WHY EVERY BUSINESS NEEDS A REBRAND AT LEAST ONCE
The signs won’t always be there. You’ll open up shop, have a steady day, see the same people you see, or continue to see a steady order stream of regulars come through and all seems good in the world.
But maybe what you’re not seeing, is what actually isn’t there.
Maybe you’re seeing sales plateau, or you’ve lost touch and engagement with your current audience.
What about the people who don’t know you, or haven’t given you the chance because your current brand ‘doesn’t fit their vibe’ or maybe they’ve skipped by you because your brand was maybe a little stale and they’ve been seeing the same photos, descriptions, designs and such.
Before we get too deep, first thing’s first - when we discuss brand, and what that is and what makes it up, we’re not talking about logos, fonts, colors, or taglines - yes that is part of it, but we’re pulling back even further. Those are simple aesthetics used for recognition. Brand is much more than that, and that strategy starts earlier than the creative* execution phase.
Brand is really your value, your ethos (we know… ding) and how you display that to the world. It could be a series of videos, reviews, photos, the list goes on.
So, you’ve made it this far… when is it time for a rebrand? Let’s start with what a ‘Rebrand,’ at its core, truly is.
Rebranding is a process to change an organization’s image and messaging with the goal of improving the business – to redevelop the old brand into a new form that can stand out from competitors in the market.
The brand may be what the business is, but to truly understand it, you need to know that it belongs to your audience.
Without a buyer, you don’t have a brand. The ultimate goal of the rebrand should be to refocus existing messaging to better connect with the target audience. This is your chance to truly understand what your audience needs and confirm your brand is the solution that provides for that need.
Going back to what we said about what a brand is and what makes it up, a rebrand may include creating a new product, shifting a service, or an even larger, holistic pivot to find success.
If you understand the end user and how your company can uniquely solve its problems, you have the keys to a successful brand positioning.
There are many unique reasons why you should consider a rebrand. Ultimately you and your team should know your organization’s needs and working with a team of professionals (cough, like EA Creative, cough) to help refine your brand from an outside, professional perspective.
So what can you accomplish in a rebrand?
FIND NEW CUSTOMERS WHO MAY NOT HAVE NOTICED YOU BEFORE
The name of the game is to always be finding new clients and prospects. With Rebranding, you have the opportunity to literally showcase YOUR audience your growth. Maybe a simply logo change to look more modern to appeal to forward thinking individuals, but most importantly, show your growth! People may even say ‘oh that’s a new business’ and like a shiny new toy, want to see what it’s about.
BRING OLDER CUSTOMERS BACK WHO MAY HAVE FORGOTTEN
As humans, we get bored or are at least easily susceptible to complacency and routine. However, when something new arrives, we tend to gravitate to it and try it out. Maybe there’s a new competitor, or an online service that’s swayed people to stay home instead of walk into your brick and mortar. Some hard pills to swallow, your customers are always looking for alternatives. No matter how much they love you, how loyal they are, it’s always there, and constantly being pushed on them through today’s internet, social media and email. A Rebrand can help them stay by showing you’re evolving, and even attracting new, loyal clientele.
GIVES YOU A CHANCE TO DRIVE THEM INTO A NEW CALL TO ACTION
A rebrand doesn’t always have to be aesthetic - maybe you found a new product/service to be your new flagship. This qualifies as a rebrand! How you market that product could be just the shot of life your brand needs to make a meaningful impression.
BRINGS NOTICE AND MOMENTUM TO NEW BUSINESS EVENTS/RELEASES
The story of rebranding can be translated by a movie called ‘She’s All That.’ An oldie, but the premise is there’s this girl who wants to go to prom, but no one really pays attention to her as she’s just there - people know her, they don’t really give her the time of day because she’s, for a lack of better terms, meh and existing. However, the cool kid played by Freddie Prince Jr comes in to help give her a ‘makeover’ and show she’s more than just existing - so fast forward (and spoiler alert) she’s now an absolute 10 by allowing herself to be funny, cute, and even do a little makeup and the oh, so famous ‘losing of the glasses.’ The big moment comes where the whole school sees this ‘new look’ and she finds herself as prom queen with Freddie Prince Jr, voted on by her peers, all because of some subtle changes. Now imagine her character your brand, and an evolution of yourself is brought to the forefront of a next event, gala, expo, or any place your business is participating? Believe it or not, same rules apply, and sometimes all it takes is just removing the glasses and changing it up, even just a little bit.
If any of this has struck a chord, or even remotely applies to you, we should talk it out! We don’t put any price tag on a conversation, even if it’s just to talk about your business and where you see it going, or where you want it to go, and what your obstacles may be. Sometimes, it just helps to talk it out.