Rebranding is so much more than just changing your logo or your fonts. When you rebrand your business, your mission and your values are conveyed in a whole new way to your audience. Your audience may even change with a rebrand. The question you need to ask every step of the way is, “Is this going to better service my customers?” Serving your customers needs to be number one on your priority list. A successful rebrand will let your customers know what your brand is, what you stand for, and why you do what you do. All of these combined together lets your customers know if their values align with yours.
Every brand needs to grow and evolve to remain relevant and effective. Rebranding is when there is some kind of major change or update to a brand. The most important thing a company needs to remember when considering a rebrand is the customer. The main focus of a rebrand is to better connect with the customers. Keeping the customers in mind is one of the most important things to consider. A rebrand is a large undertaking and shouldn’t be taken lightly. The Creative Agency brings you a guide to rebranding, why to rebrand, as well as the do’s and don’ts of rebranding.
Why Rebrand?
A rebrand needs to be representative of a shift in a company and in how the company is perceived by its target audience. It can be to update, maintain relevancy, or retarget an audience. There are many reasons why to rebrand. It is a significant change, and you don’t want to confuse your customers. You don’t want your brand to come off as unstable. Make sure you are rebranding to better serve your customers and to better connect with them. Better serving your customers need to be the driving force behind a rebrand for it to be successful.
Your brand’s success depends on its perception of your target audience. You need to maintain consistency across all levels of branding, so your customers have a clear and concise picture of who your brand is and what it stands for. A rebrand can make these values clearer in the eyes of your customers.
Rebrands are great for brands that need to stay relevant in their industry. It takes a lot of movement and constant shifting to keep a step ahead of your competition and stay at the top of your industry. If you’re not moving forward, your competitors will surpass you and you will no longer be the stand-out brand you once were. Rebranding will help you once again stand out, and catch the eye of your potential customers.
A rebrand is not something to be taken lightly. It’s the whole perception and reputation of your brand on the line. But when done correctly, you’ll reap the benefits of standing out from the crowd of competitors, as well as keeping up with the times.
12 Do’s and Don’ts of Rebranding
1. Do: Know why you’re rebranding, have a compelling reason that is customer-centric. Having a clear vision of what your brand stands for and what your want your brand to convey and be associated with will help paint the picture of exactly what you want your brand to be.
Don’t: Not have a solid reason to rebrand. If your rebrand isn’t concrete and with solid reasoning, your customers will end up confused, and they won’t spend their money on your brand. As said previously, rebranding is so much more than just changing a logo or a font. It’s changing the way the world sees your brand and how your brand is thought of in the minds of your customers.
2. Do: Plan a comprehensive strategy. Planning out every step of your rebrand is necessary as it gets everyone on the same page, and you appear consistent across all marketing channels. This solidifies your brand values and what you stand for.
Don’t: Throw your rebrand together; you’ll seem unprofessional and confuse your customer. A rebranding takes time and a team effort. A rebrand that is thrown together and hastily done without a plan is not going to be a success. It’s going to seem unprofessional and confusing, two things you do not want your customer to think about when they think about your brand.
3. Do: Find inspiration with your customers. As a business, your customers are your greatest asset. Knowing what your customers want and need from you can immensely help your business. By doing customer research, you can find out what your customers need from you and adjust so you can give them what they need. Better serving your customers is the number one goal when it comes to growth.
Don’t: Assume you know what your customer wants and needs. We all know what assuming does. Do real research on your customers to find out what they need. Don’t guess. You may be surprised at what your customers need, and find your business equipped to give them just that. If you’re assuming you will miss key findings.
4. Do: Refocus because of research. Changing and evolving is the name of the game with business growth. When you find out exactly what your customers want and need, then figure out how you and your business are going to be the exact ones to give it to them.
Don’t: Guess and change without a plan. You maybe have somewhat of an idea of what your customers want and need the most, but until you ask them, you can’t be sure. When you adjust and evolve because of research you will have the confidence to rebrand and be bold.
5. Do: Be inspired by your past or your mission. The roots of your business are why you got into your business. This “why” is important to your customers. They want to know why you do what you do. Looking to your mission statement and to the past of your company can be a great inspiration for your rebrand.
