Signs You Are Ready for a Rebrand
There are many reason why small businesses decide on a rebrand. Maybe you had your cousin or a friend of a friend design a logo for free when you first started your business? Maybe there’s a brand new competitor on the market that looks just like yours? Or maybe your business is moving on to bigger and better things and your branding no longer reflects that. Whatever it may be, we’ve narrowed down the top five signs it may be time to rebrand. As you read through these, ask yourself the questions below. Perhaps it’s a sign that it’s time for a change!
1) You’ve outgrown your current DIY logo or branding.
Let’s be honest, when you’re first starting your business, a quick DIY logo or a templated design from a source like Canva seems like the easiest (and most affordable) solution. Eventually, your budget solution will come with its limitations. First, there are guidelines you must follow when using a tool such as Canva; you aren’t allowed to trademark unless you’re creating all original work on their platform. Other users can use the same content as you; meaning you can’t claim exclusive rights to any logo design created with Canva’s templates. This makes it a little harder to create a brand that is unique. Second, there are limitations to only having one version of your logo. Eventually, as you grow, you may want to apply the logo in new ways and find it limited with a single logo variation. (Eg. A variation for social media that’s different from your packaging). Finally, you may find that having a logo without any other branding guidelines can lead to confusion when trying to create consistency throughout all touch-points. This will become evident as you have vendors (eg. printers) build out different pieces of brand or marketing materials. It’s a sure way to end up with 10 different brand fonts and a hundred variations of the same “brand blue”!
Ask Yourself: Does our logo meet all of our businesses requirements?
2) Your business goals have evolved.
Having your small business grow and expand is a great thing! (Congrats to you!!) But with growth comes change; the larger your audience, the more seriously you want to be taken by customers and peers, especially if you are planning to raise your prices or are improving your products/services. You may find that your current branding is no longer reflecting the quality of your product/service. If you notice that your business is becoming stagnant or you’re not being taken seriously, this is a good indication that you might be ready to upgrade your branding; from the logo, to your packaging, and even your website.
Ask Yourself: Does our brand still align with the businesses goals and values?
3) Your audience has changed.
A big sign that you’re in need of a rebrand is that your audience has changed. This happens in two ways: 1) As you grow your business, you may develop new products or service offerings that appeal to new audiences. 2) You’ve been targeting the wrong audience all along (oops!) and now need to reach the right demographic. A brand identity can be tailored to appeal to the right demographics/psychographics in order to meet your businesses goals. (In simple terms, you wouldn’t design the same logo for a neighbourhood coffee shop versus a big coffee chain, would you?) Even if you aren’t trying to reach new audiences, sometimes a rebrand is great way to remind your current customers why they should continue to love and support your business!
Ask Yourself: Does our branding still resonate with our current audience?
4) You’re tired of your branding.
One very simple reason to rebrand your business is that you no longer love what you see. You find yourself hesitating to give people the links to your website or socials because it doesn’t represent how you see your business. You may be looking at competitors or other companies in general with envy, wishing your visuals were as great as theirs. It’s ok to have brand envy (we get it sometimes…) but this is a great moment to decide how you want to be portrayed and create some new branding that you are proud to show off! Oftentimes, small businesses start their brand visuals by following trends. Once the trend has passed, you’re left with a brand that is completely outdated and a little lackluster. That’s why it’s important for your brand identity to be strategically tailored for your business and have meaning behind its visuals. You’ll then be happier with the outcome in the long run. It may be time to create a more timeless brand that can withstand the test of time and trends.
Ask Yourself: Are we proud to share our current branding?
5) You no longer stand out from your competitors.
Oftentimes, brands start to look similar in specific segments of the market. You and your competitors no longer have a unique visual identity and you may be overlooked simply because you no longer stand out. Now we aren’t suggesting that you need to alter your branding so that is the opposite of your competitors. But every brand has a unique story to tell. If the market has become dull, highlighting what makes your company different than your competitors could be a game changer. By creating new and meaningful branding that’s right for your audience, you can set yourself apart from your competition.
Ask Yourself: Does our branding help us stand out from our competition?
As you read along and answered each question, did you find yourself answering no to any of them? If so, it might be time for a change! With any small business, it’s important to adapt and evolve as you grow, and the best way to do that is with a little upgrade to your brand. We hope you enjoyed the read and that we were able to guide you towards your next step in your brand journey!
- The LCC Team