Timing a product launch to the design stage
By the time a project reaches procurement, the products are often already named in the drawings. Launches that win specifications are timed to the design stage — and planned in waves for every role that touches the decision.
The spec is written early
Building products are rarely chosen at the counter. They are chosen on the drawing board — during concept and design development — and then written into specifications and bills of quantities. A launch that only reaches buyers at procurement is often already too late.
Map the project stages to the people
- Concept — principal architects and design heads set the direction.
- Design development — interior designers, design leads and 3D visualisers pick finishes and fittings.
- Specification & tender — MEP and structural consultants and quantity surveyors lock in the details.
- Procurement — purchase and procurement heads compare options and prices.
- Site execution — contractors, site engineers and plumbers install, and sometimes substitute.
- Availability — dealers and channel partners make sure the product is in stock.
Plan the launch in waves
- Wave 1 · Pre-launch (architects and designers). Introduce the innovation and why it matters in a project, before the product is widely available.
- Wave 2 · Technical depth (design teams and consultants). Spec sheets, CPD sessions and short video demos that make the product easy to specify.
- Wave 3 · Site and trade (contractors, plumbers, dealers). Installation know-how for the people who fit it, and availability for the people who stock it.
- Always-on reminders. Projects run for months; keep a steady, low-frequency presence so your product is remembered when the spec is finally written.
Say the right thing to each role
The same launch needs different messages. Architects respond to design possibility and project fit. Consultants want performance data. Contractors care about ease of installation. Dealers want to know demand will follow. Plan one story, told four ways.
Keep the clock running
A launch is not a two-week burst. The specifier who sees your product today may start their next project in six months. Plan for sustained presence across that cycle, and track whether you are staying in front of the same verified individuals over time.
- Specifications are decided in concept and design, not at procurement.
- Launch in waves: designers first, then consultants, then site and trade.
- Tell one story four ways, and stay visible across the project cycle.