SaaS Marketing Launch Plan
Timeline & Resources & Task Lists
Strategic Marketing
Chuck Drake January 2011
C X Ↄ – Customer Experience Consulting [email protected]
Marketing Programs
QA Complete & Public Website Launch
Marketing Launch Timeline
Launch Corp. Website
Launch Online Marketing
Launch Social Media
Launch Tele-Prospecting
2
Site Ready: Pre QA
Launch PR/AR Marketing
Soft Launch Hard LaunchPre-Public Launch
Launch
Launch
Launch
Launch
QA Complete & Public Website Launch
June 14 Live
July 5 July 19 June 7
Site Ready: Pre QA
August 1 September 15(3 mo’s post launch)
Full Marketing Programs
Time
Marketing Programs
$15 - $20K/mo.
$10K/mo. (*)
$10 - $15K/mo.
Preparing Website
Hire
Hire
Launch
Launch
Launch
Launch
QA Complete & Public Website Launch
Marketing Resource Timeline
Time June 14 Live
July 5 July 19 June 7
Launch Corp. Website
Launch Online Marketing
Launch Social Media
Launch Tele-Prospecting
3
Site Ready: Pre QA
August 1
Internal UI QA
TeleMarketing Agency
Interactive Agency/Expert
Launch PR/AR Marketing
PR/AR Agency or Consultant
Hire
Social Media Expert
Hire
Soft Launch Hard LaunchPre-Public Launch
Full Marketing Programs
September 15(3 mo’s post launch)
$10 - $15K/mo. (*)
Additional Costs for PPC Keyword Purchases
(*) Costs could be reduced if Nick could be 100% dedicated
WIN User Growth Plan
WIN Total # of Users3 Mo's 6 Mo's 9 Mo's Yr 1 Yr 2 Yr 3
WIN Free 436 1,553 4,567 12,816 176,092 785,646
WIN Team0
145 403 970 19,480 143,390WIN Group 0 0 330 1,120 24,405 168,564
WIN Corp0
0 0 211 5,134 32,335Total WIN 436 1,698 5,300 15,116 225,111 1,129,935
Average # of UsersWIN Free: 4WIN Team: 15WIN Group: 40WIN Corp: 200
Conversion RateFrom Free to Team: 35%From Team to Group: 20%From Group to Corp.: 15%
Market % 0% 0% 0% 0% 2% 12%
3 Mo's 6 Mo's 9 Mo's Yr 1 Yr 2 Yr 30
200,000
400,000
600,000
800,000
1,000,000
1,200,000
WIN CorpWIN GroupWIN TeamWIN Free
WIN Users
4
Launch DateWIN Team: Month 4WIN Group: Month 6WIN Corp.: Month 12 September 15
WIN Revenue Plan
ASP (per user per mo.)WIN Free: ---WIN Team: $39WIN Group: $79WIN Corp: $165
Launch DateWIN Team: Month 4WIN Group: Month 6WIN Corp.: Month 12
3 Mo's 6 Mo's 9 Mo's Yr 1 Yr 2 Yr 3$0
$20,000,000
$40,000,000
$60,000,000
$80,000,000
$100,000,000
$120,000,000
$140,000,000
$160,000,000
WIN CorpWIN GroupWIN TeamWIN Free
WIN Revenue
5
Conversion RateFrom Free to Team: 35%From Team to Group: 20%From Group to Corp.: 15%
WIN Total Revenue
3 Mo's 6 Mo's 9 Mo's Yr 1 Yr 2 Yr 3
WIN Free $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0
WIN Team $0 $10,022 $15,699 $132,600 $3,594,769 $34,462,300
WIN Group $0 $0 $26,073 $238,323 $9,117,214 $84,618,124
WIN Corp $0 $0 $0 $34,751 $3,942,659 $32,376,694
Total WIN $0 $10,022 $41,772 $405,674 $16,654,642 $151,457,118
September 15
Marketing Launch Plan
1. Launch Magnet.com:
6
Users Access WIN Online
Marketing Launch Plan
1. Launch WIN Product:
7
Users Access WIN Online
Major Categories: Pre-launch Website Checklist
Content and Style
Website Identity, Appearance Check & Validation up hosting
Domain Name, Hosting Package & Browser Compatibility
Website Standards & Validation
Website Standards & Validation
Functional Testing
Security & Risk
Performance
Checklist for Each Page
Create Blog and Community Website Features
WIP
WIP
WIP
WIP= Step Completed = Work In Progress = No Activity Yet
= Absolutely Essential for Soft Launch = Best Practice for Hard Launch = Needed for Future
WIP
WIP
WIP
WIP
For Each Webpage
Check all Links (no dead or invalid links)
Validate the HTML (no HTML errors, display hiccups or browser issues )hosting
Search & remove all Greeked text & test data
Spell check again
Make sure each page has a clear purpose
Give each page a suitable HTML title and meta description
Add alt attributes to all images
Make the CSS password hard to guess
Make sure the XML site map is current (includes all pages)
WIP= Step Completed = Work In Progress = No Activity Yet
= Absolutely Essential for Launch = Best Practice for Launch = Needed for Future
Brand Positioning & Messaging, Identity
Develop Core Messaging & Positioning Architecture
Develop Core Brand Launch Messaging & Positioning (for Website)
