A brand’s visual identity is incredibly important.

Afterall, first impressions count and potential customers can quickly be turned off by a business if they appear unprofessional and outdated.

Nevertheless, changing up your brand is a huge step for any business, and one that should be approached with caution.

A recognisable brand can take years – and sometimes decades – to cultivate, whilst the initial outlay of a new look can soon tot up.

It’s also vital to understand that a rebrand doesn’t mean a slight tweak to your current logo. A logo plays a significant part in your brand, but your identity is so much more than that; it includes everything, from your marketing materials, to how your staff dress and communicate.

This is why you must take your time and seriously consider the reason behind your rebrand before jumping straight in.

Ask yourself the following questions:

Why are we doing it?

Before you get too excited about the concept of a fresh new look for your business, you must ask yourself why you’re really doing it.

Can you pick out a specific problem with your current brand? Perhaps it doesn’t quite reflect your company’s recent growth, or maybe your target audience has changed since you started. Another reason would be that you want to change up your business model and focus on a particular area.

Rebranding simply for the sake of it isn’t wise and is only a waste of your time and money. What’s more, it can have an impact on your current client base and alienate the customers you already have relationships with.

By identifying the real reasons behind your rebrand, you can see what problems your new approach needs to solve.

What message do we want to convey?

It may sound a bit silly asking yourself why people should care about your brand; we’re trusting that you firmly believe in your product and service.

However, the “So What?” test can be very useful when it comes to rebranding. What is so special about what you do and what is your unique selling point? Once you have figured this out, it’s time to shout about it.

With the right tools and professionals behind you, you can ensure that everyone who comes into contact with your brand quickly picks up what you’re trying to achieve and why they should be passionate about it too.

It’s also worth having a think about the direction in which you are going as a company and if this message will evolve over time.

Who is our ideal customer?

Defining your perfect client can really help when it comes to creating a strong brand.

Your ideal customer may be someone that regularly has projects that you enjoy working on, or it could be those that make you the most money. It might even be more of the same clients as you already have, or you might want to attract a whole new group of people.

Once you have figured this out, you can use this information to determine how your new identity will look.

For example, if you want to attract larger organisations, you could go for a more corporate image.

Just be careful not to isolate your current clients, especially if you wish to continue working with them. If your client base is aged 60 and over and you design a brand that is aimed solely at young adults, you may find that they can no longer relate to what you are selling.

What do our customers want?

This ties in with the above point. When rebranding your organisation, you need to think about what the people buying into your company want.

Many businesses make the mistake of assuming that they know what their customers want. Avoid this by asking the customers you already have a solid relationship with or host focus groups with the people who fit your ideal customer profile to get some feedback about their expectations.

This is especially key if you are designing a website or digital product, like an app, that your customers will be using.

Are we ready for this?

Think of your new brand as a promise to customers. Are you really in a position to properly see it through and ensure that everyone within your business is committed to this new approach?

A lot of companies invest in a rebrand but never truly change how they operate. Assess whether your business is ready for the rebrand and how you are going to motivate your staff to believe in it.

If you would like to find out more about rebranding your business, please get in touch with us today.