Have you ever been to a brand new restaurant (maybe even on opening night) and wondered why the place wasn't packed with patrons. Was it the food? The concept? Bad marketing? Or maybe, just maybe, it was supposed to be that way; a gutsy move by the owner to limit his restaurant's exposure early on in case something goes wrong – we tend to call this a 'soft launch'.

We have been following legal technology developments for 13 years and have seen our fair share of failed product launches, ridiculously over-hyped software introductions and way too many empty 'coming soon' promises. Is there a 'magic bullet' formula for a new product launch? Not really, but here are some pointers to keep in mind when preparing your next launch. 

Call a spade a spade: Don't deceive your prospects with false promises of your new launch, what your software can do, and what feature/functions are available now – not just as a part of a sales demo. Honesty and candor in communicating your 'next gen' solution (not the last gen with a new name) goes a long way in earning trust and respect with your targets. If your technology is still in beta but the features you do have already solve various prospect problems make sure this is understood. If you don't know exact timing of general availability don't make it up or guess. It's tempting since this sadly reflects the status quo of modern software launches but this is your chance to buck that trend and actually proactively involve the people you are doing this for, sooner rather than 3 software updates later.

'Come hell or high water' is not a launch strategy: Why is it that there are more new product announcements at ILTA and LegalTech New York than at any other time during the year? Surely, all vendor R&D teams are not on the same development schedule and just happen to launch new wares in late January or late August. Of course, the reason is based on maximizing exposure at the biggest tech events in our industry, but at what cost? It seems that too many vendors get caught up in the trade show launch 'arms race' and routinely forget that having one chance to make a first impression is not just an antiquated cliche.

Shooting off fireworks AFTER New Year's will get people's attention: What do you remember about this year's New Year's firework displays? Probably not much except maybe the duds or displays that were really cheap or short. What about an impressive display in February? This would surely get noticed and receive a lot more individual exposure than the mass blasts on the 31st. Cut through the clutter and step outside the noise.

Is the tail wagging the dog? Who is driving your product innovations? Are sales & marketing dictating product features and launch dates? Is development calling the shots? Or, are your vocal clients not only providing new feature feedback, but essentially turning you into their internal R&D department? While these are all extreme scenarios and the reality lies somewhere in the middle, there's no denying that special interests and agendas often drive the bus. Be cognisant of this and develop a new product launch plan that balances your objectives and desired results versus internal and external special interests.

Has 'how' taken a back seat to 'what'? Give a sales rep 10 minutes and they will give you more product factoids and solution superlatives than you can bare, but rarely do you leave this encounter (be it at the trade show booth or separate meeting) with a keen understanding on how this bleeding edge, industry's 'only' product will help you solve the business problems which compelled you to seek out the vendor in the first place. While the popular answer to this is the product demo, the reality is that most of them fall short, way short, when it comes to demonstrating how 'our product can help you' versus this is what it could generically and theoretically accomplish.

We don't want to end this post on a cynical note so here are some take-aways to ponder before your next product launch:

WHEN: Crazy idea…Launch products when they are truly ready to release to the market. Instead of letting trade show schedules dictate your launch date find out when your apps will make the most difference for your clients, i.e, a law firm budgeting software will not be a vital tech tool after March.

WHERE: The days of having to wait on a physical event to unveil a new product are gone. Whether it's an online virtual trade show or the many readily available social media outlets, there is no need to wait on the big tech show to make a splash. 

HOW: Be honest, cut the rhetoric and focus on solving real business issues and leverage the likes of Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and YouTube to engage your prospects and solicit real-time feedback and critique.

With these tips in hand, a new legal technology or service launch will hopefully once again be something to remember and get excited about.