In the most basic sense, product launch marketing is the process by which you first introduce a given product to your target audience. While that may sound relatively simple, the fact of the matter is there's quite a bit more to it that you might think. A successful product launch marketing process can mean the difference between rapid growth and increased market share or languishing sales and, ultimately, a failed product.

The product launch marketing process has several phases. Each phase builds on the previous and prepares for the phase that follows:

Phase One: Market Research

Before you even think about a product, you need to fully understand the demographics and psychographics of your ideal client.

Phase Two: Product Identity

Now you can start to craft a product that meets a particular need in the lives of the buyers.

Phase Three: Crafting Your Message

Here is where you integrate the first two phases of your product launch marketing process. There's a simple formula. For each product 'feature' there is an 'advantage' and for each 'advantage' there is a 'benefit'. Your client is only really interested in those benefits so the more of those you include in your message the better.

Phase Four: Selecting Media

Now that you have a message, you need to figure out how to get it to your target market. This might include direct mail, email campaigns, social media marketing or any number of other techniques. The key here is to choose media that resonates most strongly with your target audience.

Phase Five: Pre-Launch

During your pre-launch period, your aim is to build a rapport with your prospective customers. You have to build trust, likability and respect. If, in their eyes, you do not have this key trilogy of attributes, your product launch will not be a success.

Phase Six: The Launch

When you finally open your shopping cart, you will instantly know whether your preparation has been a success by the flood or indeed trickle of buyers. Your job now is to maximize the number of buyers you have using proven hot buttons that will push those sitting on the fence to buy.

Phase Seven: The Perpetual Launch

The product launch process doesn't stop here, however. Your original product launch marketing strategy should be to roll out a series of launches, each one bigger than the last. Each one optimized based on the feedback you receive from your customers and prospects.