Develop Product & Service-level FAQ’s for Website
Confirm Company & Product Names Selected
Confirm Trademarks & Service Marks
Develop Website Site Map and Corp. Identity/Content Requirements List
Create Brand Logo
Create Brand Tagline/Slogan
Create Brand Color Pallet & Font Style
Create Corporate Brand Style Guide (all Printed & Electronic materials)
Create Company Signage
Create Standard Voicemail Greetings; Auto Responder Emails; Fax Auto Respond
Create New Company Email Address
Develop Brand Materials and Collateral Library
CMS System Enabled to Support Content & Collateral Version Control
Photography & Video (Supports all the above)
WIP
WIP
WIP
WIP
WIP
WIP
Pre-launch Marketing Content & Collateral
Develop User Education Pieces (White Paper, How-To Guide) for Product
Develop Product-Level Help Content and Populate
Develop Product Demos and Use Case Illustrations
Develop Product Data Sheet
Create Website Content: About Us
Create Website Content: Privacy & Security
Create Website Content: Service & Support
Create Website Content: FAQ’s
Create Website Content: Buzz
Create Website Content: Product & Platform
Create Website Content: Community
Create Website Content: Home Page
Create Website Content: Landing Page(s)
Create Website Content: Flash/Java Script Story
Create Website Content Viral Videos
Create Website Content: Terms of Use
WIP
WIP
WIP
WIP
WIP
Marketing Launch Plan – con’t.
2. Launch Targeted Prospecting
Mine Social Networking
Tele Prospecting
Email Marketing
12
Prime the Pump
Get Users Fast
Targeted Prospecting / Direct Marketing
Develop Targeted Prospecting Launch Objectives: Activities, Budget & Milestones
Identify Target Audience and List Sources
Identify Tele-Prospecting Vendors, Bids and Make Selection
Create Training Package including Selling Messaging, Product Demo and Offer
Create Campaign Tactical Conversion Requirements & Metrics
Purchase Target Audience Contact Lists and Build Prospect Database
Identify Email Marketing Vendors, Bids and Make Selection
Create Email Template and Viral Video/Product Demo
Create Landing Pages for Campaign Conversions & Metrics
Launch Tele-Prospecting Campaign
Launch Email Marketing Campaign
Develop “Forward To/Invite a Friend” Strategy and Offer
Incorporate Viral Offer into Tele-Prospecting and Email Marketing Campaign
Launch Viral Offer & Monitor Uptake
Social Media
Strategy
Blog
You Tube
WIN Social Media Strategy
“What a Cool Company”• Fun place to work• Announcements• Awards & Recognition
“Make Announcements”• Reach Media• Tweet/Retweet - build followers • Magnet Twitter: “Magnet announces …“• Magnet CEO twitter: “Where its going …”• Magnet CMO Twitter: “WIN is great …”
“Viral Awareness”• #1 Source of traffic & web leads• Customer videos• CEO/CMO video• Product Demos
“Thought Leadership”• CEO Vision• Future of Enterprise 2 0• Enterprise App User Empowerment
“Reach Target Audience”• Create Magnet Profile/Group• Invite user connections• Advertise WIN (recruit users)• Feed Tele-prospecting
Involver Social Brand Tool
JibJab: customizable digital videos/ecards
WordPress Blog Tool
3. Launch Social Media
Marketing Launch Plan
14
Generate Viral Buzz & Demand
Social Media Marketing Plan
Develop Social Media Launch Objectives: Activities, Budget & Milestones
Develop Company Website Blog and Format (e.g. Wordpress)
Develop Social Media Pages for Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter
Create Viral Videos for YouTube; Post
Create Launch Messaging for Twitter (Media Target)
Create Launch Messaging for Facebook (Individual User Target)
Create Launch Messaging for LinkedIn Group: (Individual User Target)
Create Launch Messaging for Blog: (Thought Leadership Content)
Implement Social Media Brand Management Tool ( e.g. Involver)
Identify & Create Cross-Links to Other Blogs and Viral Connections
Post Blog on Technocrati and other Blogs and websites (for SEO)
Subscribe to feeds, and use iGoogle, My Yahoo Web or other favorite RSS readers
Create Content Submission Plan; Staff for Intelligent Posts via variety of IP Addresses (Starts Day of Launch)Ongoing Submit content, make sure it’s useful, unique and post title stands out
Marketing Launch Plan – con’t.
