Branding19 Jun 2024
Go-to-market strategy: the stages of a brand launch
A launch date gets locked in before anyone has costed the uniforms, the signage or the supplier agreements, and the work then arrives all at once in the final fortnight. The expensive part is not the design. It is the rework, the rushed print runs and the staff who hear about the new brand from a customer. Belong Creative has taken leading and challenger brands across Australia to market, internally and externally, by pricing and sequencing every task before the first asset is built.
In short
A go to market strategy is the plan for bringing a brand or product to market: who you target, how you position it and how you launch. Breaking it into clear brand launch stages keeps the rollout coordinated and protects momentum after go-live.
Key takeaways
- A go to market strategy sets the audience, the positioning and the route to market. The brand launch plan is how that strategy gets delivered on a date, which is why the two belong in the same piece of work.
- Belong Creative structures a launch around six stages: plan the launch, build the launch assets, deploy pre-launch teasers, launch internally, launch externally, then re-iterate brand awareness.
- Start by listing everything the new brand touches, then capture four things against each item: what it will cost, who needs to do it, how long it will take, and what is needed for it to be completed.
- The list runs well past design work. Brand guidelines, website, sales presentations, email signatures, internal and accounting systems, social channels, uniforms, merchandise, stationery, supplier accounts, vendor agreements, legal documents, licences, bank accounts, ASIC and, for a new legal entity, the ABN.
- In mid-sized businesses and larger, a launch covers areas such as marketing, operations, finance, legal and a list of external suppliers, so every task needs an owner, a cost and a due date before the launch date is locked in.
What is a go-to-market strategy?
A go to market strategy answers three things before a single asset is made: who the brand is for, what it stands for against the alternatives, and how it will reach those people. The launch plan is how that thinking gets delivered on a date, which is why the two are best built in the same piece of work.
Are you launching a new, or refreshed brand? So where do you start? If you put in the work at the start and lay strong foundations you are more likely to succeed. A comprehensive plan is the best way to do this. Let's look at the Key Stages to help you take your stakeholders on the journey.
What are the stages of a brand launch?
The stages below run from assigning tasks, timing and budgets through to keeping awareness up once the brand is live. Working them in order is what puts the internal audience first, so the external launch lands on a brand that is already consistent everywhere a customer looks.
The 6 Stages of a Brand Launch
There can be a long list of elements connected to your brand, and even more if you are launching a totally new brand! We recommend structuring a comprehensive Brand Launch around 6 Key Stages which are:
1. Plan launch (to assign tasks, timing and budgets)
2. Build launch assets
3. Deploy pre-launch teasers (to build anticipation)
4. Launch internally
5. Launch externally
6. Re-iterate brand awareness
So where to start?
The best way to kick-off is to write a list of everything you can think of that will be affected by the new brand. This can vary depending on whether you are also changing your business name or just the look and feel of your brand.
Below are some checklists to help you build your plan and help highlight areas you need to plan for. Feel free to add to the lists or remove items that don’t apply to your business.
As you work through them try to compile all the information for each task to include:
• What it will cost?
• Who needs to do it?
• How long it will take?
• What is needed for it to be completed?
Elements of your business that may need to be updated to reflect your new brand are, but not limited to:
• Brand Guidelines
• Website
• Sales/Credentials Presentations
• Email signatures
• Internal systems – project management programs, calendars, booking systems etc
• Accounting systems – your business name, invoice templates etc
• Social Media Channels
• Uniforms
• Branded Merchandise
• Internal templates
• Stationery – letterheads, invoices, business cards
• Accounts with suppliers
• Vendor agreements with customers
• Legal documents
• Licenses or subscriptions
• Bank Accounts
• ASIC
• ABN (if new legal entity)
As part of your plan you should also assign who needs to be involved with any changes. There will be both internal and external stakeholders to engage with. These can include:
• Business partners
• Executive team
• Marketing team
• Employees
• Designers
• Website developers
• Social media managers
• Suppliers of merchandise
• PR agencies
• Media buyers
• Accountants
• Business advisors
As well as updating existing branded elements you then also want to plan for your launch.
