Ever opened up your company website, or looked at your letterhead or business cards and just thought: UGH.
Join the club. As small business owners, we’re surrounded by our branding day in, day out. It’s no wonder it can get a little repetitive. Plus, our brands are often an extension of our own tastes, and these can change over time. It’s normal to ask every now and again: “should I rebrand?”
Of course, no brand is unchanging. Sometimes a business rebrand can reinvigorate your sales and bookings (as well as your own passion for your business). But the truth is, there’s an epidemic of unnecessary rebranding amongst creative entrepreneurs. It’s wasting your hard-earned cash. Worse, it’s acting as an excuse, and pulling focus from the real business of growing and building your enterprise. Rebranding is a useful tool, but done for the wrong reasons, it can actually hold you back.
Some of those wrong reasons include:
- You’re bored of your company name or logo.
- Someone else’s brand looks or sounds similar.
- You haven’t changed your logo in a while.
- A relative or friend doesn’t like your branding.
Rebranding is so much more than just changing your logo, or even your business name. A true business rebrand is all-encompassing. It includes not just your company name and logo, but your colour palette, marketing message, web copy, social media, design files, website, and more. It requires a considerable investment of time, money, and energy, and as a business owner, it’s your responsibility to make that investment wisely.
But how do you know? Sometimes it’s hard to be objective when analysing your own brand. And of course, there are some scenarios in which rebranding is useful, or even essential. Here’s three of the ways you can tell your brand truly isn’t working for you anymore.
YOUR BRAND NO LONGER REPRESENTS YOU
It’s natural and positive for a business to evolve. Sometimes it starts as one thing and transitions into something else (Apple didn’t always sell phones, watches and TVs!). Sometimes it’s a shift in style or approach. But as the focus of your services or products changes, they may have outgrown your brand. If so, it may be time for a business rebrand, so that your messaging better aligns with the work you do.
YOU’RE NOT ATTRACTING YOUR IDEAL CLIENTS
The whole purpose behind branding is to resonate with your target market. Your brand as well as your messaging should engage directly with the kind of clients or weddings you want to work with, and draw them to you. So if you’re not attracting those clients at all, then you have a major problem. A comprehensive rebranding process, which includes getting deep into who your ideal clients are and what they need, can make all the difference.
YOUR BRANDING IS ALL OVER THE PLACE
When it comes to branding, consistency is key. The last thing you want is to confuse customers. So if your imagery and messaging is all over the place, then rebranding may be in order. Often, the process of rebranding will do more in this scenario than just present a unified brand. As a wedding business coach, I’ve seen over and over how doing the work brings clarity to the business itself – and a huge sense of relief to the business owner! If you’ve bootstrapped your marketing from the beginning, stitching it together from here and there, then it’s time to get serious about creating a grown-up brand, and taking your business to the next level.
Do any of these scenarios sound familiar? If so, then the answer to your question, “should I rebrand?” is a resounding YES! If not, it may be worth taking a second look before you leap.
Want to do a rebrand your business with clarity and purpose, but not sure where to start? My 6-month Signature Branding Experience combines expert brand consultancy, strategy and design to take your vision and create a brand identity that you and your clients love. Book a discovery call here.
