When it comes to your product launch strategy, it will require the right blend of approaches. I compare a brand success with a plane. Ever wonder how does a plane fly? It flies because of four forces. The four forces are lift, thrust, drag, and weight. 

Let’s take these four forces and relate it to your product launch. First, you have to have a great product. This is what I consider the “lift” force. Your product has to be able to take off and fly on its own. You can have the greatest marketing strategy in the world, but if your product stinks, it will never get off the ground. 

Second, you need the “thrust” force. This is your go-to market strategy. It’s how you’re going to generate demand for your product. 

Third, you need to consider the “drag” force. This is all of the things that can slow down or hinder your product from taking off. 

Fourth and finally, you need to consider the “weight” force. This is your overall business strategy. How much money are you willing to invest in this product? Is it a cash cow or a loss leader? 

These are all important factors to consider when launching your product. 

With a great marketing campaign can help create a successful product launch. But then what? How do you make a sustainable business outside of that one great launch? This is where a conversation about how to become a successful and sustainable brand comes handy.

Let’s dive in. 

If you’re about to launch a product, you might want to consider launching your brand first. And we’re not talking about waiting years until having an amazing brand. Building a successful brand can be done in less than six months. In some cases, depending on the level of influence of the people behind it, it can be even quicker.

So what is a brand, anyway?

Since brand and branding are two of the most misused concepts, let’s clarify what do we mean by brand, so we can be on the same page.

When we say that you need a brand, we’re not talking about your logo, colors, and website. That’s branding. A graphic designer will take care of that part. However, that alone won’t share the story of your business. 

As Jeff Bezos famously said, “Your brand is what people say about you when you’re not in the room.” And this isn’t different, whether you are building a personal brand or a business brand.

You didn’t start a business without a reason, right? So what it is? What’s the story? What’s the problem you want to solve? Is the impact in people’s lives worth sharing? 

Pro tip: Successful branding begins with a well-defined story that is RELATABLE to your market. 

Some of the benefits of building a brand before launching a product include:

1) You gain customer loyalty

By building a strong brand, you create loyalty among your customers. They’re more likely to continue using your products and recommend them to others.

2) You build a connection that keeps users coming for more

A strong brand connection means customers are more likely to come back for more. They’ll also be more likely to try new products from your company, as they know they can trust your brand.

3) It gives your team a sense of direction and motivation

Launching a product can be a daunting task. By having a clear brand identity, you can give your team a sense of direction and purpose. This will make them more motivated to work on the product and see it through to launch.

4) You can grow a bigger digital footprint

A strong brand presence online can help you reach more potential customers. It can also help with search engine optimization, as potential customers are more likely to find your product if they know your brand.

5) It can help with reputation management 

In today’s digital age, it’s important to have a good reputation online. By launching your brand first, you can start to build a positive reputation before your product even launches. This can help ensure that customers have a positive experience with your product and are more likely to recommend it to others.

How do you share a brand story?

Now that you’re inspired to consider taking some time and resources to build your company brand, let’s go over some brand stories, starting with Tesla.

So how does Tesla do it? 

How has Tesla become one of the most valuable car companies in the world without spending a dime on advertising? It all comes down to storytelling. Tesla tells its story through its product. Every Tesla is designed to be the safest, quickest, and most pleasurable car to drive. They are constantly innovating and pushing the limits of what’s possible with electric vehicles. As a result, Tesla has built a strong emotional connection with its customers. And when you have a strong emotional connection with your customers, they will do your marketing for you. 

Pro tip: When you build a strong emotional connection with your customers, they will do your marketing for you.

As you might have noticed, Facebook rebranded recently and changed its name from Facebook to Meta.

Why did Facebook change its name to Meta?

Zuckerberg said it was time to turn the page on a new chapter. Meta’s name is directly related to metaverse, a new world built in virtual reality.

In reality, Facebook’s move was smart. The social platform had been under fire for spreading misinformation and other issues, so rebranding gave them a chance to give the media a new story.

You would figure that this time, Meta needed to come up strong, from the get-go. And they did. One of my favorite examples of how they’re sharing Meta’s brand story is their magical gate at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS), transforming one of the terminal’s gate areas and adding 120 fantastical new air service destinations to the airport. 

When you’re at Meta’s imaginary gate, you’ll see their imaginary destinations. Smart move! A great way to generate stories – at the emotional level! 

Do you see a pattern here?

A great brand story tells the narrative of your brand, including where you’ve come from and where you are going. A great brand story must be true, authentic, and honest. It cannot be made up or derived; consumers sniff out inauthenticity in a heartbeat and will punish you for it.

Launching a product without first building a brand can be risky. Customers may not know who you are or what you stand for, and they may not be as likely to take a chance on your product. By launching your brand first, you can create awareness and build trust with potential customers before you even launch your product.

Great brands have great brand marketing

Brand marketing is promoting a brand’s products or services in a way that elevates the brand as a whole. It involves creating and maintaining brand-consumer relationships and marketing brand attributes—the traits that people think of when they picture a particular brand.

In Conclusion

Building a brand is essential to the success of any business, whether you’re just starting out or have been in the game for years. It’s what sets you apart from your competition and allows you to create a connection with your consumers.

Do you think you have a story worth sharing and you want to leverage it and monetize it? Let’s chat! Schedule a complimentary branding consultation with our experts.