How do you know when it's time to rebrand?
“SO WHEN EXACTLY DO I REBRAND?”
Ahh, the popular rebranding question.
It can be exciting to rebrand but it’s key that rebranding happens for a good reason and at that right time.
Here’s a good rule of thumb: if you’re at that 5 year mark with your existing branding, it’s probably time to consider a rebrand of your business.
So if you’re at that 5+ year mark or you’re wanting to move from a DIY brand to a professional rebrand, here’s four questions to ask yourself:
1. Is your brand out of date? Is it still relevant?
There is no one that sees your branding more than you do so it makes it easy to view your branding through rose-colored glasses or be completely over it and want something fresh.
These two reasons are exactly why it’s good to get some feedback.
It can be a serious challenge to be objective when evaluating our own brand and business so ask your audience! Talk with a designer (just might know someone that can help with that 😉) and get their expert feedback.
Get other people involved that can provide objective feedback to let you know if your brand needs a little TLC.
2. Did your audience change?
As business owners, it’s normal for our target audiences to change and grow as we do. If that’s the case, a rebrand can be important for tapping into that new audience and serving up a brand that speaks to them.
So ask yourself: are you attracting the right audience with your existing brand?
If the answer is no, a rebrand can help you speak your target audience’s language and help you capture your new vision.
On the flip side, if you’re connecting with your audience with your existing brand, you may not need an entire rebrand. Instead, you can opt to revamp your website or up your social media content to give it a new feel without removing the parts of your brand that are working.
3. Has your offering changed? Has your name changed?
Just like an audience, offerings change and evolve over time. If you’ve changed your business name or offerings, a rebrand can be an important part of visually telling your story and services. What works for one offering may not work for a new one! Your brand is meant to grow as your business does.
This also goes for changing your overall vision and mission of your brand! If you’ve changed your mission, a rebrand can help you better share that with your target audience.
4. Are you sticking out from competitors?
Your brand should be unique to you, not following the design trends of certain industries. If everyone in your field has a look and feel like you do, it’s probably time for a rebrand.
Capturing a unique look and feel can be so, so important in both the long-term and short-term success of your business. Do a quick audit of those in your industry. How different is your existing brand compared to yours?
WHAT ELSE DO I NEED TO KNOW ABOUT REBRANDING?
It’s the not-so-fun part of rebranding but it’s crucial! You can’t skip the legal necessities like ensuring your name (especially if you’ve changed it!) is available to trademark.
You can check out the Trademark Electronic Search System over here.
On the subject of trademarking, register your new name with your state and/or the Federal Trademark Commission. Get all the details about trademarking here and learn about state requirements here.
Of course, always scope out the domain name availability to make sure your dream URL is still up for grabs. I recommend searching for that over here.
Last but certainly not least, notify the IRS of your new name and make sure all legal documents are updated with your new business name.
BRINGING IT HOME
A brand = a visual representation of your business and your values so rebranding is important to make sure that your story and services are relevant, unique, and tailored to your audience.
When you’ve changed your service, offering, name, or have been using the same branding for 5+ years, it’s likely time to breathe new life into your brand.
Besides, rebranding can be so much fun 😉
If you’re ready to talk rebranding, we’re here to help! You can learn a little bit more about us here and chat with us on Instagram here!
