Imagine you are an environmental technology expert and want to establish a new business area in water analytics. Your company has developed an innovative cuvette laser and you have been asked to prepare for the market launch and acquire the first customers. The market launch is successful and you are able to acquire some reference customers. Now comes the big question. Production wants to know how much capacity it should factor in for the cuvette laser.

Risk 1 for your sales success: You underestimate the lead time.
To establish new products on the market your company needs a lot of patience, in terms of both finance and time. During the start-up phase you have to provide sales resources without getting any orders. The management team must decide how much you are willing to invest and for how long. Together with all the departmental heads consider how you can expand existing contacts and make new contacts. Compare the start-up phase with that of other product launches. How long did it take until you were able to achieve a stable order situation? Allow just as long for your new product. Internally, use examples from your own company or partner companies to show what investments are needed, not only for technical development but also for marketing.

Risk 2 for your sales success: Your product comes on to the market to early
Many companies try to get new products on to the market as quickly as possible. After technical development they underestimate the time needed to make a product "suitable for the customers". They not only sell a technology but also the operability, reliability, service concept, integration into the customer's process chain, and a lot more besides.

Do it better: Before you launch a product on to the market, draw up a concept describing how your technology gives customers added value in all phases of the product's usage, from acquisition to disposal. "On the market too early" can also mean that the underlying statutory and economic conditions are still unfavorable. For example, companies could put their investments on the back burner until a planned controversial environmental regulation is finally passed.


On the next page read about target groups, acquisitions, and existing customers