8 Signs You Need to Rebrand

How do you know when it’s time to rebrand your business? Sometimes it is hard to see when you’re so close to your business while it can be obvious to an outsider. Here are eight signs to help you determine whether you need to rebrand.

1. Your logo is your brand

If all you have is a logo that is dropped onto your business and marketing communications then you don’t actually have a brand. Some people mistakenly interchange the word logo and brand without fully realising there are so many other elements in additional to a logo that make up branding. To tell how good a company’s branding is cover the logo on their website, brochures, advertising, etc and see if you can still recognise who the company is. If there’s little to tie things together then a rebrand is needed.

2. Your brand is anonymous

Despite years of business, marketing and networking people still don’t know who you are. A rebrand can breathe life into your business with new strategy and fresh branding ready to get you noticed by the all the right people.

3. Your brand is outdated

Your 70s flares and 80s shoulder pads might come back into fashion but it doesn’t work the same for branding. If your brand looks tired and outdated then your customers and prospects are going to think that your business is tired and outdated too. Good branding is an investment that will last for years, it should be reviewed, tweaked and developed to stay relevant, but at some stage it’s time to accept you’ve had your money’s worth from your existing brand and reinvest.

4. Your brand isn’t relevant

In life the only constant is change. Maybe your business has changed to follow new opportunities, or your competitors have repositioned themselves and taken market share, or the needs of the marketplace are now different. If your brand doesn’t keep up with these constant changes then it will lose relevance for you and your customers which can be damaging for your business.

The branding process looks at your business, your competitors and your marketplace, and it is the perfect opportunity to review what your business offers and how it wants to be perceived.

5. Your brand is feral

If over the years multiple designers and staff members have pushed your brand left, right, up and down so that it has become disjointed and inconsistent then something needs to be done to tame the beast. Conducting a brand audit will tell you whether there needs to be a rebrand or just a rationalisation of existing branding. Either way a set of brand guidelines and regular brand reviews will help prevent your brand running wild again.

6. Your brand is difficult to work with

If there are difficulties reproducing your logo or branding that costs you time and money whenever you create a brochure, signage, or advertising then maybe you need to have another look at your branding.

Good branding should make it easier, quicker and cheaper to produce marketing and communications materials while providing the benefits of a consistent and professional look. If your branding isn’t delivering these benefits then it’s time for a rebrand.

7. Your brand has a bad reputation

Your brand is your reputation. If your standards have dropped or one big muck-up has damaged your reputation then a rebrand is an opportunity to get back on track. Review what needs to be done to rebuild your reputation and then rebrand to send a message to staff and to the marketplace that you’ve changed for the better.

8. Your brand has a doppelgäener

You’ve spent years building your brand image and you think you are unique but then you come across another company that looks too familiar for comfort. It may be a competitor who has flattered you with plagiarism or an unrelated business who just happens to have similar looking branding. Whatever the reason it’s not good for your brand to have a twin it can get confused with. In the case of plagiarism you can get lawyers involved to bring the plagiarist to task, or maybe use that money to benefit from a rebrand.

Your brand is an important strategic business asset that can bring an array of benefits to your business if done right. Take the time to review your branding and make sure it is working for you.

Posted 29 January 2015