Shannon Johlic

Customers MUST be a part of any product launch. While you never want to treat them as "guinea pigs" for any new feature, they are your best resource to test the market fit before you even dream of actually pushing any update to product and promoting it. Including your customers in the launch is vital. Keep the lines of communication open during any product launch. Any product launch has a growth component in it - be it for new logos, new revenue lines, or even expansion of current contracts. Your current customers are a growth lever that most orgs neglect. When looking at a product launch, while assessing potential opportunity/pipeline creation, any marketing team must also look at the impact it will have on existing customers - be it from a revenue, adoption, or retention standpoint. In addition, as you prepare to bring a product to market, you will need proof points to give social credibility to the value you claim to give. It's easy to get testimonials, ROI statements, and even case studies that will bolster your launch's success.