Don’t: Be inauthentic. Rebranding just for the sake of it and without your “why” and your mission behind it will come off as shallow and inauthentic. Use your history and your values, and you will be showing the world your authentic self and brand, which will go miles further than a brand that seems inauthentic.
6. Do: Research and take your time to find out what makes your brand desirable. You need to figure out why and how your brand is unique and how it stands out from the crowd. The deeper you dive into how and why you stand out, the more you will stand apart from your competitors. These differences between you and your competitors are what makes your customers turn to you, not your competitor.
Don’t: Make assumptions and guess as to why your customers chose you. Understanding your customers takes time and research. You can’t do a truly deep dive without some research. This is an integral part of a rebrand, and you can’t rush through it or assume.
7. Do: Take the time to figure out why the brand is unique and exceptional. What sets your brand apart from the others is what gives your brand personality and a voice. Really embrace why and how you are unique and extraordinary in the minds of your customers. This will help you to build a confident brand for your rebrand.
Don’t: Be afraid to commit, be timid. Be bold with your rebrand. Stand up for what your company believes in and what your values are. You’ll find your customers that align with your values will become brand loyal. People don’t want to buy from brands that seem meek and timid. A rebrand is the time to be loud and proud of your brand.
8. Do: Commit to what you stand for. More and more these days, customers are aligning themselves with brands that share the same values. When you stand for something and announce it, your customers know where you stand and what your values are. Customers that align with your values are more likely to be brand loyal to you and buy from you again and again.
Don’t: Convey a value without truly believing in it and showing how your company embodies that value. Look at the things your company truly cares about and values and use that to connect with your customers. Customers will see right through any inauthenticity, so choose the values your company upholds in everything you do.
9. Do: See your rebrand as a holistic experience for your whole company. Your rebrand is your announcement to the world that your company has shifted its values, mission, or target audience. Your rebrand shows that your company grows and evolves with the times, but the core of your company is the same company your customers know and love. This full makeover will affect every touchpoint a customer has with your company and therefore affect every part of your business. This holistic approach makes for a much more cohesive rebrand.
Don’t: Just change the logo, fonts, and typefaces and consider it a rebrand. While these small changes need to be done occasionally to keep up with the times, just changing your logo is not a rebrand. A rebrand has a much deeper meaning than that. Use this chance to let your customers see your company’s deeper meaning and why you do what you do.
10. Do: Get your entire team behind your rebrand- A rebrand is a perfect time for your team to get on the same page. This ensures you are sending a consistent message across all levels of your brand. From every email that goes out to a customer to each advertisement, your brand voice will shine through and convey the same message.
Don’t: Miss the opportunity to get everyone on the same page. As your company grows and evolves, it’s important to get your team all on the same page regularly. A rebrand is a perfect opportunity to do just that. You’re redefining your brand, and every employee can be a part of coming up with that definition and standing behind your brand.
11. Do: Publicize your rebrand. Rebrands are excellent excuses to connect more with your customers! Emails blasts and increased social media presence will let your customers know you are changing up your brand and you’re doing it to better serve them. Rebrands are great for business when done correctly. It’s why you’re rebranding, after all, to have a better connection with your customers.
Don’t: Stay quiet; you’ll confuse your customer base. If you just quietly change everything about how your company is seen, your customers will be confused. It could look like your company is unstable and not consistent. Let your customers know what you’re doing and why, and you’ll undoubtedly get a great response from them.
12. Don’t: Rebrand for what the brand has already become. Your business has no doubt come a long way from the very beginning. Your rebrand needs to focus not on that journey, but on the journey to come. Tell your customers where you are going, rather than where you’ve been.
Do: Look to the future when rebranding. Think of what your business will be and where you’ll go with it, rather than where you’ve been. Looking to the future gives your target audience a clear picture of what is in store for them. It shows that your company has direction and is not stagnant.
A rebrand is ultimately all about connecting with your customers in a better and more effective way. A rebrand can essentially rebuild your brand and create more connections with your target audience. There are a lot of ways to rebrand, and it can seem overwhelming, but it’s a necessary part of your business if business growth is one of your goals.
The Creative Agency is a full-service marketing agency that specializes in branding and rebranding. We know how to take your brand to the next level and achieve the growth you’re looking for. Call us today if a rebrand is in your future. We would love to help you connect better with your customers and get your brand in front of more of your target audience.
