Choosing to rebrand is a big decision that shouldn’t be taken lightly. However, whether you’re a blogger looking to pivot to new audiences or a small business ready to grow, sometimes rebranding is the next logical step. If you’re feeling stuck at an impasse or simply trying to shake things up and reach new heights, rebranding might be just what your business or organization needs. Below, we identify six signs that it’s time to rebrand.
Six signs that it’s time for a rebrand
Feeling stuck and wondering if you should rebrand your business? These six signs that it’s time for a rebrand can help you make your decision.
1. You’re undergoing a merger or acquisition.
If your business is merging with or being acquired by another business or company, a rebrand is almost always necessary. Mergers and acquisitions don’t mean you have to abandon your original brand identity in full, but you do have to be strategic with what you choose to carry into the next phase of your brand strategy.
2. You need to distance your brand from negative associations.
It happens to the best of us—one small mistake or negative comment on social media can have a snowball effect and tarnish your whole brand identity in the eyes of the media and your audience. A reevaluation of your business’s values that results in a rebrand is sometimes the only way to move forward.
3. You don’t stand out from the competition.
One of the most important aspects of a strong brand and successful company is its ability to stand out among competition and fill a clear niche in the industry. Perhaps your branding was unique when you started out, but due to an ever-evolving market, it’s become just another logo and color palette in a lineup. You always want your brand to be inspiring and authentically represent your company and its vision. Consider conducting a brand audit to identify the pillars of your vision and what sets you apart from other businesses. When your brand effectively communicates what makes your business unique, it allows both employees and customers to understand why they should choose you over the competition. Ultimately, standing out in a competitive market is what will make your business successful and financially viable—so get to brainstorming and think about how you can give your existing brand a facelift if it’s feeling a little bland.
4. Your brand identity has become overcomplicated or too broad.
As noted above, a brand needs to understand what it’s selling and communicate a company vision effectively in order to be effective and successful. When your brand becomes diluted or stretched thin to cover an expanding business or range of products or segments of the market, it can become confusing to consumers and end up driving potential customers away. It’s common for brands to try to reach different audiences and give multiple marketing strategies a try to see what sticks, but this can result in unfocused, chaotic, or an overly broad brand strategy. Especially if the products or services you’ve offered has evolved over time, it may be beneficial to reevaluate your current strategy and tighten things up.
5. You want to reach a new audience.
Pivoting to reach new consumers or hoping to attract bigger clients? It might be time for a rebrand. If there’s a specific demographic that you’re hoping to reach, be sure to do extensive research before embarking on your rebrand to understand what these consumers want and how best to reach them.
6. You’re not attracting talent.
If your company isn’t attracting the level of talent that you’re looking for, the problem might be a branding issue. It’s only natural that those on the job market want the best position working with the most inspiring brand. Taking a look at your company vision and making sure your brand identity effectively communicates how exciting your company is might help attract more candidates. After all, if your brand doesn’t express a belief in your company vision, what will?
Is rebranding worth it?
A successful brand is key to attracting a strong customer base and building a loyal audience. Your brand identity should effectively communicate your business’s values and vision—without a clear and cohesive identity, your business can get lost in a sea of competition. Although rebranding is a big undertaking, it’s often an inevitable and necessary part of a business’s evolution.
Ready to get started? With a clear understanding of what you want your brand identity to communicate and a strong team of branding professionals, your new brand will find its way into the hearts and minds of consumers in no time.