Rebranding can breathe new life into your business, help you make a fresh start, or enable you to have a breakthrough if you have been stuck in the rut for a while. But what do you need to consider when facing the project of rebranding your business? Read on to learn more.
In this article, we will discuss:
- What rebranding is (and what it isn’t)
- Why you might want to think about rebranding * How to do it right
So What Is Rebranding?
Essentially, rebranding is changing the way your potential customers see you – the image of your business. It can involve modifying the company’s logo, name, website, message, list of services, or any or all of the above. It can mean expanding to new lines of business or narrowing down your field of specialization. While rebranding doesn’t mean you would be starting completely from scratch, it’s a major overhaul, one that shouldn’t be taken lightly.
Things to Consider Before Taking the Plunge
One significant concern that business owners often face is the possibility of alienating their existing customer base if they rebrand. This is certainly something you should be aware of. A clever rebrand does not make you lose customers – it helps you gain new ones. Research every decision thoroughly and have a clear and well-defined image of your business that you want to project.
Why You Might Decide to Rebrand Your Business
1. Branching out. Maybe you started out small, with a brand that used to fit the line of products you had available. Now you are ready to expand your business and start offering new products or services, and you want to send a clear message to your customers by updating your business image.
2. Growing and reaching new customers. Many enterprises begin as local businesses, but gain in popularity over time and may be ready to reach out to a wider customer pool, making their product available internationally. If that is the case, you will want to rebrand your product so that it speaks to potential customers across the globe – while also stressing that you essentially remain the same business your old, loyal customers have grown to rely on.
3. Overwriting a negative image. If negative publicity has created such major pitfalls for you that you are struggling to keep your business viable, changing the name, logo, and imagery of your business may enable you to start over with a clean slate.
4. Merging. When two companies are merging, it is not enough to simply glue two names and logos together. Usually, this is a step that requires more thought in order to work out how the two companies can fit together as a single business.
5. Updating your image. Even if things are working fine for your business and you don’t feel the need to do a major rebrand, you will want to keep your image up-to-date in order to avoid becoming obsolete. All established and successful companies update their looks over time, while preserving their name and logo so that their faithful customers can still recognize them. Every business will want to keep up with
design trends, opting for an image that is more attractive and modern. These days, it’s also important to make sure the company’s website is mobile optimized.
Rebranding with a clear message, a logo that makes you stand out among your competitors, and a complete strategy that works with your existing branding will increase the chances of a successful rebrand launch for your business. If you do it right, rebranding can be an awesome opportunity for upward growth.