One of the most important things about your business, is your brand. It can be the difference between instant recognition and getting lost in the noise amongst your competitors.
Many businesses determine their branding when they first start their business but then never take the time to think about whether that brand is still working for them.
Almost all famous brands have refreshed their branding at some point. Even Pepsi, with its recognisable font and colour scheme, has changed its logo more than a dozen times.
Here’s how to decide if it’s time for a rebrand:
Your brand name doesn’t reflect who you are or what you do as a business. Change like this can be natural – sometimes your products or services will evolve, sometimes it just doesn’t feel right, sometimes you just feel like a new look. It’s OK to let that old brand go!
You’re embarrassed of your business card or website. In the early days, many businesses self-design or pay for a template logo from the internet. While these can be fine, at some point you might just cringe a little when you look at it.
Your customers are confused by your branding. McDonald’s can get away with just having a giant M as their logo because they have fostered huge brand recognition over decades. If your customers can’t figure out who you are or what you do from your branding, it might be time to get that fixed!
Your geographic location of business has changed. If your branding includes your location and you expand beyond that location, you are potentially limiting yourself from getting new customers in those new areas. A company with Australia in its title may struggle to get customers in New Zealand, for instance, if they don’t alter their name to reflect their new market.
You don’t stand out from your competition. If your branding is similar to everyone else’s in your market or it’s just a bit boring, you should consider a rebrand. Decisions made by potential customers are made in seconds so standing out is essential to drumming up new business.
You are trying to reach a new market. If you’re trying to attract a different demographic than you did originally, it’s time refresh! What appeals to a 25-year old male is unlikely to appeal to a 50+ year old woman. Knowing your market and reflecting them in your branding is important.
If you’ve decided it’s time for a rebrand but you’re not sure how to go about it, talk to your graphic designer about your options. A good designer knows just the right questions to ask about what your goals are with your rebrand and can provide you with a range of options that suit those goals.
Don’t let tired branding hurt your business.