How Flexible Teams Can Accelerate Your Product Launch

In his book The Mythical Man Month, Frederick P. Brooks wrote:An omelette, promised in two minutes, may appear to be progressing nicely. But when it has not set in two minutes, the customer has two choices – wait or eat it raw... The cook has another choice; he can turn up the heat. The result is often an omelette nothing can save – burned in one part, raw in another.Though Brooks was writing about software development and project management, his point applies to product launches, too. Introducing a new product is a complex effort, involving the myriad skills of numerous professionals concerned with everything from marketing, public relations and advertising to manufacturing and distribution.Their efforts must be orchestrated so that each task is completed in time to allow others maintain their own momentum. And it all has to “set” – to come together on launch day so that customers who’ve become so excited by the very idea of the product can buy it and go home satisfied.Nowadays, it’s the rare company that has a marketing team that can handle all aspects of a launch on its own.It’s that complexity that often bogs down a launch effort. Nowadays, it’s the rare company that has a marketing team that can handle all aspects of a launch on its own. Though businesses often outsource aspects like advertising or PR, the vision behind the launch, the core messaging, has to come from inside. And sometimes your team simply doesn’t have the resources it needs to tackle the unrelenting demands of a product launch while keeping up with all of its other work.That’s where talent on-demand comes in. By bringing in the right independent workers, you can mold a team that fills gaps in your current expertise and deploy resources in a way that keeps the product launch on-track without neglecting your other obligations.Engage specialists to handle specific aspects of the launch, at the right time.

• You can engage specialists to handle specific aspects of the launch where they’re needed. For instance, you might want an analyst who’s already an expert in your industry to gather and analyze data that will help develop the right advertising message.
• Because these professionals are independent, they can be ready when you need them. You don’t have to wait for their existing project pipeline to clear out in order for them to get to work. Thus, you avoid delays at the outset.
• You can use talent on demand to pick up responsibilities outside of the product launch, freeing up your “A” team to focus on this top priority. And, you can engage this talent in advance of the launch activities, so there’s time for them to optimize their efforts before your internal resources become preoccupied with the new product.

Incorporating talent on demand into your launch plans assures that you have the right skills in place at the right time, so your efforts will be expert, cohesive and timely.