Five essential steps to rebranding success

By Ben Walker on 26 February 2018

Is it time to give your brand a much-needed facelift? Sure, rebranding is a risk, but if it’s done correctly it can pay off big time.

Why do companies rebrand?

There are numerous reasons why your company might be looking to refresh their brand. The most common reasons are following a merger or acquisition, or if your business has recently undergone significant growth.

Another reason for rebranding may be to keep up with your audience, competitors or technology. In business it’s essential to stay relevant and in touch, and your brand will reflect this.

If your business strategy is to target a new audience, your brand may need to be realigned to appeal to this newly identified demographic. Likewise, if you’ve just bought a new product to market, your brand might need to be updated to incorporate your latest offering.

It isn’t uncommon for a business to rebrand several times in its infancy and it can take months, or even years, for a new business to find its feet. Just look at how many times AirBnb rebranded in its early years!

Remember, a rebrand doesn’t have to slap your customers in the face, – it can be as subtle or impactful as you deem necessary.

What’s involved?

A rebrand is more than simply tweaking your logo or changing your company name. The transformation must reverberate throughout your business and your offering – from your company ethics to your colour palette. Elements involved in a rebrand could include your logo, business cards, website, marketing materials, social media channels, stationery, office, and even how your staff communicate with your customers.

Here are five essential steps to consider if you’re thinking of undergoing a rebrand.

1. Do it for the right reasons

A rebrand is an investment in your business, so you’ll want to make sure your money is well spent. We’ve outlined some of the reasons you might rebrand above (new target market or new product offering, for example) and it’s important you know exactly why you’re rebranding. Pinpointing your reasons will help you shape your strategy, stay focused and ultimately determine whether the rebrand was successful further down the line.

Don’t rebrand just for the sake of it. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it…

2. Create a plan

Next, create a plan for your rebrand. What elements are you going to change? How are you going to introduce your refreshed brand to your audience? Are you going for a brand refresh or a total rebrand?

Work out a process for your rebrand and stick to it. We can help you create a brand strategy, as well as guidelines to keep you on track.

3. Stick to your vision

It’s important your rebrand reflects the mission and values of your company as it stands now. Compile a list of your core values and write a clear mission statement. You can refer back to these documents throughout your brand transformation for consistency.

4. Ask for feedback

Throughout the rebrand process you should touch base with your customers regularly. It’s important to take into account what they think of your rebrand. Be open to feedback (positive and negative) and learn from it.

5. Get expert support

Oh hey, that’s us! We’ve helped numerous companies refresh their brand and give it a new spark of life. Let us help you reconnect with your customers and breathe a breath of fresh air into your brand. We can help with anything from updating your website design to tweaking your packaging, and everything in between.