Over the years, I’ve seen firsthand the critical role that sales and marketing play in the success of any product launch. In my career as a sales leader, one thing has always been clear: when sales and marketing teams are aligned, the results speak for themselves. A product launch is one of the most high-stakes moments for any business. You’ve invested time, resources, and effort into developing something that you hope will solve problems for your customers and bring value to your company. But getting that product into the hands of customers is a delicate balance, and it requires a well-coordinated effort between the teams that bring it to market.
I’ve always believed that the key to a successful product launch is not just about creating something innovative or useful—it’s about making sure that the customer is at the center of everything you do. In my experience, integrating sales and marketing around a customer-centric approach is the best way to ensure that the launch makes the maximum impact.
Understanding the Customer First
One of the most important lessons I’ve learned in business is that no product exists in a vacuum. The most successful products are the ones that address a real customer need, solve a problem, or create a new opportunity. Before any product is launched, the teams behind it must have a deep understanding of the customer’s journey. Who are they? What challenges do they face? How will this product make their lives easier or better?
For marketing, this understanding translates into creating targeted messaging that speaks directly to the customer’s pain points. The way you position a product in the market has to be aligned with the way your customers see themselves, their challenges, and their needs. Sales teams, on the other hand, need to be equipped with this same understanding so that they can have meaningful, customer-focused conversations once the product is in the hands of potential buyers. When both marketing and sales share the same customer-centric perspective, the product launch becomes more than just a transactional moment—it becomes part of a broader, relationship-building effort.
In my role at Cornerstone Building Brands, we’ve always made it a priority to get feedback from customers early and often. When we’re developing a new product, we make sure to gather insights from our existing customer base to understand their priorities. What we learn from them helps inform everything from how we develop our messaging to how we train our sales teams. This kind of collaboration sets the foundation for a successful launch because it’s based on what the customer actually wants, not just what we think they want.
Aligning Sales and Marketing Around a Common Goal
A product launch is one of the most critical moments where alignment between sales and marketing is absolutely essential. In too many organizations, sales and marketing teams operate in silos, each working toward their own goals. But for a product launch to be successful, everyone has to be on the same page. Both teams need to understand the product’s value proposition, the target audience, and the strategy for getting the product to market.
In my experience, the best way to achieve this alignment is through constant communication and collaboration. At PlyGem Corporation, for example, we created cross-functional teams specifically for new product launches. These teams included members from both sales and marketing, as well as product development, so that everyone could contribute their insights and expertise. We held regular meetings to ensure that everyone was up to date on the progress of the launch, and we made sure that any adjustments in strategy were communicated to both sides. This level of integration ensured that when the product hit the market, both sales and marketing were executing with the same vision and purpose.
Seamless Execution is Key
Launching a product is a complex process that involves many moving parts. From generating awareness and interest to closing sales, every aspect of the launch has to work together seamlessly. For marketing, this means executing campaigns that not only create buzz but also provide valuable information to potential customers at every stage of the buying journey. From social media and email marketing to more traditional advertising methods, the goal should be to engage with customers in a way that builds trust and excitement for the new product.
On the sales side, it’s about making sure that the sales force is fully equipped to handle inquiries and close deals. This means that salespeople need to be thoroughly trained on the product’s features, benefits, and potential objections. I’ve always emphasized the importance of giving the sales team the tools they need to succeed. At USG Corporation, for example, we made sure to provide detailed training sessions, sales playbooks, and customer-facing materials to ensure that our sales teams were prepared to answer any questions and guide customers through the buying process.
One of the biggest challenges in any product launch is ensuring that sales and marketing are working in harmony to create a seamless customer experience. Marketing generates the leads and creates the initial buzz, while sales follows through to convert those leads into customers. When both sides are aligned, the customer’s experience is smooth and cohesive. But when there’s a disconnect, it’s easy for things to fall apart. The customer might receive conflicting information, or the sales team might be left in the dark about a marketing campaign, leading to missed opportunities. That’s why integrating both teams is so important—it ensures that everything, from the first marketing touchpoint to the final sales conversation, is consistent and customer-focused.
Measuring Success Through Customer Impact
Ultimately, the success of a product launch should be measured not just by the number of units sold, but by the impact it has on customers. Are they finding value in the product? Are they recommending it to others? Are they coming back for more? A truly customer-centric product launch doesn’t end once the product is in the customer’s hands. It continues through follow-up support, feedback loops, and a commitment to making sure that the product delivers on its promises.
At Cornerstone Building Brands, we make it a point to track customer satisfaction after a product launch. This involves gathering feedback from both sales teams and customers to understand what worked well and where there’s room for improvement. By keeping the customer at the center of the post-launch phase, we’re able to make adjustments and ensure that the product continues to meet their needs long after the initial excitement has faded.
The Power of a Customer-Centric Launch
In today’s competitive market, a product launch is more than just a business milestone—it’s an opportunity to deepen relationships with customers and deliver value in a way that truly resonates with them. By integrating sales and marketing around a customer-centric approach, organizations can ensure that their product launches are not only successful in the short term but also set the stage for long-term customer loyalty and growth. As I’ve learned throughout my career, when you put the customer first, everything else falls into place.