When is the right time to rebrand your business?

Friday 29 November 2024

By Leanne Mallinshaw, Leanne’s Co.

With the New Year around the corner, I don’t know about you, but I’m already planning for 2025 – scheduling projects, finding events to go to, and thinking about the new offers I want to introduce next year. It’s a time to make changes and move forward, so, the perfect time to look at your brand!

Branding and business: more than just a logo
Whether you own your own business or work for one, you’ll know all too well how important a brand is to its success. More than just your logo, your brand is how you make your customers feel, the trust you build with them, and the values you communicate, so it’s important to get it right.

When I began working for myself, even as a graphic designer, I did not get it right. I created a logo without a great deal of thought, that I whacked on my invoices and website. I thought to myself “that’ll do” but the problem with that is that I underestimated the benefits that having a well thought out brand would bring me.

With hindsight, I now see the identity I had was inadequate. It didn’t reflect my personality or my creativity, and held my business back – both in how I thought of it and from being able to market it with confidence.

Is it time for a change?
The brand I have now, which I spent time planning and designing, is like night and day from my previous identity – it has warmth and personality, I’m able to easily apply, adapt and develop it to my needs. Rebranding has given me a brand I’m proud of and more importantly than that, it has given me the confidence to push myself and go after opportunities.

If you’re unsure whether your brand is still working for you, I’d suggest looking at it across all your touchpoints – your website, social media, packaging, and marketing materials – and asking yourself:

Does your brand clearly communicate what your business does or sells? Whether it’s a shop front or a social media post, it could be the first time someone comes across your business, so you need to be selling your services from that first interaction.
Does your brand still excite you and make you feel proud? If you’re not excited about your brand, how can you expect your audience to be?
Will your brand help you drive your business forward or is it holding you back?
What feedback have you received about it? Maybe ask your audience, colleagues or people not personally invested in the business to give you their opinions.
Is your branding consistent across all your touchpoints? Your brand isn’t always the issue, it could be how it’s being used.

If your brand is not doing a good enough job of communicating what you do, has one foot in the past rather than your future, or is ignored by your target audience, it might be time for a rebrand.

Reasons to rebrand
It doesn’t matter whether you’re a new business that’s just starting out, or have ten years under your belt – having a bespoke, professionally designed brand created is a worthwhile investment in your business that pays off in the long run.

As a branding and graphic designer, in my experience, there tends to be two main reasons why people feel they need a rebrand – strategic reasons and aesthetic ones.

Strategic reasons would include:

Your business has grown and evolved whereas your brand has stayed the same, no longer reflecting your values and offering.
You’re wanting to pivot your business to target a new audience.
You’ve merged with another business and need a new brand to reflect your combined offering.
You originally took the DIY approach to your brand, and now you need a professional brand design that is unique to you and will help you achieve your goals.

Whereas aesthetic reasons might be:

You feel your brand is looking tired and dated, or how it’s been applied has become a bit here and there, and ultimately not cohesive.
You’re wanting to follow a popular trend or match a competitor.

While you shouldn’t ignore aesthetic reasons – you want to be proud of your brand. Any decision to change your branding should always be guided more by a strategic plan that’s working towards your long term business goals, rather than following a trend.

Don’t get me wrong, trends can be fun if you’re putting a short term seasonal spin on your brand, or intentionally trying to jump on a bandwagon for marketing purposes, but if you’re constantly changing how your brand looks, in the long run you’re risking confusing your audience and eroding your brand identity.

Instead, focus on having a brand identity that’s bespoke to your business and what you do, timeless, and will last your business for years to come.

Is now the right time to rebrand?
If you’re unsure whether you need a new brand, I’ve created Brand Checklist – a free guide that explains the branding process, walks you through some brand strategy and, ultimately, helps you prepare for having a brand created. It’s a great starting point for anyone thinking about a rebrand.

Plus, if you’re ready to take the next step, I’m offering 20% off brand design projects booked by 12 December 2024! This is the perfect chance to start 2025 with a brand that truly reflects your business and helps you grow. You can find out all the details here.

Rebranding is a big step, but when done for the right strategic reasons, it can position your business for long-term success. If you have any questions, would like to chat about your brand, or find out more about my brand design and brand management services, I’d love to hear from you.

Friday 29 November 2024