How do you successfully launch or rebrand a B2B product?

Break down your launch or rebranding campaign into actionable steps and create a timeline to keep yourself organized and on track.

Your goals and objectives are that script. They guide the narrative, telling everyone where the story is headed. Be specific; vague goals are like an unfinished script that leaves the audience confused.

Starting a rebrand or launching a new product? Think of it as embarking on an epic journey. You need a clear destination. I ask clients, "Where are you now?" and "Where do you want to be?" marking two 'Xs' on a map. This isn't just about setting goals; it's about igniting transformation. We map the path from present to future, diving deep into your audience, honing your message, and ensuring every visual element echoes your brand's evolving essence. This is where magic unfolds – in the journey of becoming more.

Most won't like this, because it requires hard work without shortcuts. But you have to talk, and listen, to your customers. Get on the phone with them and come prepared with strategic questions about their role, their goals, their challenges, and their perspectives.

Let's get personal! Go beyond demographics and strive to understand your audience's motivations, aspirations, and challenges. Know what makes them tick.

Just as a director needs to understand their audience's preferences, you need to dive deep into market and customer research. Understand not just the demographics but the psychographics—what makes your audience tick.

While chatting with Richard Thalheimer, the visionary behind The Sharper Image, I was struck by his intuitive knack for tapping into customer desires. He shared his simple yet profound secret: conversing with just 10 strangers to unearth a common thread. This approach, believe it or not, was a cornerstone in growing his empire to a staggering $750 million. As a strategist for clients, I take a leaf out of his book. I dive into Facebook groups and listen for desires and themes. But the real gold? It’s found in Amazon reviews and niche blogs. They’re like unfiltered focus groups, spilling desires, frustrations, and wishes. These voices, raw and honest, guide our strategy, ensuring we hit the mark, every single time

Your positioning is the genre of your play, be it drama, comedy, or tragedy. Your messaging is the dialogue. It needs to be crisp, clear, and should resonate with your audience.

This is where you bring all the elements together. Decide on the channels—your stage settings, the content—your props, and the timeline—your act sequence. Everything should be in harmony for the grand opening

Hack and track – Use data and analytics to track the performance of your launch or rebranding campaign. You need to continuously adapt to your market.

Launch day is not the finish line—it's the kickoff. Stay agile, test different mixes, track performance data, and tweak your approach. Lean on raving fans to spread the word and build trust. Launching is an ongoing effort to connect with your audience, guide buyers, and continuously optimize strategy.

But remember, the first performance is just that—the first. You'll need to adapt, tweak, and optimize as you go along, just like a live performance.

Never stop researching the market and keeping up with customer trends and wishes. Alot of time can pass between the planning phase of your strategy and the execution. You don't want to end up with an already outdated strategy even before the race begins.

When I think of additional things to consider, I'd also recommend: Building great internal alignment, updating sales collateral and enablement assets, planning for product adoption and training, listening and responding to customer feedback, and focusing on delivering value and ROI to your customers.