The client brief was clear. It was to run an event that officially launched their new product into the marketplace, generating positive press coverage and awareness within the industry.

The event objectives were to launch the product to an exclusive audience by brining together existing and potential clients and customers, influencers, industry experts and press. They wished to position their business as a market leader, innovator and expert within the field and wanted to use the event to create content that would help raise awareness and interest of the product to a larger audience post event. Furthermore, they wanted to use the event as an opportunity to capture endorsements through interviews, quotes and photos that would help to continue the launch campaign.

The Event Format was promoted as an early evening reception held between 17.30-19.30pm to capture people at the end of the working day. The guest list was invite only to ensure an exclusive and relevant audience. They used a flexible and friendly modern space in a central location with good road and rail links. On arrival guests were greeted with a drink and a ‘mini meal’ to keep them going. Once everyone had arrived delegates were seated for a formal welcome and short product presentation given by the host company. Two guest speakers presented on the key industry developments and challenges and a short audience Q&A finalised proceeding. There was also a dedicated area set up as a press pod. A camera and tripod and branded backdrop ensured all filmed content would have a consistent and professional look, it was also in a semi private area to remove the pressure of spectators.

The event ran smoothly and everyone seemed to have an enjoyable and informative couple of hours. This anecdotal evidence doesn’t really tell the full impact the event had though, the results were clear. The event engaged 54 delegates, of which 11 were potential new clients. Four formal interviews were captured plus five video vox pox from delegates endorsing the new product. A dedicated event review newsletter was produced and sent to all company contacts. The Product launch had four mentions in Trade Press and three online articles were written featuring the product. The host company also had some unexpected results. They were invited to participate in an International Conference to present their product and other initiatives. They also organised another smaller networking breakfast briefing for new clients to find out more. Importantly though they managed to keep the momentum going through their efforts on social media. The product team wrote a number of blog articles and were engaged with many online discussion forums and professional community groups that enabled online networking and product promotion throughout the wider community.

This product launch is a great example of the clear results a well run and managed event can have on the growth of a business. A product launch is something which I believe should be integrated into the marketing and communication plan for the launch of any new product. The power of engaging your audience face to face should not be underestimate or overlooked.