Lisa Pfister Product Launch Consultant

People often ask me: What do you look for in a client? Why did you choose to manage this product launch and not that one?

There are five basic categories I cover off in client selection.

The first thing a person needs to have is a great product. Now everyone thinks they have this. Few do. The first step in determining if a person really has a great product is to see if they have proof. Proof can be in the form of case studies, testimonials, before and afters, product demonstrations etc. But the bottom line is: no proof, no launch – at least, no launch with me. J

Step two is checking on the actual person I’m dealing with. Does this person have a track record of success? What have they accomplished? They don’t have to be successful in this new venture – it may be way too early to make this type of judgment – but what have they done before to make me take a risk on investing my time and resources in them?

Step three is the size, composition and warmth of their list. Ideally they have a large list of customers they contact frequently – not a small list of prospects they haven’t contacted in ages. (This may be obvious but if you’re even contemplating a launch consider how you can build and warm your list. It’ll pay huge dividends.)

Step four is determining the value of the relationships they have. Can they get people to promote their product? If not, the launch is extremely limited. The JV component of the launch is supposed to be the easy part. You’ve got a successful product and process, now you just need to introduce it to more people through your contacts. No contacts, no easy button.

The final thing I need to consider is can we work together? Business relationships are no different than any other relationships. Sometimes the chemistry just isn’t right. No matter how big the opportunity, if two people can’t work together with mutual respect for their different areas of expertise, the project is doomed from the outset. Granted this criteria isn’t quite as concrete, but you know when you’ve got issues and you have to trust your gut with this one.

There are two main reasons client selection is so important to me. One big reason, of course, is about the cash. If I don’t feel I have the assets I need to work with, I can’t make the money I want for the investment I make with my time and expertise. It’s just as much – if not more – work to launch a losing product as it to launch a winner, so I want to stack the deck in my favor.

The second thing is life’s way too short to try to make something work that probably won’t. I want to work on fun things, winning is fun. Putting lipstick on a pig and crossing your fingers nobody takes a good look at it just sucks. I want to add value to everybody, the business owner, their customers and my company.  That’s why I take so much time with this process.

If you’re hiring a product launch manager, or just doing a launch on your own, start thinking in terms of this criteria. See how you measure up and start tackling the areas that need work. This will make all the difference in your launch. You don’t have to be perfect, but if you can identify and act on the areas that you know need attention, your chances of success will dramatically improve and the big payday you envision may indeed become a reality.

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