3 Hard-Earned Lessons on How to Launch a Product During a Pandemic
Plenty of companies spent the first months of the pandemic scrambling to pivot operations, make working from home effortless for their people, and maintaining strong customer relationships. My company certainly did. However, we also focused our energies on a rather challenging project: bringing a new product to market.
During normal times, taking a product from the dream stage to store shelves can take up to two years. Our new product was already through the concept phases when COVID-19 hit. Rather than wait, we decided to continue our product development and qualification efforts because, quite frankly, the product made sense for the public. We’re in the cleaning industry, and we felt it was important to give consumers another option to keep their spaces healthy.
When we ran into unexpected barriers along the way, we had to use an incredible amount of creativity to overcome some of the more unique hurdles.
How COVID-19 Tried to Curtail Our Launch
Our first major obstacle was that we still had to test the product. Unfortunately, the labs we trusted were either closed or short-staffed. That meant we needed to find other places to handle the testing, which ate up some valuable time.
Another stumbling block was that we couldn’t safely bring in consumers to assess our offerings in large groups. After brainstorming, our workaround was to rely on the internal team and their families as smell testers for the new product. The marketing and development staff crafted an online survey, and we staggered employees and their loved ones for in-person meetings. They smelled our product samples, gave feedback using their smartphones, and left without any need to break social-distancing protocols.
A final snag involved naming and labeling the product. We couldn’t be in the same room to brainstorm as a team, and we had a problem with the colors for the label looking different on a computer screen. How were we supposed to choose the right label — or even name the product — without seeing it in person? We decided to ship sample labels to team members (which meant dealing with shipping delays), and then we all met up on Zoom to make those decisions.
We navigated plenty of other pitfalls, but we remained undaunted until the product finally took shape. Nevertheless, the process wouldn't have worked if we had ignored the ever-changing rules of the (new) road. If you have a product in the works and are scheduled to unveil it in the coming months, I recommend following a few strategies:
1. Communicate like crazy.
With the abundance of technology available, you have no reason not to stay in close touch with your whole team. We leaned heavily on teleconferencing to get together regularly and keep everyone in the loop. The fact that we have a relatively small team helped us pivot quickly at multiple points. Nevertheless, overcommunicating in times like these works wonders — even if you have a large group.
Who needs to be part of your launch? Pull together a cross-functional cohort. Think sales, finance and operations players. You’ll want to bring them into the discussion a little earlier than you would under typical circumstances. That way, they can incorporate their needs into your timeline, which will be critical the closer you get to the selling phase.
2. Pad your timetable.
When you factor a pandemic into the standard product development process, you need to add weeks or even months to the expected workflow. You’ll need to pad your timetable to account for more prolonged periods spent testing, collecting consumer responses, analyzing data points and other results, and steering around unpredictable potholes.
The simplest way to create a workable (yet adaptable) timeline is to generate a written road map. Share the document with everyone on your cross-functional team so your co-workers can implement changes as needed. Be sure to include a calendar for presenting ideas to customers. You’ll experience less friction, particularly when you get to the final stages of developing sales presentations and delivering samples.
3. Start ASAP and expect disruptions.
By the time we reach 2021, we might think of 2020 as “The Year of the Pivot.” No matter how many plans you make, you’re going to be blindsided by something. It doesn’t matter if you’re in the B-to-B or B-to-C space — you’ll do yourself a favor by accepting the unexpected and being willing to make fast, necessary adjustments.
Customer behaviors have shifted dramatically since COVID-19 began, and those habits may shift again. Keep your ear to the ground and be ready to switch gears at a moment’s notice. Sure, you may have to take detours, but an ample amount of steadfastness and agility will ensure you eventually reach your destination.
Consumers are more open than ever to novel solutions that remedy their problems. No matter what industry you’re in — from cleaning to snacking to cooking to entertainment — you have a unique opportunity to attract attention with an original product. Don’t feel that you have to wait for life to return to normal to launch something fantastic. Despite the challenges, a pandemic might just be the perfect moment to “wow” people with something exciting and new.
Alison Gutterman is the president and CEO of Jelmar, the family-owned cleaning products manufacturer of CLR and Tarn-X products. She began her career at Jelmar in 1993 without a title or a desk, and in 2007 was named its president, bringing the company unprecedented success with her modern approach and leadership techniques.
Alison Gutterman is the president and CEO of Jelmar, the family-owned cleaning products manufacturer of CLR and Tarn-X products. She began her career at Jelmar in 1993 without a title or a desk, and in 2007 was named its president, bringing the company unprecedented success with her modern approach and leadership techniques.
