Rebranding is a normal part of any brand. However, it can be hard to know if you actually need to rebrand or if you need a simple update. Here are a few signs it’s time to rebrand:
What is Rebranding?
Your brand matters to your business because it sets you apart from competitors and tells your customers what your business is. But sometimes that changes and you may need a rebrand.
Rebranding describes a change in how a business is perceived publically. This can include a new business name, website, mission statement, or logo. Other times, it’s due to a merger or acquisition.
Sometimes a rebrand is a complete overhaul of all of these things. It’s a marketing strategy to let your customer base know your business is undergoing a change. There are a few different types of rebranding – brand merger or acquisition, brand refresh, or full rebrand.
10 Signs It’s Time to Rebrand
If you’re wondering if you should be rebranding your small business, there are a few signs to look for. Here are a few signs it’s time to rebrand.
1. Your Brand Identity No Longer Fits With Your Target Audience
Defining your target audience is important when it comes to developing a marketing strategy. However, if your brand identity doesn’t fit with that target audience anymore, it’s time to rebrand.
If you’re unsure if your brand identity fits with your target audience, you can employ some social listening by conducting a brand identity survey. In this survey, you ask your customer base if they think your work reflects your mission statement and values. You might need to prepare yourself for brutal honesty, which may lead to a rebrand.
2. You’re Expanding Into a New Market
If you’re a small local business that is expanding into a brand new area, it might be time for a rebrand. You need to make sure that your marketing materials connect with your new target audience. What may work for your small local business in your town may not connect with others in a different demographic.
For example, maybe you package your product in a specific way. If you expand to another market that is much more environmentally conscious, you may need to rebrand your packaging and shipping materials to be environmentally friendly to attract customers.
3. You Are Struggling to Stand Out Among the Competition
It’s a competitive market out there. In order to stand out among the competition, your marketing needs to attract customers by looking different from the rest. If you look and sound like everybody else, it’s easy to get lost in the shuffle.
It’s easy to look like everybody else. Sometimes, this simply happens because you’re following the same branding and marketing trends in your business as everybody else. However, if you are routinely being confused with a competitor, it’s time for a rebrand.
4. Your Branding Feels Outdated
Outdated branding is one of the most common reasons businesses want to rebrand. While this is a totally valid reason to rebrand, it needs to be very carefully considered before you begin the process.
You should sit down and decide whether your brand really truly needs a full rebrand or if a subtle brand refresh can do the trick. A brand refresh is a lot less work than a full rebrand and often achieves the same results.
A brand refresh might include an updated website or new logo. Making sure your logo reflects your brand and keeping it clean and clear are just a few logo design tips to keep in mind.
If you’re not sure if you need a full rebrand or a simple brand refresh, here are a few signs your brand is truly outdated:
- Your brand feels out of touch with current trends
- It doesn’t translate well across different mediums (web and print)
- You’re embarrassed to hand out materials with your logo on it
- It doesn’t translate well to social media
If any of these signs are accurate about your current brand, this is a great sign you might need a full rebrand.
5. Your Business Strategy Has Changed
You can’t always predict what changes your business might face. So if your business strategy has changed, it might be a good idea to rebrand.
If you’re rebranding because your business strategy has changed, you need to go back to the basics. You should revisit your brand’s purpose, mission statement, and values. You should also ask yourself where your brand is headed and how your values will dictate company culture.
6. You’re Merging or Undergoing an Acquisition
If your business is merging with another business or you are acquiring a business, a rebranding could be necessary. If you’re undergoing an acquisition, you need to assess how the acquired business fits in with your business. Will one brand be absorbing the other completely, will one brand be a subsidiary of the other, etc.?
With a merger, rebranding may be necessary. If two companies are coming together to work together and become one as something new, you may need a rebrand. You want a coherent brand that involves both companies and weeds out any inconsistencies and redundancies.
Depending on the situation, you may not necessarily need a rebrand. In some cases, a well-executed PR and communications campaign can avoid any confusion. However, if you need to rebrand and you don’t, your business will suffer from confusion from customers and clients.
7. Your Brand Needs to Start Over
If something has happened in your business that has put a negative stain on your brand’s image, it’s important to take measures to address the issues, resolve them, and move forward. If doing the right thing, online reputation management, PR, and everything else don’t help, you may need to start over. In this case, a rebrand may be the right next step.
You’ll probably need to run a brand audit to assess what associations are made with your business. You might not need to undergo a complete overhaul of your brand but some sort of rebranding is probably necessary.
8. You Want to Attract a New Audience
An important part of your brand is that it should speak to your target audience. So if your current brand is not connecting to the audience you want, you should consider a rebrand.
This is especially important to keep in mind if you want to attract a younger audience. Marketing techniques that work on Gen X may not work on Millennials or Gen Z. This is why customer research is really important. With proper research, you will know how best to adjust your brand and marketing strategy to attract the audience you want.
Doing a social media audit might help assess if your social media is attracting the right audience. It can also help you see which areas to change or modify to reach your new audience.
9. You’re Struggling to Communicate Your Brand’s Values
If you’ve been having a hard time connecting with your target audience, it may be because you’re not communicating your values well enough. You also need to be consistent in communicating these values. Being inconsistent in communication is a common public relations mistake to avoid.
Values are what motivate customers to choose one brand over another. For example, someone interested in sustainable clothing will most likely choose a clothing brand that has ethical and sustainable business practices over a company that does not.
10. Your Brand Isn’t Memorable
It might be hard to hear that your brand isn’t memorable. But if people can’t remember your name, you probably need a rebrand and refresh to get your business back in the view of customers.
You might need a logo redesign, a new or updated name, or a website refresh. Pick something simple but easy to remember. You want people to remember your name so they keep coming back.
These are just a few signs it’s time to rebrand. Rebranding is often a lot of work. If you’re considering a rebrand, contact MIND to get started. Our experience in web design and print design can ensure you end up with a logo or website that represents your brand well and looks great!