A good brand is consistent—it allows customers and clients to recognize your products and services and makes your business stand out from the competition. But what exactly warrants a rebrand? If you think it’s time for a change in your business’s branding, here are five reasons why your hunch might be right—as well as one reason to stick with what you’ve got:
1. You don’t have a complete brand identity or you never set clear standards.
When your business first launched, that DIY logo (or simply typing out your name in a fancy font) probably worked well enough. But now that you have a growing audience, it may be time to level up and give your brand a visual edge against the competition. Now that your services and products are backed up by experience and a clear vision, you want to make sure you have visual assets to communicate those offerings. If you set clear brand standards, your audience should be able to tell with a quick glance what they can expect from you and your business. The benefits of a cohesive brand identity could fill another blog post, and there is no substitute for establishing a tone of professionalism, building brand recognition with your customers, and setting yourself apart.
2. Your current brand was based on trends or your competition.
Instead of figuring out what makes your business stand out and establishing a strategy behind your brand, you went the easy route—looking at what everyone else did. The problem with using Pinterest to “get inspiration” or find ideas is that all those things have already been done for someone else. It’s important, so I’ll repeat it—your brand is all about defining your business’s identity. What makes you great? What can you offer customers that no one else in your industry can? How is the experience of working with you unlike anything else on the market? Hint: you’re not going to find the answer on Pinterest or someone else’s website.
3. Your business just went through some drastic changes.
Over time, businesses grow and develop. You may have recently changed your business’s name, or what once was a one-man/woman show might now be an entire team. Significantly changing your offerings or your business strategy can warrant an “external” change to your branding. Your brand identity should consistently reflect who you are as a company, where you’re going, and how you serve your customers.
4. Your current brand doesn’t appeal to your target audience.
Or possibly, your target audience has recently changed! As your business evolves, you’ll get a better idea of who you target customers and clients are. What type of people buy your products? What characteristics do your favorite clients have? Who is drawn to your business, and who do you want to attract? Answering these questions can take some time, but it’s crucial your business is communicating with the right audience—and your brand identity should do the same. Branding is all about perception, and you want to make sure your target audience has an accurate perception of who you are.
5. You’ve outgrown your current branding.
With a couple years of experience under your belt, you may have moved up to bigger and better things compared to your business’s early days. Perhaps you have raised your prices and your business is now considered luxury or high-end—if so, your brand identity should speak to that change. Again, your brand identity should be an accurate reflection of who you are as a company (and it can also suggest where your business is going).
Finally, one thing that DOESN’T mean you should rebrand: You’re bored.
When you first established a brand identity for your business, the confetti was flying and champagne bottles were popping! You couldn’t wait to incorporate that new look into anything and everything with your business name on it. But now that the dust has settled, you don’t get that same feeling—you’re bored with your brand.
That feeling is understandable, but it’s not a good reason to throw out an established brand identity. So rather than a complete overhaul, try and take a new approach to what you have. Believe it or not, even clearly defined brand identities aren’t totally set it in stone. Businesses and brands evolve over time, and it’s ok to shake things up just enough to keep it interesting without having to start from scratch. Can you incorporate a new color into your palette? Should you switch up the layout of your blog posts or social media graphics? Would some new photography showcase what your brand stands for more effectively? A fresh take on your existing brand identity can cure your branding boredom—and also help to make your brand stronger.
