5 Telltale Signs It’s Time For A Rebrand
So first things first, what does rebranding even mean?
A rebrand intends to shift the overall image of an existing business. It’s bringing to life new brand messaging and a new visual identity to differentiate from others in the same industry, attract a different audience, or reposition the business after a long period of stagnation.
Going through a rebrand process doesn’t mean slapping a new logo on your Instagram page and calling it a day. It means going through a whole 360 self-reflection process of where your brand is at, from your mission, goals, visuals, messaging, current target audience, and more, to ensure that everything aligns with your future vision.
Contrary to popular belief, though, if you’re a brand spanking new business, I don’t believe that investing in brand design will be a good investment.
At least for the first year or two, I would recommend going the DIY route with your brand or at least using semi-custom templates to get started. Those formative years are the prime time to explore, experiment and get to grips with the ins and outs of your business, your processes and the direction you truly want to take. You might have great ideas about these things initially, but until you’ve gained some real-life experience about whether those initial ideas work well for you, there’s no point in investing in brand design if you find you want to change it all again in three months.
Many things can, and will, most likely shift within the first year or two, like your target audience, services, vision, etc. Allowing yourself that space to explore all the different avenues around who your target audience is and what your business looks like practically will give you a better foundation for working with a brand designer in the future.
If you’ve been in business for two years+, recognising that your brand and website deserve a creative partner is a big deal. It’s not a decision to be taken lightly, as we’re programmed to think we need to do everything ourselves as business owners. But it can quickly turn into one of the most valuable things you do to bring about business growth.
So, what should you look out for to know it’s time to rebrand and hire a designer? Here are five telltale signs it’s time to rebrand your business.
1. You’ve outgrown your brand.
Evolution is a natural thing when it comes to running a business. You learn, grow, and travel down different paths as time goes on, and you’ll get to a point where the DIY branding you created at the beginning just isn’t reflecting the shifts you’ve made.
At the same time, it can leave you feeling like you’re running in circles, not having a clear direction or focus on what to do next. If you’re feeling somewhat detached from your brand and like you’re hitting a brick wall, then it’s a sign you’ve outgrown it and you’re ready for something new.
Reasons could be range from:
You’re going through a radical change, like pivoting your services or changing your business name.
You’ve fallen out of love with your original branding. It feels outdated and is out of alignment with who you are now and your future vision.
You’re unsure what next steps to take next in your business, but you can feel that the momentum has died off and is due for a comeback.
2. You’re struggling to differentiate yourself from others in your industry.
If you’re finding yourself in constant comparison cycles and competing with others in your industry, then that’s a sure sign that you need to refocus and rebrand.
Once you’ve fully defined who and what your brand is at the core, why it exists, the impact you want to make and what makes you unique, you’ll have a strong brand that attracts the right clients. You’ll feel less compelled to compete and compare as you’ll begin to grow a loyal community that wants to buy what you’re selling because they resonate with your message and more.
When you have a strong brand that you feel entirely at home with, you’ll begin to view your competition as a big supportive community instead of competition.
3. You’re stuck in DIY design land, aka “busy work”.
Ooh, the “busy work”; spending too much time deep in a DIY design rabbit hole rather than connecting with your audience and selling your offers.
You find yourself flip-flopping around with your colours and fonts with no proper direction or focus, basing your decisions on the latest design trends, rather than staying true to your unique brand foundations and what resonates with your audience.
As a visionary business owner, the last thing you should be doing is staying in that DIY design rabbit hole when what will take you to the next level is working on the foundational aspects of your brand beyond the visuals.
Unclear about your brand foundations? What you’re missing is an all-important brand strategy!
If you only have a logo, colours, and random fonts you found online, you don’t have a brand. You have minimal branding assets. Having a “brand” is about SO much more than just the visuals, and by working with a designer to help you uncover the core foundations of your brand, you’ll spend a lot less time in DIY design rabbit holes and a lot more time building a business you love.
Want to learn more? Check out The Truth About Designing Your Branding.
4. You cringe at the idea of showing your brand to people.
The last thing you should be feeling is embarrassed when it comes to your branding! And if you’re feeling embarrassed by your website, how might your audience feel about it?
You’re working super hard to make your business the success you know it can be, and seeing your brand as cringeworthy is not what you need. Your brand should accurately represent your business and everything it means to you. You want to feel proud, confident and excited about showing off your brand. It shouldn’t feel inconsistent, hashed together last minute and not reflect your business. Rebranding can help you achieve the cohesiveness you desire, making sure all of your client-facing platforms (like your website, socials etc) represent your brand in the right way.
5. You’re not attracting the right clients.
Something is feeling off. If you’re not feeling connected to your brand, your ideal clients could also be struggling to connect with your brand.
Any potential leads contacting you are either saying no, turning into red flag clients or are bargain hunters who don’t see the value in your services. It’s exhausting, and you’re desperate to switch things up so you’re attracting the right people. You may need to rethink how your brand looks, speaks and feels, in which case revisiting your brand strategy should be a priority.
If any of the above points resonate, investing in a rebrand could help you regain the confidence and motivation you need to see your business evolve.
If you’re starting out, don’t have the budget to work with a designer, or don’t know your business yet, then it’s more than okay to wait until you’re ready.
If you’re an established business owner wanting a brand that lights you up, attracts your ideal clients and aligns with your purpose, working with a brand designer who takes a strategic design approach can help you do just that.
If you’re ready to take some strides in elevating your brand, let’s chat.
