What you need to know about rebranding your biz
Given the title of this post, you’ve most likely landed here because you have a niggling feeling that it might be time to update your branding. Is it even worth the time and money investment?
Well, have no fear friend, cause we’re about to break it down. By the end of this article, you’ll have clarity around the why’s, if’s, and how’s of rebranding.
why do you want to rebrand?
Rebranding isn’t something you do just because you feel like it, and many people think rebranding can help them fix more problems than it’s actually capable of. To make sure your rebrand isn’t a disappointing or frustrating process, you have to make sure you get very clear on this why.
A good place to start: You rebrand because you have a communication problem with your current branding, and you’re not connecting with your ideal audience in an impactful or precise way.
But how do you know if you have a communication problem?
Some things to consider:
Sales are declining (or non-existent)
You get lots of traffic, but nobody seems to stick around
You’re about to- or already have pivoted- and want/need to attract a new audience
You’ve expanded your offerings and serve additional/different audience(s) now
One- or all- of the foundational elements of your brand have changed: Misson, Values, Purpose, Vision
You look like every other business in your niche
Your current branding is painfully outdated, downright embarrassing, and/or a DIY version that needs to go pro
What’s involved?
Now that you have a better sense of why you would even want to consider rebranding, let’s talk about everything that actually goes into the process.
What I’m saying is: A rebrand ain’t just a new logo and set of colors for your website. ALL of the following need to be considered in order to set your business up for its next phase of success:
Buy in from Key Stakeholders
Are you a solopreneur? Congratulations. You just got all the buy-in you need. For everyone else though, you need to make sure that ANYONE who is involved in final decisions for the rebrand is included in the process from the very beginning to the very end. The last thing anybody wants is to go through a 2-month process of rebranding only to discover that your business partner who tasked you with leading the charge is not on board with a key element.
A brand team
This could be an agency or individual you hire, an internal team or a combination of both. No wrong answer here, just make sure the team is firmly established before beginning.
A brand strategy
Arguably, this is the most important thing that needs to be done in the rebranding process and involves the following:
Brand perception Audit: How are you currently viewed in the marketplace?
Competitive analysis: What are your competitors doing, and where are the white space opportunities for your brand?
Personas/ Ideal Customer Avatar: Know exactly WHO you are talking to and what makes them tick.
Brand Pillars: You Purpose, Vision, Mission & Values. These make up the heart of your brand and serve as a true north of sorts when making decisions about anything else.
Identity
Most people think this is just the graphics, colors, and visuals, but there are actually 2 parts:
Verbal Identity: Messaging, Tone of Voice, Taglines and Value propositions
Visual Identity: Logo, Colors, Typography, photography, Etc. Visual identity needs vary depending on the needs of each particular business.
Brand Guidelines
This is the bible for your brand and is invaluable for ensuring that everything you do going forward- whether you do it yourself or hand it off to a virtual assistant, agency, etc- stays within the parameters of the new branding.
Content Strategy
Content strategy should be considered in any branding project because this is how you’ll be sharing your brand story. You want to make sure all the content you create delivers on the promise you’ve created with your new branding.
I know this sounds like a lot- and truthfully, it is. But that’s why many businesses decide to get help from a branding professional when going through this process. The key thing to remember is not to stress out. You’re going through the process in order to have a better brand and stronger business on the other side.
Was this helpful for you? Are you considering a rebrand? I’d love to know if this article gave you some clarity. Or, simply let me know the one thing that surprised you the most in the comments below.
