Businesses can succeed enormously by rebranding in a timely manner – but is it right for yours?
What is a Rebrand?
Rebranding means making minor changes to your existing brand identity – for example, tweaking your website copy or refreshing your logo, website colour scheme, or layout.
A rebrand, however, refers to a complete overhaul of your entire brand and its identity. Much more than altering just the surface aesthetics of your business, a rebrand can change everything from your visual design to your brand personality, tone, target consumer demographic, marketing, PR, ethos, and mission statement.
Why Rebrand?
While simple rebranding can deliver plenty of benefits for a business, a complete rebrand is a massive undertaking. It can, however, be a valuable investment in your business and a fantastic way to revolutionise it by:
· Refreshing your image
· Increasing your visibility
· Differentiating your offering
· Expanding your appeal
· Demonstrating commitment to your customers
· Building on your existing customer base
· Building trust and loyalty
· Re-inspiring prior customers
· Remaining competitive
· Increasing revenue
When to Rebrand
Some indicators that a rebrand may be a good idea for your business include:
· Your brand feels stale or stagnant – or you’re no longer inspired by it.
· Your website design or logo is outdated.
· Your website provides a substandard user experience (consider everything from its visual appeal, content quality, and site speed to navigability and mobile optimisation).
· Your business is not resonating with consumers – especially if it was more successful in the past.
· Your audience is not engaging with you on social media.
There are some things you need to be aware of before committing to a rebrand.
Rebranding can be expensive and time-consuming. Ask yourself – is the investment now worth the effort – or are simpler rebranding strategies going to deliver a better return on investment for you based on your budget and logistics?
It’s also crucial that you execute your rebrand well and that your branding, goals, and values align. This is imperative for a successful launch of your new and improved brand, and to ensure that your customers (and prospects) continue to recognise your brand without confusion.
Tips for a Successful Rebrand
1. Understand and define your core values going forward. These include your brand’s purpose, mission, target client or customer, what you stand for, and the image you wish to convey. How do you want consumers to feel when they consider your brand and engage with you as a business? Ensure you’re targeting and appealing to the right audience.
2. Consistency is Key. Your values and messaging may completely change or remain the same as they were for your original brand. Either way, your rebrand must align your messaging and values with customer expectations and be consistent across all platforms – from your website to in-store visuals, social media and blog offerings, and all marketing and advertising materials. Everything must be cohesive.
3. The sky is the limit when it comes to what a rebrand actually means for you – but it can include any or all of the following – changing or updating your: logo, web design and layout, colour palette, imagery, typography, brand and visual elements, stationery, brand personality, company identity, mission statement and ethos, mission statement, interior design (for a brisk-and-mortar enterprise), marketing materials, social media platforms and posting, blog content, website copy, uniforms, and much more.
You may tweak, update, or completely change who you are as a brand.
4. Work with a professional, experienced online branding agency to help you navigate and succeed through this transition and into the future. The right provider will have the creative and technical skills and expertise to collaborate with you to understand you, your customers, and your brand vision, and to advise and guide you if you need inspiration. They will also have the insight and knowledge to help you navigate the process as seamlessly as possible. A comprehensive agency can also provide appropriate digital marketing, video marketing, design, PR and advertising services to help your rebrand really gain traction.
Savvy Business Strategy…
A full rebrand, or even minimal rebranding, can be a very effective way to expand your customer base, keep up with (or, better yet, overcome) your competitors, and reinvigorate not only your business itself but its management, employees, customers, and prospects.
The boost it delivers can be very powerful – and the rewards are just waiting for you to enjoy.