by Cindy Hartzell

Created on: June 18, 2009

With a little imagination, thoughtful planning and due diligence it is possible to successfully launch new products even during a weakened economy. Now more than ever there are an abundance of channels that provide free and inexpensive promotional opportunities. For best results try using a mixture of traditional techniques combined with new and emerging communication technology.

Before beginning any product launch and promotional campaigns, the target market for the product should already be identified. Focus on communicating to your target market; they will generate approximately 80% of your revenue. If there are additional or secondary markets for the product(s), weigh the costs - both in time and dollars spent to reach potential markets and determine if anticipated results warrant efforts to reach these additional markets.

Once the target market is identified, it makes communicating with them much easier. The next step is choosing the channels of communication. Traditional mediums, such as TV, radio, magazines and newspapers can provide detailed descriptions of their target markets and can supply numbers on how many people they reach. These methods are typically more expensive, so compare their statistics against your needs. Also divide your advertising costs by the number of people you will reach for each medium. This will provide a good way compare different methods and will enable you to determine which is the best use of your advertising dollar.

Write a press release about your new product and send copies to local papers, TV and radio stations. There are times when local news providers need fresh material for stories. Even though chances are slim, your efforts may result in free local news coverage.

Do take advantage of Internet social networking EW56Bhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_social_net working_websitesWH6PDZ6EFP opportunities such as Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Social networking sites are a great place to announce a product launch and create buzz for new products. Let all your followers and friends know about your new products well in advance to create anticipation for product arrivals.

Make the most of websites, blogs and get the word out about product releases and promotions. Establish yourself as an expert on the selling points of the product and provide relevant and useful information on websites and blog posts. Use free blogs like Wordpress and Blogger.com and post links back to a website devoted to the new

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