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A Guide and Template to Provide Effective Communication for a Successful Launch

LAUNCHCOMMUNICATIONPLAN

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GETTING STARTED

Whether you’re launching a new channel marketing automation platform or a new channel mar-keting program, your success hinges on channel partner engagement. Convincing your channel partners of the value to them is hard but not because the program benefits aren’t real--it’s just hard to get their attention.

In our work with clients who are launching the Averetek platform to their channel partners, the most successful program launches are the ones that plan and execute a communication plan. A comprehensive plan that provides your internal and external audiences with the right information at the right time gives you the greatest odds for successful partner engagement, and ultimately, the business results you seek.

Enter the Averetek Launch Communication Plan Guide and Template.

Because there’s no such thing as a one-size-fits all strategy when talking to audiences with different priorities, capabilities, and needs, we’ve put together an adaptable tool to plan your communication. Our reusable Launch Communication Plan template will help you prepare, track, and tailor your messaging based on your audience.

This eBook complements the Launch Communication Plan template by showing you how to:

1 PLAN EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION FOR YOUR LAUNCH.

2 EDUCATE AND MOTIVATE AUDIENCES ABOUT HOW YOUR PLATFORM HELPS THEM.

3 COMMUNICATE SHORTLY BEFORE LAUNCH AND THE DAY OF LAUNCH.

4 KEEP THE MOMENTUM GOING AFTER LAUNCH TO INCREASE PLATFORM ADOPTION AND

DRIVE PARTNER SUCCESS.

This eBook’s focus is on effective communication, given the pivotal role that it plays in a successful launch. We won’t address the overall project management and technical activities needed for a successful launch in this guide.

“Having a great channel marketing program is one thing, but communicating it to part-ners is just as important. Avalara communicates to partners our channel programs’ merits, features, and available campaigns, so that partners adopt them with enthu-siasm and drive demand with minimal effort.”

— Liz Anderson. Director, Partner Programs at Avalara

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Communication Planning

Who’s Who?

Make the Plan Your Own

Educate and Motivate

How and Why?

Webinars Build Trust

Building Support

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Launch

Setting Expectations

Broad Launch

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Keep the Momentum Going

Training and Engaging

Partner Testimonials

Bringing it All Together

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COMMUNICATION PLANNING

WHO’S WHO?

Begin by identifying your internal and external audiences. This first step will help you target appropriate communication to each group. Answer these questions:

1 WHO NEEDS TO USE THE TOOL/PROGRAM INTERNALLY?

• e.g., Channel Managers, Field Marketing teams, Product Marketing Manager, Marketing Operations, etc.

2 WHO NEEDS TO USE THE TOOL EXTERNALLY?

• e.g., Channel Partners, Resellers, Agents, Distributors, executive roles, sales and market-ing roles, etc.

3 WHAT OTHER SEGMENTS DO YOU USE TO TARGET PARTNERS?

• e.g., Partner program tier, certifications, geography, past marketing experience, willing-ness to actively market, etc.

4 WHICH AUDIENCES SIMPLY NEED TO BE AWARE OF UPDATES AND WHICH AUDIENCES

NEED TO ACT ON UPDATES?

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MAKE THE PLAN YOUR OWN

Now that you’ve identified your audiences, es-tablish your communication plan. Make sure you’re using our Launch Communication Plan

template to help you get started.

As you are making this template your own, ask

yourself these questions:

• How will I communicate the program’s value?

• How will I communicate differently to dif-ferent partners or audiences to ensure the benefits offered speak to their needs?

• Which media (or combination) should I use to educate audiences about the upcoming launch?

• e.g., blog posts, emails, newsletters, webi-nars, website, and social media posts

• What resources are needed for each audience?

• e.g., internal presentation, external presentation, videos, emails, newsletter content, social me-dia content, campaign execution materials, downloadable content, event-in-a-box materials, third-party agency services, etc.

• When is the right time to send messages and at what frequency?

• Do some audiences need more lead time than others when I’m asking for feedback or action?

• What is my call to action for each communication?

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EDUCATE &MOTIVATE

HOW AND WHY?

About two months before launch, begin communication with your audiences about what’s to come. At Averetek, we’ve seen the power of the inbound marketing methodology in commu-nication to drive results. Consider that how you communicate and the whys in your mes-sage are just as important as the “who, what, when, and where” of your message.

In each communication, make education and motivation the aim by:

1 CLEARLY OUTLINING THE VISION AND GOALS OF THE PROGRAM.

2 EXPLAINING WHY THIS PROGRAM WILL MAKE YOUR AUDIENCE’S LIVES EASIER

AND BETTER.

3 DESCRIBING HOW YOUR AUDIENCE SHOULD INTERACT WITH THE PROGRAM TO

GET THE MOST FROM IT.

If in doubt about what you’re writing, remember: keep each communication focused on what’s important to your audience. Doing so will help the reader to trust your messages and embrace the new program once it’s ready for them to use.

