Are you considering rebranding? Rebranding can be a powerful strategy to give a company a fresh look and strengthen its competitive position. And that doesn’t just apply to large organizations! It also helps SMEs to invest in rebranding their brand. In this blog, we delve into the essence of rebranding, why it’s important and how to successfully tackle the 8-step process.
What is rebranding?
Rebranding is not just changing your logo and color palette. It is a strategic overhaul of your brand identity, including positioning, logo, corporate identity and tone-of-voice. These elements form the core of your brand. The exact course of a rebranding process depends on the specific situation. There is no one-size-fits-all approach. In particular, it depends on the reason behind the rebranding. For example, rebranding can help refresh an outdated image, enter new markets, appeal to new audiences or reflect a wider range of products or services.
When is it time to rebrand?
There are several signs that indicate it is time to review your brand. Consider changes in market trends, a shift in target audience, negative perceptions or a lack of differentiation from competitors. If you notice that your brand is no longer well received or no longer appealing to its target audience, it may be time to reposition it through a rebrand. In this regard, it is often thought that rebranding is only something for large companies with huge budgets. But in reality, it is not. Developing your brand is relevant to every company. SMEs do not readily consider themselves a brand, even though they certainly are. When an SME does invest in its brand, it can experience significant growth. A rebranding is then particularly focused on increasing the brand’s impact and visibility.
What are the benefits?
Successful rebranding results in several benefits, namely:
- attracting new customers
- retaining existing customers
- increasing brand consistency
- strengthening your position in the marketplace
- unlocking new growth opportunities
- Future-proofing your brand
Rebranding roadmap: rebranding in 8 steps
1. Set clear objectives ✍️
Define what you want to achieve with the rebranding. Is it about restoring reputation? Do you want to expand into a new market? Or are you just not attracting the right audience right now? Formulate goals that align with your business strategy.
2. Grounding research and analysis
Analyze the current state of your brand. Identify strengths and weaknesses in your brand identity and understand the needs and expectations of your target audience. Also research the market and competition to understand current trends and new opportunities.
3. Discover the meaning of your brand
What does your organization really stand for? What is your right to exist? And what makes your company different from others? In other words: the distinctive power. There are several ways to find out. It is a good idea to appoint a rebranding team and put your heads together. Through brainstorming under the guidance of an expert, together you can get to the real core.
4. Formulate a vision and mission
Now that you know what you stand for as a brand, you can start formulating it into a vision and/or mission statement. A vision is an inspiring direction for the future and states what impact you want to have in the world as a company. A company’s mission is a statement that states what the company does, for whom it does it and how it does it.
5. Choose a new positioning
How do you want people to see your brand? To do this, you choose a particular position in the marketplace. Brand positioning is about how your brand is unique and why people should choose it, compared to the alternatives or competitors. It helps to use the brand archetypes for this purpose. These are 12 types of personalities of people that are recognizable to everyone. So you have very playful brands, wise brands that share a lot of knowledge, or super rebellious brands. An archetype gives you a clear direction on which to start adjusting your brand elements, such as logo and home style. In repositioning, then, you change from one position to another. How big this change is depends on what you want to achieve with your rebrand.
6. Design new brand elements.
Work with designers to develop new visual elements, such as logo, color palette, typography and imagery. Make sure the new brand elements fit your brand identity and align with your target audience’s desired perception.
7. Implement the new brand ✨
Through consistent branding, you build a powerful and recognizable brand image. When rebranding, it is therefore a good idea to switch to your new brand at once, so that the new and old styles are not used at the same time. Especially for large organizations, this is a big job. The new brand elements must be applied across all communication channels and touchpoints, including: website, social media, packaging, marketing materials and physical locations. In addition, it is good to educate your employees and stakeholders about the new brand identity and how to communicate it.
8. Monitor and measure results
After the launch, monitor how your target audience responds to the new brand. Track customer and market reactions to the rebrand. Measure the impact of the rebranding on key indicators such as brand recognition, customer satisfaction and revenue.
With these steps, you have a solid foundation to get started with your rebranding. Remember, successful rebranding is not just about changing your logo, but about creating a strong and consistent brand identity that resonates with your target audience.
Need help with your rebranding?
Rebranding can be a complex process. Whether you need a new visual identity, strategic advice or help with implementation. Want to know how I can support you in transforming your brand? Then get in touch.
