Every company that has ever organized a brand launch knows that it is one of the most challenging tasks, especially since such events really have an impact on the future of the brand being launched. However, even such a complex event can be organized to be smooth and achieve the desired effect with enough proper preparation. To help those who have never launched a brand, we’ve prepared the following list of tips suggested by experts with great experience. By following them, you’ll be able to make the first step on your way to success.
Start planning well in advance
Launching a brand is exciting, but you should never have one without enough careful preparation. Begin planning your launch in the earliest stages of the rebranding process. Think about the reasons for the change and how you’re going to explain them to the audience. Mention the changes in your industry or society that have indicated the need to rebrand your company and what this new chapter means for your customers. Remember that a poorly planned launch creates confusion and customer backlash. After all, this is your chance to make a great first impression.
Identify key audiences
The impact of your brand launch needs to be strategic. Think about all stakeholder groups that your launch will affect (not only your customers, but other key audiences, as well). You need to consider the relative value of employees, investors, strategic partners and the media when planning your launch. For example, high-value clients, investors and key partners deserve a personalized, advance introduction, since they are most likely to be your brand ambassadors. So, you need to know which audience should be made aware of the launch in which order and by which channel.
Create a communications plan
Communication is in the very heart of every successful brand launch. You need to have a well-articulated narrative, which explains the rationale behind your decision. Be persuasive, because you want your clients to understand the logic if you want to get them excited about the new brand. So, start by segmenting your audience and deciding who needs to hear what and when. Consider all communication channels, especially social media platforms.
Launch the brand internally first
Before you start convincing your clients that your new brand is to be trusted, you need to ensure that all internal stakeholders share your vision and understand the rationale behind the decision. Your employees are your best brand ambassadors, which is why you want them to be by your side, which is not going to happen if you don’t give them an honest and authentic story. Such an event is also a great opportunity to present revised brand’s mission and vision and articulate them clearly.
Create a range of killer content
Probably the most important part is to create wide range of great content for the launch. Select platforms to share info about your new products and services and create content which reflects your brand’s personality and builds trust. In terms of content, you might have some humorous one, customers’ stories and testimonials, stories about your charity work or some other emotionally compelling story. From the technical point of view, you need to leave a great visual impression on everyone attending the event, as well as on those watching it later. Creating great video messages is now easier than ever and you can even use a free video intro maker to maximize the effect.
External launch – icing on the cake
The most exciting part of a brand launch is the moment you introduce your new brand to the world. Once all your brand assets and channels have been prepared and pre-launch communications issued, it’s time for your brand to meet the world. The day when you organize the external launch is also the day when your new website should go live, social media channels should be updated and press releases need to be distributed. Having celebrities among the public attending the unveiling your logo is something that could help your brand be accepted much better and more quickly. Finally, get ready for the feedback. Expect a mixture of positive and negative reactions, since you can’t please everyone. You should have a polite response to counter any criticism, highlighting the story behind the brand. Keep an eye on social media channels and emails and respond to customers’ concerns promptly.
New brand on your website
Most clients turn to your website when looking for deals, promos, news and updates, which is why this should be the first place to host your new logo. When you introduce the new logo, start redesigning the rest of the website, such as fonts, color schemes and patterns and make sure the site is functional and user-friendly. It needs to be better than the old one, but you need to keep all the good things about your previous website, so that your new one doesn’t lose its appeal and ease-of-use.
New brand on your social media
Once your website has been overhauled, you need to do the same to your LinkedIn profile, Facebook page, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube and any other social media channel you use. However, you need to be careful with this process and avoid doing it all at once. Namely, applying the new brand to every social channel at the same time will leave no trace of the familiar brand, which might create frustration and confusion for most customers. Likewise, introducing the new branding too slowly will make it difficult for customers to differentiate between the new brand and the old. That is why you need to get your timing right, i.e. avoid being either too abrupt or too slow.
As you can see, launching a new brand is a thrilling and challenging task, but getting it right means you’ll leave a great first impression on your target audiences, which is the primary goal of the whole process.
