You’ve got that itch. Your logo seems irrelevant and out of date. Your performance is sliding and you’re sure it has to do with your messaging. Your competitors, meanwhile, seem so current and in touch with their audiences. Is it time for a rebrand?
How can you tell if you have legitimate reasons to pursue a rebranding process versus simply needing to tweak your messaging or try a new social campaign? A rebrand is a major investment of time and resources, and if it’s done for the wrong reasons, it can lead to negative results.
First, let’s take a look at some key reasons you may want to consider a rebrand:
- Your brand no longer connects to the markets you’re in, either because you’ve expanded your offerings or have completed an acquisition or merger.
- Your logo and color scheme are outdated. If you went with a Tuscan theme in the early 2000s or thought grunge was here to stay back in the ‘90s, these are good examples of branding due for a refresh.
- You look just like a competitor. It often happens that two companies in the same industry choose a color scheme that naturally goes with their offerings but the logos, websites and locations end up being indistinguishable to the consumer.
- Your reputation needs a boost. Whether it’s directly related to your company or you coincidentally share a name with a recently- disgraced celebrity, there are a few instances where a rebrand is necessary to improve your image.
- You’re no longer connecting with your market and losing market share.
There are additional situations that call for a rebrand, but overall, the idea is that it should be a solid, identifiable reason.
Do Your Research
Before you sketch that logo that is buzzing around in your brain or start considering colors, you’ve got to do some serious digging.
Customers: If you’ve been in business for a while, you may have a perception of who your target audience is, but it’s time to get into the data and see if there are any changes you haven’t noticed. You need to know who your customers are, their pain points and why you are a good answer for them. Develop your target market and then some buyer personas.
Your Unique Offering: What does your company offer that is unique in your industry? What makes you special? Understanding who you are and what you offer will help you create a rebrand that distinguishes you from your competitors.
A Solid Partner: A rebranding process is a big undertaking that will require significant investment and will likely take several months. Choosing an experienced marketing agency that can walk you through it is a critical part of beginning the transition to your new brand.
A Solid Rollout
Don’t discount the importance of a successful rollout of your rebrand. From coordinated communications to customers, employees and stakeholders to consistent branding and tone across all communications, this is where a lot of rebrand efforts stumble.
You need a solid understanding of your reasons for rebranding to effectively communicate your plan to your team and your customers. You need their buy-in and their enthusiasm.
At SJC Marketing, we have led many companies like yours through a rebrand process and while it is a lot of fun (hey, it’s us!) there can be pitfalls and challenges along the way. Contact us and let’s talk through your ideas and see if we can put a plan together. We’re excited to see where you’re headed!