1-Aug-11 21 22-Aug-11 Not Started
Where possible, develop contingency plans
against these risks.

5. Risk
International
ROI
Metrics
Budget
Testing
Release Milestones
Event Strategy
Communications
Marketing Plan
To Do List
Protocol
Meetings
Build Team
Sponsorship
Pick Leader
Set Goals
Roadmap
Pricing
Business Case
Alignment
Messaging
Positioning
Competition
Support
Feature Specs
Requirements
Market Needs
2-Jan-11 21-Feb-11 12-Apr-11 1-Jun-11 21-Jul-11 9-Sep-11