How to Tell if You Need to Rebrand, but not only Visual

In the world of branding, a rebranding is like a tactical manoeuvre. How complicated your brand refresh process is will depend on the extent to which you need to change your image.

Fun Fact:  Google actually had two “first” logos. In 1996, the logo featured an image of a hand and the company’s original name, BackRub, in red font. After rebranding to Google, the company launched a simpler logo in 1998 that said “Google!”

What is a rebranding?

A rebranding is the process of redefining and improving your brand image. Most of the time, the purpose is to convince current clients or customers to continue their business relationship with you. Having a brand that has outlived its usefulness, might be a good opportunity to rebrand yourself. A brand rebranding entails more than just repainting the logo. A rebranding can be visual. Maybe you changed the colour of your logo. Maybe you put a new logo on your business cards. What are the signs that you need to rebrand? You have loyal customers. You have problem clients who won’t let you go You have bad clients Some of your old clients have stopped buying from you. You see an increasing trend of bad or no reviews. Your people are leaving.

Why do brands need to rebrand?

Depending on the size and industry your brand operates in, you might need to rebrand in order to survive. Not all rebranding processes are the same, but the common element of a rebranding process will include changes in your brand image and/or colour scheme, and changes in the way you market and communicate with your customers. In other words, a rebranding process is like a makeover for your brand. To recap the elements that could be involved in a rebranding exercise, this article will outline the things you can do to make your brand image more effective and memorable for customers. How to Remove any Negative Features That Identify Your Business Your logo is the first thing that clients see when they visit your website or land on your company’s Facebook page.

Is your company growing or waning?

What was your company’s identity at the start of its life? Is your customer base growing or getting stale? Is your company expanding its reach or shrinking its customer base? If you are actively moving into a new market (and particularly if that expansion is into a new business segment) then you need to rethink your visual identity. 3 important considerations when rebranding 1. Are you following a unifying brand strategy? If your company has not defined a new brand strategy yet then you are in a strong position. You will not have the fixed costs associated with developing a new visual identity or marketing strategies.

Does your brand have a clear identity?

Can your brand be improved? What is the current state of the brand? How can your brand do more? Those are questions you need to answer for yourself. There is, in this instance, one specific rebranding activity that will help you find your answers to all the questions above. This will help you make the right choices. When you decide that your brand needs a complete overhaul, you need to start with a branding audit. A branding audit will help you see if there are any areas where your brand needs to be addressed. Identifying these areas can help you refine your brand identity, such as changing your corporate name or moving from a descriptive label to a descriptive mission statement.

How do you know if you need to rebrand?

Look at your branding and marketing efforts: have you really defined your brand? How strong is your brand identity and does it stand out from the competition? Does your brand provide value to your customers? Can you clearly articulate who you are, what you do and why you’re different? These questions will help you understand the challenges you face with your current brand. Ask yourself: Do I need a visual refresh? As we just established, a rebrand will be affected by the imagery that you use to communicate your brand identity. So, it’s not enough to ask if you need a rebrand, the better question to ask is: do you need a visual refresh? Why rebranding is important If you don’t create a visual refresh, your existing visual identity may have already been captured by someone else.

Evaluate where your company is now.

First, look at where your company is right now and where you think it should be. If you’re not sure, have a look at what others are doing. Start with the staff, partners, and customers. This will give you an indication of where you stand. The following paragraph is relevant: “Companies hire employees who remind them of who they are – their unique character. Customers search for products and services that reflect their own identity and lifestyle, as reflected in their values, beliefs and personalities. Businesses must ensure they recognize these factors when hiring employees and that employees represent the company’s image and values. It is possible for brands to stay true to their original values, yet also be consistent with contemporary trends.

Evaluate where your company wants to be.

Budgets vary a bit from business to business but the basic budget ranges from 10 to 50 000 dollars. For a small business, the opportunity cost will be lower, especially if you are running a subscription model and are able to sustain losses to your members and use the payments to promote your new platform. Create a blueprint. Getting from the idea stage to a finished branding solution takes time. What is the main concept that you want to convey? What goals do you want to achieve through this rebrand? The next step is to define the new positioning of your company. Define the character that you want to be associated with. Ask yourself the question: “What am I now known for? What value am I offering to the people that I’m now in contact with?” Be honest.

Consider a professional opinion

If you are running an aggressive marketing campaign and want to create a buzz around your brand, hiring a brand consultant can be a great idea. For instance, a rebranding might help you regain your market share. Marketers may be able to help you to decide if you need to go for a full-blown rebranding or not. Check out some of these questions: Are you currently on the centre stage? If yes, you probably don’t need a rebranding. Are you a small company and don’t have the budget to get a branding consultant? If that’s the case, there is still hope. Get a business idea and show it to several business owners or even bloggers. If your plan is to launch a large, serious marketing campaign, a rebranding will help you build a new image.

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