• Will you host an event as part of your launch?
• Where and when?
• Who will organise it?
• Who will be invited?
• Will you have branded merchandise for the launch?
• What items will you have? Uniforms/gifts/giveaways
• What is the lead time in getting these made?
• What assets do you need to get these made? Eg artwork
The next part of your plan should be timing and this can be a big piece of work. That’s why it’s important to have gathered all of the information you need before you start mapping it out. Think about (in the order the steps are listed), who will be responsible for them. Consider which tasks are dependent on others and which can be happening at the same time.
Now that you’ve listed out all the steps, timing and costs, you’ll also have an overall budget to work towards. Once you know the total spend you may need to go back and make some revisions to fit within what you can afford. Having already worked out the cost of each task it will be easier to identify where costs savings can be made. Or perhaps it’s come in a little under budget (happy days!) and you’ll have a little left over to splash on extra merchandising or more Facebook ads. So with the what, who, when and how much covered you’ve created a strong foundation to launch your new brand.
Executing the Plan
Of course, having a plan is important, but if it just stays in a spreadsheet or on a piece of paper it’s of no value. So think about how you can share this plan and keep it front-of-mind each day and each week to ensure you stick to it and deliver what’s needed.
Here are some tips to help you stick to the plan
• Share it with other stakeholders who have tasks to complete and get their commitment not only to the task but also to the timeline for it
• Add tasks, or milestones to your calendar or project management system
• Use a project management app like Slack to help keep everything and everyone aligned
• Have regular check-ins, at least weekly, with your team to ensure you are staying on track
• Keep a record of all your costs against your budget so you can make adjustments as needed
• Most importantly tick off and celebrate tasks as you complete them
How is a product launch strategy different from a brand launch?
A product launch strategy moves one offer into the market: its pricing, its sales enablement, the channel it sells through and the campaign behind it. A brand launch moves the whole business, so every item on the checklists above changes at once, from ASIC records and bank accounts to uniforms, stationery and email signatures. The go to market thinking is the same in both cases. What changes is the scope, the number of stakeholders who have to be brought along, and how much has to be true on the same day. A brand launch also carries an internal stage that a product launch usually does not, because employees need to understand and adopt the new brand before customers meet it.
Need help with your brand launch?
At Belong Creative, we've helped many leading and challenger brands across Australia launch their brands to market, both internally and externally. Reach out if you'd like some advice on how you can make a great impression with taking your new or refreshed brand to market.
Frequently asked questions
Is a go to market strategy the same as a launch plan?
No. The strategy is the thinking: who you are targeting, how the brand is positioned against the alternatives, and which channels will carry it. The launch plan is the execution of that thinking, with tasks, owners, timings and costs against every element the new brand touches. Both are needed, and the plan is far quicker to build once the strategy is settled.
Should a new brand launch internally or externally first?
Internally first. Employees, partners and suppliers should understand the new brand and be able to talk about it before customers meet it, which is why internal launch sits at stage four and external launch at stage five. Employees who first hear about a rebrand from a customer cannot carry it for you.
Who needs to be involved in a brand launch?
Both internal and external groups: business partners, the executive team, the marketing team, employees, designers, website developers, social media managers, merchandise suppliers, PR agencies, media buyers, accountants and business advisors. Assign each of them to the changes they are responsible for during planning, not once the launch date is set.
How do you set a budget for a brand launch?
Cost every task first, then total them. Once the full number is visible you can go back and revise to fit what you can afford, and because you already know the cost of each item it is clear where savings can be made. If the plan comes in under, the remainder is usually best spent on extra merchandise or paid promotion of the launch.
Explore our brand strategy, advertising campaigns and managing stakeholders through a launch.
