How to know it’s time for a rebrand (+ our top 6 rebranding tips)
Spring is in the air. I’m seeing flowers on my daily walks and new growth on my houseplants (the ones that are still alive, that is). For many of us, spring brings a feeling of fresh air, windows flung open on a sunny day, and the possibilities of new beginnings.
Just as our earth goes through seasons, so too do our businesses. Perhaps the fresh optimism that spring lends is leading you to think of new possibilities for your business, or perhaps the changing of the season is echoing the changing of your market. Maybe you’re sensing it’s time to make a pivot in your business or your brand is simply overdue for a spring cleaning.
Whatever season your business is in (or whatever season it is outside as you’re reading this post!), the possibility of rebranding your business, whether you’re an entrepreneur or a social media influencer, can bring uncertainty. Is it really a good time to rebrand? Should I wait, or should I take the next step now?
This post is all about exploring the signs that shout it’s time for a rebrand—and our top 6 tips on ensuring your rebrand is a success.
Let’s dive in!
The seasons have changed, but your brand hasn’t
I officially became old when I realized that skinny jeans were out and baggy jeans were in.
No shade to skinny jeans (I hear they’re actually coming back in style, a mere year or two after they were pronounced cheugy by influencers everywhere), but it’s a lot easier to rock skinny jeans in a mom-jeans era than it is to rock an outdated brand in a crowded market.
When the times have changed but your branding hasn’t changed with them, it’s likely to begin looking and feeling outdated. Even the most “timeless” brands are still a product of their era, if only to a small degree.
It’s natural for the market to change and for our brands to change with it.
There are three significant factors that I see leading to brands feeling outdated. It might be time for some spring cleaning if:
Your brand is reflective of the era when you started your business (or last rebranded). Just like skinny jeans going in and out of style, so too branding trends cycle in and out of fashion. If your branding was cool when Aeropostale polos were all the rage, it’s probably time for a refresh.
Your audience’s preferences have changed. Not only do evolving trends shape what makes a brand feel current or dated, but consumer preferences also play a role in shifting markets. We’ve all seen how rapidly the world can change in just a few years, leading to new consumer tastes or preferences. An easy example of this might be a brand that still has a relevant design but isn’t taking advantage of the massive shift from in-store shopping to online ecommerce—their insistence on keeping things “as they always have been” may lead them to feel outdated simply due to a shift in consumer preferences.
Your vision or mission has grown, but your brand hasn’t. This is the most common reason why our clients are ready for a rebrand! It’s natural for your business’s vision or mission to change drastically from where it began. If you feel like your brand isn’t reflecting who you want to be, how you want your brand to show up in the world, or the target audience you want to serve, then it can not only feel outdated, it can feel like a drag on you personally.
All of these things can make it harder to attract new customers, especially if your competitors are also making attempts to improve their brand voice and image. Rebranding can give your business a fresh and updated look that will help keep your business ahead of the pack and serve as an authentic reflection of your business or yourself.
You’re ready to pivot your business in a new direction
It’s a rare business that begins with a specific offering and then stays in that lane forever. Small businesses that are born of hopes and dreams, or personal brands led by social media influencers and thought leaders, are the most likely to expand over time to provide new offerings. It’s natural for your brand to experience the discomfort of a growth spurt as you outgrow the old and move into the new!
Your business’s value proposition is the unique take your business has on the market. It’s not only what you offer, but how you offer it differently to everyone else selling the same thing. And it’s natural for this to change, especially if you’re sensing it’s time for a new direction.
If your brand doesn’t accurately reflect your new value proposition, it may be time to rebrand.
Maybe it’s time for your brand messaging to shift from “me” to “we”. Or perhaps you began offering six services but now you’re specializing in one; or you’re moving your model from done-for-you to do-it-yourself. Whatever new direction you’re taking your business, your brand messaging, brand positioning, and identity design will likely need to come along for the ride.
You’re getting lost in the crowd
If you're in a highly competitive market (and in today’s online world, who isn’t?), it's crucial to differentiate yourself from others in your market. To keep the spring metaphor going: in a garden of roses, be a tulip.
Let’s be honest: your business or personal brand is one of many others competing for your audience’s valuable time and attention, so the more quickly you can identify what makes you different, the more likely you are to be a tulip in a rose garden.
Rebranding can help you create a more distinct and memorable brand image that sets you apart from the crowd.
This isn’t just a matter of choosing a different logo design than your competitors: the concept of brand differentiation is a fancy way of strategizing something unique about your business. Maybe you provide different offerings, or a different brand personality, or a unique twist to your process. If your business is getting lost in the crowd, taking a step back to find your unique edge—and infusing that into your brand’s strategy, message, offerings, and visual identity—can make a world of difference.
Now that we've unearthed the signs it’s time for a rebrand, let's talk about how to do it well! Rebranding can be a daunting task, but with the right strategy and approach, it can actually be a great experience. If you’re looking to rebrand on a budget, I’m sharing our top 6 tips for a successful fresh start:
Our top 6 tips for rebranding success
Start with a clear vision and strategy
It's important to have a clear vision and strategy in place. Define your business's values, mission, and unique value proposition, and use this as the foundation for your new brand identity. Read up on the strategic pyramid, a concept developed by branding legend Marty Neumeier, to start your rebrand on a strong foot. Our favorite questions to ask yourself are: What does my business promise to my customers (either implicitly or explicitly)? Why does my business do what it does? And how is it going to do that?
Understand your target audience
To create a brand that resonates with your target audience, you need to understand their needs and core desires. Conduct market research to gather insights about their demographics, behaviors, pain points, values, fears, dreams, and beliefs. Use this information to inform your branding strategy and create a brand identity that speaks directly to your target audience.
Develop a unique and memorable brand identity
Your brand voice and personality should be consistent across all of your marketing channels, including social media, email marketing, and website copy. It’s an infusion of your brand’s personality into the written word. Is your brand friendly and approachable, or elegant and refined? These questions don’t just apply to design: they should be reflected in how your brand speaks! Integrating your brand’s strategy-driven personality into your brand voice is another way to create a professional, consistent identity.
Create a winning brand voice
This is where the magic happens! All the work you did in the first two steps now plays out in the brand identity design. Your brand identity should be unique, memorable, and reflective of your business's values and mission. This includes your logo, color scheme, typography, imagery, and messaging. A good place to start browsing inspiration for design is Dribbble. This is where design professionals show their best work, and is in my opinion an underrated source of fresh ideas. In addition, Coolors is another great resource that automatically generates color palettes, which can kickstart some new ideas! You can also check out this blog post on how to create a winning brand voice as well!
Launch your new brand identity
Once you've developed your new brand identity, now comes the exciting part: launching it to the world! This includes updating your website, social media profiles, and marketing materials. Be sure to share your new rebrand to your customers and followers (bonus tip: sharing the why behind your rebrand is a great way to showcase your brand’s mission and values). This builds a sense of excitement and anticipation around your new brand identity!
Measure your results
Once your new brand identity is launched, it's important to measure your results. This includes tracking website traffic, social media engagement, and sales. Use this data to evaluate the effectiveness of your rebranding efforts and to make adjustments as needed. Rebranding is an ongoing process, so it's important to continue refining and evolving your brand identity over time.
Rebranding can be a powerful way for entrepreneurs and social media influencers to grow their businesses or enter a new season. With the right approach, this can be a smooth, successful process that takes your business to the next level. If you’re just starting out or have limited resources, use our top 6 tips above to give your brand a fresh start!
If you’re done with DIY or need an outside perspective, we’d love to chat. Let’s talk about your branding needs and how rebranding with us can bring value and drive growth in your business.
