Maybe you started a business 4 years ago, and simply can’t remember how it started in the first place. Or maybe you have been in business for 20 years, and fear your brand might become ‘boring’. Either way, brands need to evolve over time to remain relevant. In today’s post, we’ll go over the warning signs, when it’s time for re-branding and what you need to know before embarking on your re-branding journey.
Is your website a reflection of your business?
Your website is the hub of your digital presence, and as such it should attract new customers and provide a great first impression. Whether you’re looking to bring in more clients or build your email list, it’s important that your website is a reflection of your brand. It should be easy to navigate, insightful about the services you offer and mobile friendly so it can be accessed from anywhere.
If your website fails to pass the test on any of these points, then maybe it’s time for an online makeover.
Is your brand eye-catching?
Do you want to know an honest secret? You can’t win on your charm alone, unfortunately. Even in our fast-paced technological world, the old adage has never been truer: Looks matter.
So you have some soul-searching to do: Does your brand make an eye-catching first impression? Do they convey the right feel for what you’re trying to achieve? If your answer is no, then it may be time for a rebrand.
Be courageous in your brand identity. Don’t think of it as changing who you are; think of it as making sure someone sees who you are.
Is your brand mission-oriented?
Brands are more than just a logo. They are a company’s reputation, their promise to the customer, and the way they differentiate themselves from their competition. A successful brand helps customers understand what they can expect from a company, and why they should work with them over competing companies.
This is why your brand mission statement is incredibly important. Your mission statement sums up how you want your customers to perceive you based on all of the above factors and more. It encapsulates your values and ideals as a brand and how you want the world to see you (and how you want them to feel when they think of you).
Are you attracting the clients you want?
Are you attracting the clients you want?
If so, then congratulations! You have a great brand that is working for your business. If not, it may be time to rebrand.
To make sure you are attracting the right clients for your business and services, ask yourself:
- What kind of client do I want to attract? Think about them as an individual — What age is she? What does she care about? Where does she hang out online? What types of businesses and brands does she love? The more specific you can be here the better! Remember, you don’t want to try and be everything to everyone. It’s much more powerful when your brand stands for something specific and targets a specific niche.
- How can I reach this ideal client with my message and services in a way that makes her feel understood? This means going beyond simply sending out mailers or posting on social media. Instead, try engaging with people online in places they like to spend time (i.e., Facebook groups) or even face-to-face with local networking events or by using word of mouth marketing techniques such as referral programs or partnerships (like offering branded swag from another company).
Does your overall message resonate with your audience?
In order to evaluate whether or not your brand is working, you need to really understand your audience’s motivations. Do you know what your audience would like? What they don’t like? What they are attracted to? What they will respond to? What they will ignore? You have a lot of work ahead if the answer is no.
If you are in the midst of crafting a new brand identity, it’s important that it be something that your customers will respond positively to. If you don’t know what that is, then you need to find out through extensive research and testing before moving forward with any brand changes.
Re-branding can help grow your business.
A re-brand can help grow your business and attract new customers. If you are trying to reach a new audience, creating a fresh brand identity is a good strategy. A re-brand is an opportunity to breathe new life into your company’s marketing efforts by updating the look and feel of your brand.
Re-branding doesn’t just mean picking a new logo or changing your website design. These are certainly important elements of a successful re-branding effort, but rethinking many of the foundational parts of how you talk about your brand will go far in helping you reach more people with your products or services in the long run. Your marketing materials — including packaging, social media posts and more — should all be consistent with each other in order to create a cohesive feeling for consumers.
