$1M AI Product Launch

Leading a complex, multi-phase AI product launch

New York, NY | McGraw Hill Education | 2023-2024

Challenge

  • Complexity around AI messaging and positioning

  • Collaborating with Product, Brand, Engineering, Creative, and Sales teams to deliver a multi-phase GTM launch

  • My manager, a Sr. PMM of 15 years, departed months before launch

  • Launch while still in Alpha testing

  • Growing concern over the joy of math and math anxiety in elementary school students

Strategy

  • Launch AI-powered edtech product for K-5 math students to market

  • Spark early excitement with customers

  • Turn alpha testers into fans & advocates

  • Equip the sales team with the tools and messaging needed to build trust and drive adoption

  • Position the ALEKS Adventure in-game companion (Digit the Dog) as a brand mascot, bridging the digital learning experience with physical merchandise to drive awareness and engagement

Key Results

  • $1M+ in launch revenue within first year

  • 100% conversion rate from alpha testers to purchase

  • 25+ attended virtual launch party of ALEKS Adventure

  • Cultivated a loyal community of “Digit the Dog” and ALEKS Adventure fans across hundreds of classrooms:

    • “Digit the Dog" became so heavily associated with the product that we added his name to the product log in homepage

    • The demand for a “Digit the Dog” plushie caused us to make the plushie available for purchase, along with a classroom engagement guide on how to use the plushie for classrooms

The Rollout

  • Creativity: Used the “Digit the Dog” plushie as incentive for sales team contest, demos with customers, giveaways at conferences, and a sellable add on

  • Multi-Phase Product Launch: Ran full-funnel product launch campaign using Email, Paid Search, ABM, Events, Social, PR, and more with the help of the Integrated Marketing team

  • Competitive Intelligence: Developed differentiated positioning and messaging based on competitive analysis 

  • Customer Segmentation: Built segmented email nurture tracks for customer education and conversion

  • Gamifying Sales Enablement: Ran internal sales competition to drive engagement, urgency, and activate sales for launch

  • Pricing Strategy: Strategic bundling and pricing for McGraw Hill customers to maximize cross-sell potential

  • Launch Assets: Created a branded product microsite and launched trailer to build anticipation and hype

“On the data call, I was looking at ALEKS Adventure and excited to see we’re almost at $1M! Hooray to you, Matt, and Justin for getting us to this point!”

— Nicole, Director of Marketing at McGraw Hill

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