Mgmt12

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DateSales Force and New Product Launch
The buy-in from the sales team is critical to the success of any new product. The perspective of sale person is different from other departments, and they have to go and sell the products to the channel partners, distributors and end consumers. They want to know the factors that would make a new product a success and how they can device selling strategies.
The four major success factors that contribute to the success of a new product are- 1) product characteristics such as price, innovativeness, features, and benefits. 2) firm strategy characteristics that provide a firm with competitive advantage . 3) process characteristics pertaining to product development and execution . 4) marketplace characteristics like market potential competitive intensity (Panwar and Bapat). All of these need to be briefed to the sales force.
The internal success factors that are likely to make a new product successful like- how it fits with the existing brand image, customer experience, the viewpoint of the distribution channels and product quality &expertise (Simon), need to be detailed in front of the sales force. Goal setting and specific targets that are set for the new product should be presented to the sales team, in this forecasting the size of the opportunity and kind of demand they can expect would be helpful.
To make the sales team ready for new product messaging a comprehensive training program that is interactive and not just powerpoint and datasheets are essential).

It is imperative that marketing and sales team come together to roll out a product launch (Ellis 14). Use of virtual training and coaching in this regard is useful, and the sales team should be given a detailed training program that enables them to face the marketplace more confidently.
Works Cited
Ellis, Ryann K. “Sales Training Needed for New Product Launches: Research Finds That Sales Reps Are Left to Learn Material on Their Own, Which Is a Risky Business Move.” Talent Development, vol. 67, no. 8, Aug. 2013, p. 14.
Panwar, J. S., and Dhananjay Bapat. “New Product Launch Strategies: Insights from Distributors’ Survey.” South Asian Journal of Management, vol. 14, no. 2, 2007, pp. 82+.
Simon, Robin. “New Product Development and Forecasting Challenges.” The Journal of Business Forecasting, vol. 28, no. 4, 2009, pp. 19+.