As a tech PR firm, RH Strategic takes client product launches seriously. We encourage our client teams to include us as a part of their internal team so that we can participate in all aspects of the communication planning and preparation that goes into a new product’s one big splash into the market.
This fall, we supported one of our healthcare clients through the launch of its technology platform to help health insurance companies run and sell coverage plans through a private health insurance exchange, amidst the launch of the public health insurance exchanges and healthcare.gov.
With the product launch taking place in late October, we used the three months prior to plan and implement an ongoing communications strategy that would highlight the new product, but also position the client as an expert resource in its industry. We saw this as an opportunity to not just launch a product, but also get the client involved in a national conversation.
We leveraged the weeks before the announcement to launch a social media persona (company blog and Twitter), and pitch and conduct press and analyst pre-briefings to generate greater awareness and support prior to the product launch.
Supporting the launch of this product and its significance, the team conducted a survey of industry professionals that highlighted the need and opportunity for private health insurance exchanges. This alone put the company on the map and solidified its position as an industry insider. With this and other experiences, we have found that original data has a unique power with media and shows that the company is dedicated to making a difference within the greater issues at hand.
Each press release (product and survey findings) received a combined total of more than 1,300 views and nearly 500 reposts. Our briefings and direct mail pitching efforts resulted in nine unique articles including a company profile piece in our local business journal. As press and analyst meetings continued into the month of November we also conducted interviews with consultant firms that highlighted a robust product demo by the product team. In total, the company executives spoke to five media outlets, four analyst firms and three consultancies – a big win for a small company hoping to build relationships with the industry’s most prominent voices.
