You may start your business with a winning strategy, but what happens when things change and your brand no longer reflects the message you want it to? Whether your business has suffered damage to its reputation or your target audience has changed, there are plenty of reasons why your business might be in need of rebranding. But a true rebrand means so much more than just a new logo, name and site redesign — it’s a complicated process.
Ready to change your business’s image? Here’s what experts had to say about rebranding the right way.
Focus on the big picture
“Don’t spend too much time getting lost in the mythology of the story behind the brand assets. Branding experts can be great storytellers but remember that most people are never going to pay that close attention to the deeper meaning of a tiny element of your logo.” – Emerson Spartz, CEO, Dose
Be specific
“Remember that branding is as much about what you are not as [it is] about what you are. Too many businesses fail to exercise the discipline required to narrow in on what makes them special or unique. They try to include all of their customers or markets and wind up with a brand indistinguishable from other players in their market. A brand that means everything is a brand that means nothing.” – Robert Sprague, president and CEO, PCI
Hire an expert
“Get help. Especially for startups, but in larger companies as well, oftentimes you or your team members are too close to the brand to be objective. Whether you just hire a consultant for an hour or 3 months is up to you, but getting an expert’‘s unbiased opinion early on in the process will be invaluable moving forward.” – Alex Kelsey, brand marketing strategist, Greenvelope
Think about your audience
“Understand who your audience is and identify your consumer. What new audiences are you trying to reach and who already loves your brand? Are you looking to obtain new customers, play to a new crowd, or make your current fans excited again? When rebranding, you want to make you are gaining attention for your new look and feel while not losing the key customer that holds your bottom line intact.” – Jenna Zilincar, creative director and owner, M Studio
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