Getting attention is difficult these days, no matter how much your new digital product is going to change the world. There’s a big difference between coming up with a great idea, and turning it into a successful business.

But, what do you need to do to create a buzz and prepare your audience for your new idea? There are several things to look at – and to understand.

In this guide, we’re going to talk you through everything you need to know. Have a read, soak up all the information, and think about how you can use it for your digital product launch. Let’s get started right away.

Understand your solution

Understanding the problems your product solves is the key to having a successful launch. And, you have to make it clear to your audience that this is what they have been looking for. Simplify your product in all your marketing messages so that people know what it does, rather than what it is made of, or what it looks like.

For example, let’s say you invented the potato peeler. You wouldn’t sell it as something that has a firm grip and a steel blade, you would sell it as something that makes peeling potatoes safer and easier. Break down your product into its key benefits and use them to sell to your audience.

Make sure it works

Your digital product has to work when you launch it – but it doesn’t have to be complete. Ensure that you have a rigorous testing process in place, and focus on the important aspects of your business. If you get to launch day, and there are still major issues, people will turn off – and they might not come back.

First impressions mean a great deal, and your customers will need a working product if you are going to achieve any success. You can add features later, of course. But, get the essentials in place and iron out any kinks before you launch your idea into the wider world.

Get early adopters

Early adopters are essential for new digital products, as they allow people access to the product before anyone else. And, there are a lot of these people out there that just love to get their hands on things before anyone else. But – how do you find them?

Well, check message boards on places like Reddit for people talking about early access games and software. You can also visit trade shows and hand out freebies. Put access information on lots of SD cards, and hand them out to anyone that expresses and interest. You can pick up batch lots from places like here – http://www.bulkmemorycards.com/. Make sure the product is up to scratch, and use your early adopters to question anything they feel isn’t working. You will get a lot of data about improvements, which you can use to make tweaks before launching.

Build a community

Once you have your early adopters in place, use them to help you grow a community. The more people talk about your product, the more buzz you will build. You can host a forum, for example, or you could create social media accounts and build up a community on there. People like to belong to something, as well as talking about things they love. You will find that it attracts like-minded people. Also, all the talk that occurs can give you some great insights into improvements further on down the line.

Make it a big deal

Now you have a community in place; it’s time to turn your launch into something important. Take a look at this for a prime example – http://appleinsider.com/. Apple invite the world’s media to come along, and the news hits the mainstream channels as well as the technology blogs. And, of course, they have people forming queues outside their stores, and when they are let in, they are clapped and cheered by employees. Of course, Apple has an enormous budget for spending on this kind of thing – and the ear of the media. But, there’s a lot to take out of the way they promote their products that you can use on a smaller scale.

Arrange pre-orders

With a community in place and some ideas of how you are going to have an awesome launch party, you can start taking pre-orders. It’s astonishing how few technology companies do this, as it’s an excellent way to tweak things around before your big day. It will give you a feel for how well your promotional activity has been going, so you can make changes right up until the last minute. There are a few issues to think about, of course. You will need to have your pricing in place before setting up a pre-order system – https://community.homestead.com/. But, it will give you lots of handy info on what you can expect for launch day.

Contact industry bloggers

Bloggers are a great way for businesses to grow their audience, so look for some in your industry. You can get in touch and give them early access to your product, and allow them to get a feel for it. Ask them to write an honest review, and you will also get some handy hints on where to tighten things before launch. The main thing is, they will have an audience that you don’t have. And, there could be thousands of people ready to part with some cash on the blogger’s say-so. The product has to be good, of course. But, it’s a cost-effective way of getting eyes on your brand name and that all-important digital product.

Be realistic

As a small business, you can’t expect a big bang launch like Apple or Microsoft get – unless your product is going to change the world. So, set your expectations accordingly. However, there is nothing to stop you making a big scene on a more local scale. In fact, your local community is the perfect place for a small business product launch, as it can give you a robust foundation of support. Host a party, get in touch with your local media, and you might have a lucky day.

Do you have any more tips for launching a successful digital product? Let us know your thoughts!