Remember who you are as a company and why you are rebranding
What your company stands for and has always stood for is a crucial aspect to push through in your new marketing strategy. There are many elements to a rebrand, and it is easy to get caught up in all of them. However, every action taken should reflect the core of who you are as a company. Keeping in mind the original reason for the rebrand will make the end result more successful. You are not launching a brand new business but an updated version of the existing one.
Here are some thoughts to keep in mind:
- What do you stand for?
- How do you want people to feel when they interact with your brand?
- What do you want people to remember about you?
- What is your brand’s story?
If you decide to bring on a branding agency to help you in this matter, make sure that they respect and maintain your core values, rather than implement a change so drastic that neither the consumers nor even the employees know what your brand stands for. For instance, if you are a brand that has always prided itself on its longstanding heritage and timeless look, and the agency designs a bright, futuristic logo, this is probably not in tune with your brand identity and may alienate your customers.
Listen to your customers
If your purpose for rebranding is to better connect with your target audience, turn to them to figure out what the issue is. Analyse data, examine what people are saying on social media, and collect insights. What is it about your current look and messaging that is turning your desired audience away to competitors?
Rebranding is a risky process that can surprise customers. While it is proven many times over to be extremely successful in generating new audiences and increasing sales, it can also work the other way and make you lose touch with your current customers. Listening to what consumers are saying about you will greatly help to know what areas to focus on during the rebrand and solve your most pressing issues.
Furthermore, when you do finally rebrand, tell your audience! It is important to communicate this update to your customer base and listen to their thoughts. Show them that you care about their opinions and perhaps explain why you went through this process in the first place and how it will be of benefit. Communication makes this adjustment less jarring and aids in maintaining customer loyalty.
Listen to your team
Consider letting your employees know early on that you will be rebranding. As they are well in tune with the company goals and brand values, they will probably have a lot to say about the matter and provide useful feedback and suggestions. They can also keep you on track, reminding you of the original intent of the rebranding and make sure it is not straying too far from the core company identity. Communicate systematically to eliminate confusion within your company so that everyone is on the same page and nobody feels excluded.
Legal matters
Is your new logo proposition infringing upon another company’s existing one? Is the slogan too similar to a competitor’s? There is a multitude of legal elements to take into account when rebranding, and it’s advisable to have a professional at your disposal who knows exactly what to look out for and how to protect you in the long term.
What are the benefits of rebranding?
These are just some of the many points that should be kept in mind when You implement rebranding activities. We know that it’s a difficult and extensive process, but we guarantee that it’s worth preparing for it well and thinking about every element of it.
There are many benefits of rebranding, such as:
- reaching new audience
- brand development
- gaining a competitive advantage
- setting a new business path, achieving new goals
- building and supporting internal communication in the organization
- highlighting and reflecting important changes and decisions in the company
How long it takes?
You may feel that rebranding is “a moment”. That it’s just font change – from bold to thin, refreshing the colours. You could be more wrong. Rebranding is a long-term operation that requires research, discussion – it’s an operation that requires focus, creativity, and perhaps several iterations.
In a previous article in this series (When should you consider rebranding?), we explained that rebranding isn’t just changing a logo. Rebranding changes your “brand personality”, website, social media, or business cards – all the materials with which you communicate with your customers.
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