Communication examples:

• Send “Coming Soon” updates via email or social media with progress reports to your audiences. Remember that people want to know how this program will help them achieve their goals.

• Update websites or other internal and external resources with information on your upcoming release.

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WEBINARS BUILD TRUST

Anticipation for launch is growing and your audience needs to learn about your platform. Webinars are a powerful communication tool and they build trust faster than any other medium to educate and engage people. About one month before launch, start drafting the communication for the two types of webinars you’ll host close to your launch date:

1 A WEEK BEFORE LAUNCH, CONDUCT WEBINARS TO TRAIN YOUR INTERNAL TEAMS ON

THE PLATFORM. PROVIDE TWO TIMESLOTS IN CASE SOME PEOPLE CAN’T ATTEND ONE.

2 ONE TO TWO DAYS AFTER LAUNCH, CONDUCT WEBINARS TO GIVE PARTNERS AN OVER-VIEW TO HELP THEM START SUCCESSFULLY. CONDUCT WEBINARS AT A CONVENIENT TIME

FOR EACH TIME ZONE YOU NEED TO SUPPORT.

BUILDING SUPPORT

Several weeks before launch, select a group of internal and external beta testers and com-municate that you’d like them to test the program prior to the launch. Tell your beta testers they were chosen for their valued insights and as early adopters, they can influence plat-form improvements and usability.

Let the beta testers know how and when to provide their feedback. As you gather feed-back from your testers, consider how you can use these testimonials when presenting the program to others.

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LAUNCH

SETTING EXPECTATIONS

If you have an initial soft launch planned for a certain region, communicate to that group several weeks in advance, then send a reminder one week out from the soft launch. Again, make it easy for people to get their feedback to you.

A week out from your broad launch:

1 SEND ANY TRAINING MATERIALS (GUIDES OR VIDEOS) THAT YOU’VE CREATED TO AP-

PROPRIATE AUDIENCES.

2 SEND “COMING SOON” PLATFORM ANNOUNCEMENTS THROUGH EMAIL, BLOG, NEWSLETTER,

AND SOCIAL MEDIA.

3 INVITE PARTNERS TO THE UPCOMING WEBINAR TRAINING DATES.

BROAD LAUNCH

Launch day is here. Don’t worry; you’ve got this.

1 SEND “IT’S LIVE!” EMAIL TO ALL AUDIENCES. YOUR EMAIL SHOULD INCLUDE ANY TRAIN-

ING MATERIALS, TRAINING DATES, AND THE PROGRAM LINK.

2 UPDATE YOUR WEBSITE WITH AN “IT’S LIVE” FEATURE AND A LINK TO THE PROGRAM.

3 POST AN “IT’S LIVE” MESSAGE TO SOCIAL MEDIA WITH A LINK TO THE PROGRAM.

4 POST TRAINING DATES ON APPROPRIATE SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS AND YOUR WEBSITE.

For a broad launch, a Wednesday launch date is preferred as partners around the world will still have time in their work week to participate. Any later in the week and you risk losing people to the weekend.

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KEEP THE MOMENTUM GOING

TRAINING AND ENGAGING

You’ve generated a lot of excitement about the launch of your new program. As metioned, shortly after launch, communicate your program overview via webinar to give partners an understanding about how to use the tool. Send reminders via social media and email the days you conduct the webinars.

Consider that as you bring on new partners they will need platform training, and existing partners could benefit from a refresher. Update your communication plan to reflect the types of trainings you’ll want to conduct throughout the rest of the year.

Consider initiating a quarterly campaign to encourage adoption of the new platform. Also consider adding a concierge service (whether internal or working with your platform ven-dor to administer), so that when internal teams or partners have questions they can get real-time assistance and one-on-one training as needed.

PARTNER TESTIMONIALS

In the weeks following your launch, solicit testimonials from your testers and other part-ners that you can use to encourage others who may not have participated in the program as of yet. Consider how you will communicate these testimonials. Will they be in a blog post, case study, email, or video? What medium makes the most sense for your audience, your resources, and your objectives?

“There’s no substitute for experience. Sharing the success of others will motivate people to use your new platform or program more than promises of success ever will.”— Peter Thomas. CEO, Averetek

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER

The dust has settled after weeks of communication, training, and support of your new program launch.

Take a moment to thank and congratulate your audiences through a webcast or email with anecdotes or statistics summarizing their success.

Encourage partners to keep using the program and to stay tuned for opportunities to learn and engage with you there.

Revisit your communication plan for any post-launch messages to decide if those are still working for you, or if there’s anything you’ll need to revise.

Conduct internal and external lessons learned discussions to speak with your audiences about what went well and what didn’t go well. Constructive feedback can provide the best insight on how to improve future communication and engagement. Simple web-based surveys are an easy way to collect lessons learned, but if you can speak to you audiences either face to face or by phone, you’ll get a better read on how they felt about the launch.

SHARE THE LAUNCH COMMUNICATION PLAN EBOOK AND PLANNING TEMPLATE.