9 Signs You’re Ready for a Rebrand
Your business is always growing, and just as you outgrow clothes, your business can quickly outgrow your branding. Sometimes, the changing outside environment can also demand your business catch up with the times.
But how can you tell if you’re in need of a rebrand? Allyssa and I recently went live to talk to you about just that! Watch the video below or keep reading for 9 signs you’re ready for a rebrand.
Learn more about our brand + web design bundle at starcastlestudio.com/bbb
1) Going unnoticed / blending in
A good brand should celebrate the unique attributes of your business and allow you to stand out from the crowd. While it may seem easier to observe what other ‘successful’ people in your industry are doing and mimic that, this can actually be the worst thing you can do for your brand visually. If you'r visuals look like everyone else’s, your business isn’t memorable. People won’t recognize or remember your posts, and you won’t be able to grow a faithful following that’s eager for your next post since they’ve already seen it on 10 other similar profiles…
Trying to simply blend in and ‘do what everyone else is doing’ is a huge disservice to your business. Your brand should be unique and memorable. If your current brand is too similar to other brands, including your competition or a larger, well-known brand, then it’s time to seriously consider a rebrand.
2) Feelings of ‘visual envy’
Scrolling through your feed and feeling jealous of everyone else’s pretty visuals?
Consider where this jealousy is coming from.
If you’re constantly finding yourself admiring other brands and wishing your brand was just as gorgeous, then a rebrand is definitely overdue! Being envious of other brands can be a sign that you’re unhappy with your current branding and are craving something better.
You should be head-over-heels in love with your brand!
After all, it’s the face of your business!
If you truly are feeling that the visuals of others are far better than your own, you’re likely not putting your brand out there in the best way possible. Imagine how great it would feel to be so confident in your own branding that seeing other gorgeous visuals didn’t sway you to change things or put yourself down about your own style. Feeling connected to your brand will allow you to show up more consistently and with more confidence — helping you finally land those customers/clients you’ve been dreaming of.
3) Unfortunate negativity
With the turmoil of today’s world, there’s unfortunately always some negative news going on somewhere, and with Facebook and the internet as a whole, word travels fast. If that negative news story can be associated in any way to your current branding, then your business may be in hot water, regardless if there’s actually an connection or not.
Perception is reality, and you will swiftly see people edging away from your brand if it seems linked to a trending ‘hot button’ in the media. If you get stuck in this unfortunate situation, then now is definitely the time to rebrand. Refreshing your visuals will help you dissociate with these negative connotations and showcase your brand in a new light!
4) Your brand no longer aligns with your vision
As our businesses grow, they inevitably evolve. When you first launch your business, your vision may be completely different than what it is a few years down the road, and that’s okay. Just be sure that your visuals transition to reflect this new message.
Your brand is one of the first touch-points people have with your business. If it doesn’t align with your vision, then they are being provided with the wrong message from the start. That’s why it’s so important to make sure that your vision and branding are in sync with each other. You don’t want your branding to mistakenly give the wrong impression! When your vision changes, it’s time to reconsider your branding to reflect these changes.
5) You’re embarrassed to share
Embarrassed to hand out your business cards? Do your business social profiles feature all stock images since you don’t want to share the visuals you’re ashamed of?
Do you give a disclaimer when giving people your website? Something like, “I haven’t updated it in years, but here’s my website.”? It’s hard enough to get people to land on your site. If they are, you should be thrilled they’re there and confidently know you’re going to wow their socks off!
Feeling embarrassed about your brand inhibits you from truly showing up. And in the world of business, your business needs to be seen in order to make a profit. Investing in a rebrand can help you feel better about putting your business out there and as a result, you’ll find that you’re selling more thanks to the confidence a beautiful brand can provide!
6) Your DIY efforts fall flat
As a new business owner, you may DIY your first brand or even worse, purchase a pre-made logo from an online shop. This quickly gives you something that they’re proud of… for a whole 2 seconds. Over time, as you figure out more about what you want to portray for you brand, you quickly outgrow the rushed visuals you originally had.
How do you avoid this?
Experienced brand designers know that building a brand is so much more than simply choosing pretty colors and fonts — there’s a whole strategy behind it! Pre-mades and arbitrarily picked details are inevitably going to fall flat, since they aren’t created to suit your business’s custom needs and unique audience. Diving deep into the whys behind your brand during the process allows you to get a brand that showcases exactly what you want to convey. When your visuals are created with your purpose and intention in mind, they will stay consistent with what you want to put out into the world, allowing you to finally gain that traction you’ve been craving.
7) Pivoting in business
Have your recently changed directions in your business? Maybe you’ve changed your offerings or sell completely different products. If so, then this is a major sign that you are in need of a rebrand. Similarly to when your vision changes, when your business pivots, your branding needs to reflect those changes. After all, you don’t want your branding to misguide your potential clients/customers, right? It can be tricky trying to stay relevant and let happy customers know it’s still you, while making it obvious you don’t offer the same products/services. Updating your visuals can be the perfect thing to help you seamlessly achieve that transition.
8) You’re attracting the wrong audience
Who does your business tend to attract? Are they your ideal clients/customers or are they completely different from who you had in mind? Attracting the wrong audience means there’s a lack of clarity and alignment somewhere in your business, and its very possible your branding is to blame.
For example, if you’re a wedding photographer who specializes in dreamy, romantic photos but your branding screams edgy high fashion, then you may just find yourself with leads that are craving dramatic, moody shots (aka not your people). Now imagine if your branding was in line with those services. It would provide your ideal audience with a crystal clear picture of the type of business you are and who you want to work with. They’ll self select and you’ll be left with perfect clients who make your job worth it!
9) You want to make more money $
Frustrated that the people you’re attracting aren’t willing to pay your prices? Maybe your brand is portraying itself as lower-end product/service. It may be time to update your visuals to reflect your higher end prices.
Maybe you don’t have a problem booking at your current price point, but your services may be in high demand and you want to lessen the number of clients you take on or start only taking clients from a specific niche or industry. Simply raising your prices isn’t enough to suddenly start bringing in these clients you’ve been craving. You need people to view you as a high-end service provider. Branding is one of the most important (and obvious) way to convey value. If your brand looks ‘cheap’, customers aren’t going to want to pay those higher prices. However, if your branding elevates your business and positions it as more high-end, your high prices will be expected (and not questioned) by the clients that can actually afford you!
Your visuals should emphasize your expertise, and give clients confidence in choosing to work with your business. If you’re planning a major price shift, it’s a good idea to refurbish your branding to start speaking directly to those higher paying clients!
Are you ready for a rebrand?
If you agreed with one or more of those signs, odds are you can benefit from a rebrand. Get in touch with Kelly and I and we’ll hook you up with a beautiful brand and website that will make your business dreams come true!
Our Bibbidi Bobbidi Bundle branding and web design package has everything you need to elevate your business and get noticed online. Click here to learn more and book your package!