Jessica Sharp 
The process of rebranding is often a long and arduous one. Sometimes it takes years of planning, testing, and internally selling before a new brand is finally rolled out. It’s also a costly process, which is all the more reason why it’s essential to also plan for a communications campaign to coincide with the launch of a new brand.
Here are 5 steps to take when you’re ready to launch your new brand:
Define Your Message
If you’ve gone through the process of rebranding, it’s likely that the company messages have changed as well. This is a prime opportunity to share them. What are the challenges in the market that your company is addressing? How is the company evolving to stay relevant? How are you making money for shareholders? In what ways are you better serving your customers or clients?
Identify Your Audience(s)
Your company may have the same target audiences it had before the rebrand, which means you just need to share your new messaging with them. Or, more likely, the change necessitates appealing to new audiences. Identify who they are, what messages matter to them, and how they receive information, and then communicate accordingly.
Train Your Salespeople and Staff
The marketing or communications department likely knows the new brand like the back of their hand, but it’s a mistake to assume everyone in the company is comfortable talking about it. Make sure everyone in the company is well versed on the new messages, company story, and the “why” behind the rebrand.
Update Everything
Sure, you’ve got a spanking new logo and possibly a website. But what about your Twitter profile, LinkedIn background image, email signatures, letterhead, PowerPoint deck, etc.? Make a checklist of everything that visually reflects the company’s brand and make sure it’s all updated and consistent.
Think Long-term
Use the brand launch as an opportunity to think long-term about your communications strategy. Consider creating a regular email newsletter; put together a six-month calendar of content for the company blog; create several mini social media campaigns that reiterate your new messaging; identify trends where your CEO can insert him or herself as a thought leader.
The communication possibilities are endless, but they all begin with a clear brand launch strategy. Getting started on that strategy early is the biggest key to your new brand launch success.
If you’re looking for a further direction in developing a thoughtful and effective communications strategy, check out this blog post, or contact Maven to talk further.
Posted In Public Relations