Branding is…

A very complicated subject. Its basics are easy enough but when it comes to rebranding or getting a refresh the waters are slightly muddier.

It’s time to look at your branding when you…

• feel like you’ve outgrown your current branding
• are out of alignment with your direction
• are attracting less than ideal prospects.

But just because one or all of the above are happening doesn’t mean you need a full rebrand of your business.

You may just need a few adjustments to bring everything back to clarity, confidence and growth for your brand. That’s what we are going to dive into in just a second…

Rebrand VS. Refresh

Typically a rebrand is when you are starting from scratch. You look at your business with new eyes. And develop all new materials, services, products in alignment with the new direction your taking.

Which brings me an important distinction. Rebranding typically comes with BIG changes in your business. Either your dream client avatar has shifted…your business direction….your services.

Refreshing is just what it sounds like. You’re taking what you already have and making sure it is still in alignment with your vision. Maybe you need to make subtle adjustments to your marketing, your message, your logo.

But a refresh isn’t about throwing out all the brand elements you have and developing something new.

Considerations for Rebranding

When you rebrand your business and start from scratch you are really creating something new something that doesn’t have the brand recognition that you built up.

Think Comcast rebranding to Xfinity. They want to disassociate with the stuff that people think of when it comes to Comcast by going in this new direction.

So rebranding may not be the right decision for you if you have a large following that is similar to the audience you are trying to reach breaking that recognition you have may set you back.

Rebranding your business does make a lot of sense if you are making a big change to your services. For example, you’ve worked 1:1 with clients through different programs but going forward you want to offer courses and group programs only.

Rebranding after a big shift like this is really beneficial in building recognition for the new direction you are going to reposition yourself in the market.

Considerations for a Refresh

Sometimes you don’t need to make big sweeping changes to your branding to boost your business.

Or if you feel like you’ve outgrown the look of your current branding. This happens especially if you DIYed your logo or used trendy elements.

Or if you feel like parts of your branding are #onpoint and others are lagging behind. Maybe you need to update your colors but your logo is fine. Or you messaging needs a little clarity but not an overhaul.

Refreshing is like getting a new haircut to update your look. you didn’t go all crazy and shave your head but you got the dead ends cut off and maybe tried a slightly different style. You still look like you just with a boost of confidence.

Questions to Ask

Do I have a clear picture of my mission, unique selling propositions, brand voice, brand personality, consistent brand visuals, dream clients?

It’s time for a Rebrand if… you answered that no you need more clarity. You have a few ideas but nothing really solidified.

It’s time for a Refresh if… you answered yes, you’ve got a clear picture of your mission, your direction, your dream client… but one or two of these things aren’t in alignment. Or your visuals seem all over the place.

Has my dream client avatar shifted or completely changed?

It’s time for a Rebrand if… you said yes. Often this big of a change means that there are fundamental changes to your mission and the type of content that resonates with this new dream client that you need to consider.

It’s time for a Refresh if…you said no, your avatar hasn’t shifted but you aren’t getting the dream clients actually signing up for your list.

Am I attracting dream clients currently? If so am I attracting enough or do I want even more?

It’s time for a Rebrand if…you are going to dive deep into who you are trying to attract and what services you offer that align with that.

It’s time for a Refresh if…you still feel like your branding is close or almost there but you just need a little adjusting to make it the client attracting machine that it should be for your online business.

Do I love the idea behind my branding but things just need polished up?

It’s time for a Rebrand if…you feel like your branding is all over the place then it is time to go back to the basics and identify the foundations of your branding.

It’s time for a Refresh if…you said yes you feel like there are just a couple things that are in need of polishing.

Do you feel like something is off and that your branding doesn’t quite align?

It’s time for a Rebrand if…you chose your visual branding elements based on what you like rather than what best represents your business.

It’s time for a Refresh if…you feel like you can’t put your finger on why your branding isn’t representing your business online the way you envision but you have the foundations in place to back up your decisions.

Do you have a large audience or following of loyal fans?

It’s time for a Rebrand if… you are making a big change to your business and you aren’t concerned about continued brand recognition for your current branding.

It’s time for a Refresh if…you have a large following of fans and you want to transition them to the new branding and new direction in your business.

ONE MORE THING!!!

This is a BIG decision for your business.

Do not rebrand or refresh your business because you feel like everyone else is doing it or because you want to incorporate the new trend.

Branding of any level should be carefully considered with where you are in business and what your goals are.

When making this decision it is SO SO SO important to keep your blinders on and ask yourself what is right for your business’ long-term vision.

Now it’s Your Turn!

What are your questions about rebranding versus refreshing your brand for your business? Let me know in the comments!

 

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Have you outgrown your branding?

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