Steve Jobs is THE master of the product launch (with apologies to Jeff Walker)

[Peter Bestel]

Doesn't matter what you think of the product, the launch that surrounded the iPad was incredible.

And just because it's a multi-million dollar launch don't think there's nothing to be learned from it and that it doesn't apply to your next promotion - I know there'll be marketers out there that will have been frantically scribbling down notes about Apple's strategies, or at the very lest, sitting back and admiring the buzz machine that got virtually the whole world oozing with anticipation and excitement.

The principles that Mr Jobs et al used were exactly what Jeff Walker and others teach.

I've enjoyed it imensely and have learned bucket loads.

Thanks Apple!


Peter

[KarlWarren]

Was thinking the very same thing myself...

It starts with the rumour mill,
then the media frenzy,
then the launch,
followed by ridiculous internet chatter etc.
They have it pegged.

Apple's launches are second to none.

It's possible that I might devote a whole month to studying real world launches including:

Movies
Bands
Apple Products
TV Series

etc.

[Michael Silvester]

Whats iPad?

[Istvan Horvath]

Originally Posted by Michael Silvester

Whats iPad?

I giant iPhone

http://www.cnn.com/2010/TECH/01/27/a...let/index.html

[zincOnline]

Its amazing how fat it had spread, I literally just saw it on the news and it goin off al over the net as we speak - incredible, marketing at its finest I would say

[Louise Green]

A loyal customer base that they have turned into fans is also a key element in their launches.

[TylerF]

I think it would be a multi-billion dollar launch.

And yeah, Jobs' product launch are perfect in the sense that there's nothing more to add and nothing more to take away from it.

[Jeff Walker]

Yes, they rocked the iPad launch... no doubt about it.

What a lot of people don't know is that Steve Jobs has a PLF pro on his personal staff.

I ain't saying they were going through Product Launch Formula as they did this launch... but one of first people I ever shared my product launch strategies with personally consults with Steve. I ain't sure what they talk about, but I know that every time Apple does a big media event/launch, this person is out in California working on it.

Just saying...


- Jeff

[ayaw]

'Jobs' done the 'jobs'

[iYingHang]

Originally Posted by Jeff Walker

Yes, they rocked the iPad launch... no doubt about it.

What a lot of people don't know is that Steve Jobs has a PLF pro on his personal staff.

I ain't saying they were going through Product Launch Formula as they did this launch... but one of first people I ever shared my product launch strategies with personally consults with Steve. I ain't sure what they talk about, but I know that every time Apple does a big media event/launch, this person is out in California working on it.

Just saying..

- Jeff

Woah...thanks for this secret!

Cheers,
iYingHang

[Karan Goel]

Originally Posted by Peter Bestel

it's a multi-million dollar launchPeter

It wasn't a multi-million dollar launch. People made it. They just sparked the "news" some 2 years ago, and aired it by postponing its launches.

Search on google, and you''ll find millions-upon-millions of blogposts, million of tweets and status updates about the iPad before it's launch.

Apple never mentioned about the iPad on their website before the launch - not even in their Press section. The whole publicity was done by bloggers and media persons.

[Hardi Wijaya]

Originally Posted by iYingHang

Woah...thanks for this secret!

Cheers,
iYingHang

Hey Jeff is just saying...... who knows?

I'm sure there're some people involving in delaying the launch for too long.

Why?

iPad is just a tablet computer. And tablet computers have existed for a decade, with little success.

iPad was like a Martian gadget to most consumers at that time. So the consumers have to get used to iPod culture first. And iPod is the next thing after cellular phone age. Can you see the sequence?

It's the same thing happened to Creative Technology's Cubic 99


Hardi

[Sparhawke]

Originally Posted by K Goel

It wasn't a multi-million dollar launch. People made it. They just sparked the "news" some 2 years ago, and aired it by postponing its launches.

Search on google, and you''ll find millions-upon-millions of blogposts, million of tweets and status updates about the iPad before it's launch.

Apple never mentioned about the iPad on their website before the launch - not even in their Press section. The whole publicity was done by bloggers and media persons.

Exactly, viral marketing at its best...

Why should they advertise it when they have millions of people doing that expensive job for them?

[Peter Bestel]

Originally Posted by Jeff Walker

What a lot of people don't know is that Steve Jobs has a PLF pro on his personal staff.

Just saying...


