5 Signs It’s Time for a Rebrand
Your brand is a reflection of you and your story. And as you grow or your story changes, so should your brand.
But change can be harder to recognize than it is to realize.
So how do you know when it is time to invest in a brand or rebrand? Here are five tell-tale signs.
01
Your business has changed or is about to.
Over time our businesses, like people, can change. We learn from doing and naturally it becomes clearer what we’re good at, passionate about, the unique way in which we do what we do or even the people that we do it for.
Perhaps you have or are about to expand your products or services. Maybe you are ready to raise your prices. Maybe your values have changed with the world and your customers.
Whatever the reason for change, it is important that your brand lead the way and be the voice that clearly articulates your values and vision to your customers.
—Questions to ask:
+ Values What are my values? Have my values changed? Does my current brand reflect those values?
+ Vision Does my brand clearly reflect who I am, what I do, why I do it and who I do it for?
+ Voice Does my brand tell my story in a way that is clear and connects (with my customers and team)? How could my brand do this more clearly or consistently?
02
There's a disconnect between how you perceive your brand and how others perceive your brand.
This disconnect could exist because you or your business has actually changed (values, vision and voice) or it could be that your brand is not adequately articulating your story, at least not in a way your customers are getting.
You may perceive your brand as luxury or high-end because you know the quality of the raw materials, craftsmanship or attention that goes into what you deliver. But, if your brand feels DIY, lacks the design and refinement of a high-end brand, your customers won’t believe it.
Perception is reality and your brand is one of the only tools you have to shape it.
—Questions to ask:
+ What questions am I being asked repeatedly by customers? Where is there the most confusion or lack of trust?
+ How would my customers describe my brand? Don't be afraid to ask. Maybe you do a poll or send out a survey to a handful of customers and see what words they would use to describe your products, people and experience.
03
Your brand feels outdated or outgrown.
If your logo was created in Microsoft Paint in 1992 and all you have is a low-res jpg of it, then you can stop here. It’s definitely time for a rebrand (and to hire a designer).
Jokes aside, it may also be time for a rebrand if you built a trend-based brand.
Trend-based brands tend to have shorter lifespans. For example, five years ago you may have noticed the trend towards ultra-minimalist logos. More recently, and likely in response to that, we are seeing a trend toward more expressive typography and retro-inspired serifs.
There really is no right or wrong when it comes to going with or against the current of a branding trend. There’s only what is right for you and right now. Change is inevitable and so are rebrands. They just might happen more often if you create a brand based on the whims of a trend.
—My Rule of Thumb
+ The Three-Year Itch Nothing lasts forever, and when you factor in changing technology (your website), social platforms and culture, I expect a brand to need revisiting every 3-5 years. Get ahead of the itch, by checking in with the questions in #1 to see where you need to re-align.
04
Your brand is not attracting the right customers.
When I see this happen, typically a brand is trying to be all things to everyone. But a brand that speaks to everyone, speaks to no one.
In this case, a rebrand is needed to refocus. Part of this work should include better understanding who the “right” customers are in order to make changes to the brand that will engage or attract them.
—Questions to ask:
+ Who do I want to attract? What does my ideal customer look like and is my brand speaking to them?
+ Is my brand clear or confusing? Say less, mean more. Here's a quick audit you can do right now. Looking at your website, do most of your sentences start with "I" or "you"? If the former, you're probably talking a lot about yourself and what you do and offer instead of why your customer should care and what action they can take today to work with you.
+ Where are my "right" customers and is my brand showing up where they are? Your rebrand should look at who your ideal customers are but also where they are. Your rebrand should include the tools and templates needed to show up meaningfully in those places.
05
You're ready to level-up your brand.
You’ve been doing this a while, you’ve achieved a bit of success and you’ve learned a lot about yourself, your business and your customers along the way.
Maybe it’s just time to breathe new life into your business, to take it to that next level of growth and opportunity.
So when is the right time for a rebrand?
Anytime is the right time. What I mean is there is no pre-determined timeline, no real "right" time.
There is only when is the right time for you.
And remember…