4. Launch Online Marketing
Search Marketing Process Natural & Paid Search Rankings
Search Keyword Paid Rankings
Natural Rankings
16
Make it Easy to find WIN Online
Internet Marketing Plan
Perform Initial Website Traffic, SEO and PPC Analysis
Keyword Research & Analysis & Library
Competitor Analysis
SEO Website Content & Optimization
Search Engine & Directory Submission
Meta tagging of webpages
Link Building
Build Landing Pages
Launch SEM/PPC Campaigns
Implement Google Adwords and Google Analytics (or equivalent)
Implement LeadLander
SEO Copy Write & Blog Submit
Implement Site Analytics Tool
Monitor CPA and PPC Conversions
Monitor Keyword Performance / Tracking
Page Rank Tracking
Marketing Launch Plan
5. Launch Awareness Campaign
18
Make WIN Well Known Among the Right People
Community
Public Relations
Analyst Relations
Thought Leadership
Pre-launch Analyst Relations (AR) Plan
Develop AR Launch Objectives: Activities, Budget & Milestones
Determine Analyst Target Audience and Analyst List (Friendly & Unfriendly)
Special Case Brief: ‘Gartner Social CRM Experts’ Strategy, Plan & Tactics
Special Case Brief: ‘Gartner Enterprise Collaboration’ Strategy, Plan & Tactics
Special Case Brief: ‘Gartner Enterprise 2.0 Experts’ Strategy, Plan & Tactics
Special Case Brief: Other (Forrester or other covering Social CRM, Enterprise 2.0)
Create Overall New Company / Brand Launch AR Plan
Create Customizable Analyst Briefing Presentation & Demo
Analyst Briefing Task List & Timeline
Line-up & Prepare AR Spokespeople
Develop Analysts Kit and Follow-on Collateral (Positioning Paper: Why Magnet?)
Schedule Pre-Launch Analyst Interviews
New Brand Launch: Release Press Release to Analyst distribution list
New Brand Launch: Analyst Relations ( Coverage, Follow-on Interviews)
Analyst Meeting Pipeline
Ongoing Analyst Outreach
Pre-launch Public Relations (PR) Plan
Develop PR Launch Objectives: Activities, Budget & Milestones
Determine Media Target Audience and Press List (Friendly & Unfriendly)
Special Case Brief: ‘Alfred’ PR Messaging Strategy, Plan & Tactics
Special Case Brief: ‘Salesforce.com Chatter’ PR Messaging Strategy, Plan & Tactics
Create Overall New Company / Brand Launch PR Plan
Prepare Early Announcement Strategy, Task List & Timeline
Line-up & Prepare PR Spokespeople
Develop Scripted Press Interview Messages
Develop Press Kit and Follow-on Media Collateral
Schedule Initial Media Interviews
New Brand Launch: Press Release & Distribution (internet & wire service)
New Brand Launch: Media Relations ( Coverage, Follow-on Interviews)
New Brand Launch: Press Events (Silicon Valley, Key Trade Shows, Virtual Meeting)
Press Release Pipeline
Ongoing Media Outreach (Begins Day of Launch)
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