- Jeff

That's fantastic Jeff - absolutely brilliant.

Originally Posted by K Goel

It wasn't a multi-million dollar launch. People made it. They just sparked the "news" some 2 years ago, and aired it by postponing its launches.

Search on google, and you''ll find millions-upon-millions of blogposts, million of tweets and status updates about the iPad before it's launch.

Apple never mentioned about the iPad on their website before the launch - not even in their Press section. The whole publicity was done by bloggers and media persons.

I think you'll find that Apple have spent a small fortune on this launch - viral marketing is not just about putting out a few rumours and hoping the world starts talking about you. This was a meticulously planned and well executed campaign - that cost a lot of money.

Yes, the media, the Internet, the social networking community went on fire, and that has a huge free element, but all fires need stoking. Apple would not have left this to chance. If the rumour-frenzy hadn't ocurred they'd have contingency plans - massive ones.

Peter

[Karan Goel]

Well, there are definitely small amounts spent on launches, and big by companies like Apple.

Viral marketing is absolutely not just putting rumors. But, what can be seen as the reason for Apple's success is the work-of-the-mouth game.

They plan everything from starting to beginning. That's what their marketing department do. And, you are right, this is where their major costs go.

Nothing in this world is accurate. You need a "Plan B" just in case the "Plan A" fails. And for companies like Apple, they have C's and D's lined up too...

Originally Posted by Peter Bestel

I think you'll find that Apple have spent a small fortune on this launch - viral marketing is not just about putting out a few rumours and hoping the world starts talking about you. This was a meticulously planned and well executed campaign - that cost a lot of money.

Yes, the media, the Internet, the social networking community went on fire, and that has a huge free element, but all fires need stoking. Apple would not have left this to chance. If the rumour-frenzy hadn't ocurred they'd have contingency plans - massive ones.

Peter

[GeorgR.]

Apple has the best marketing and PR campaigns, hands down. Have to give 'em that.

[Jeff Walker]

Peter,

That's fantastic Jeff - absolutely brilliant.

It sorta ties in with something I've been thinking about for the last 18 months or so - sometimes we think our Internet Marketing community is this weird little thing working in isolation and the bigger world isn't noticing us. But the reality is that we're starting to make an impact on the larger business world.

My thinking on this was really sparked when I went out to Tony Robbins' office (along with a few other Internet Marketers that we all know) to help him with his business. Tony was blown away by what we were doing.

He was so excited by what we shared, that the initial meeting we had (I think it was in the fall of 2007) eventually let to Tony's "New Money Masters" product where he interviews John Reese, Frank Kern, myself, and several other Internet Marketers.

And seeing how someone who has serious mainstream exposure and a serious business was eager to soak up our expertise and our business model... well that got me to thinking.

Now I'm seeing a lot more mainstream businesses (along with TV shows and stuff like that) starting to use Product Launch Formula and looking to hire my Product Launch Managers... it's all this big "convergence" thing where the "regular" business world is starting to look at us and the stuff we've figured out.

(And it's NOT just about Product Launch Formula - this ain't an ad for my product... there's using all kinds of tools, strategies, and tactics that we've developed. I'm just most familiar with PLF and how people are using it.)

Bottom line, our little community is getting noticed by the larger world... and we're starting to make an impact.


- Jeff

[mojojuju]

It looks like the iPad had a successful launch, but won't we need to wait for the sales to come rolling in before it is deemed a success?

[ShawnC]

Originally Posted by Jeff Walker

Peter,
Bottom line, our little community is getting noticed by the larger world... and we're starting to make an impact.

And this is most likely in direct proportion to the impact the Internet is having on the 'larger' world. With more and more (and more and more) businesses not just realizing they need to have a website - but now realizing they need to have a newsletter, and have a drip-campaign and follow-up sequence. They see they should get on Facebook and Twitter. They see the effect of having a Video to introduce someone to who they are or what their business is.

With all of those aspects of the online world creeping into the real world of business - the Internet Marketing tactics, strategies and brilliant concepts discovered by so many innovators in this field are bound to get discovered and gobbled up by the real world.

I agree - I do feel like this is it's own little world. And it's sort of like loving a movie no one has heard of. You seek it out and pay top dollar to own it on DVD. Suddenly a few years later it's in the bargain bin for $5 and everyone has heard of it (I'm thinking of Donnie Darko here).

When something is GOOD and it WORKS - it is going to get out therem it's going to be 'discovered' on a larger scale. The keyword is when something is GOOD. Although, there are always exceptions obviously.

[Marhelper]

Yeah, he definitely knows what he is doing. He helps perpetuate the hype but has a reputation for following through. That is a nice combination for future success.

[Peter Bestel]

Originally Posted by Jeff Walker

Peter,

Bottom line, our little community is getting noticed by the larger world... and we're starting to make an impact.

- Jeff

Jeff & Shawn

It's heartwarming to hear of 'our little community' getting noticed - but rather than getting all warm and slushy about it, it's worth considering that we may be entering a bit of a watershed time.

Our big guns may be infiltrating the larger world, but it stands to reason that the larger world will be infiltraing our little community too.

Expect even more competition across the board but especially at the higher end, where big money marketing machines start saying hello, and at the lower end where the continuing growth of the newbie starts to explode.

It's going to be a time to really step up, methinks - a time to sort the men from the boys.

Food for thought.

Peter

[drmani]

It all begins MUCH earlier than these steps - with TRIBE BUILDING.

That's what makes Steve Jobs and Seth Godin such master 'product
launch' specialists.

Seth's book LINCHPIN soared to top 10 on ALL books on Amazon.com
in just 12 hours on launch day - with NO MEDIA advertising! Just
his tribe, blogging and buzzing about it EVERYWHERE.

He details it on his blog here:

Seth's Blog: The 2.0 media tour

All success
Dr.Mani

[JaniG]

text book product launch

same as how the movies do it

yes it works

[Hardi Wijaya]

Originally Posted by drmani

It all begins MUCH earlier than these steps - with TRIBE BUILDING.

All success
Dr.Mani

Tribe building -- the exact words I've forgotten to use in previous response!

What would happen if cavemen were given hunting guns instead of arrows and spears? The guns would become fire woods for cooking, because it was like alien stuffs to them. And they would never group into a tribe of better hunters.

In the case of iPad, it was out of the sequence of organic wants at that time. iPod (and iPod users) help to pave way for iPad.

I'm telling this as a techno citizen of Apple nation


Hardi

[Tron2k]

oversized iphone or not it a huge hit!

[Richard HAN]

Originally Posted by Istvan Horvath

I giant iPhone

Apple unveils the 'magical' iPad - CNN.com

A Giant iPod Touch will be more appropriate since you can't make a phone call with it...

Here's a video on it:

YouTube- Broadcast Yourself.

[elizabethturner147]

Originally Posted by ShawnC

And this is most likely in direct proportion to the impact the Internet is having on the 'larger' world. With more and more (and more and more) businesses not just realizing they need to have a website - but now realizing they need to have a newsletter, and have a drip-campaign and follow-up sequence. They see they should get on Facebook and Twitter. They see the effect of having a Video to introduce someone to who they are or what their business is.

With all of those aspects of the online world creeping into the real world of business - the Internet Marketing tactics, strategies and brilliant concepts discovered by so many innovators in this field are bound to get discovered and gobbled up by the real world.

I agree - I do feel like this is it's own little world. And it's sort of like loving a movie no one has heard of. You seek it out and pay top dollar to own it on DVD. Suddenly a few years later it's in the bargain bin for $5 and everyone has heard of it (I'm thinking of Donnie Darko here).

When something is GOOD and it WORKS - it is going to get out therem it's going to be 'discovered' on a larger scale. The keyword is when something is GOOD. Although, there are always exceptions obviously.

Completely Agree with you brother...

[MichelledGrace]

Wow Jeff, great way to promote your product. You truly are the master of product launches in Internet Marketing!

P.S I really love your product!

[Karan Goel]

The funny thing, people knew about the iPad three years ago also

Originally Posted by Richard HAN

A Giant iPod Touch will be more appropriate since you can't make a phone call with it...

Here's a video on it:

YouTube- Broadcast Yourself.

[Anonymous Affiliate]

Let's face it, a MAJOR component of Apple's success through the years has been their marketing stunts. Does everyone remember the MacBook Air presentation with the whole "it fits in an envelop" thing? great way to market an otherwise rather overpriced and underspec'ed product.

Apple products are great, but it's their marketing team what's made Apple a giant.

[warrick]

Wow, thanks for this post. Yeah Apple is a force to be reckoned with.