Your brand design doesn’t have to last forever and neither does your summer fling. Design trends come and go and there comes a time when your brand may need some updates.
Often times you can outgrow your current brand. You could even possibly discover more of who you are as a brand along the way. Having a brand design that matches your new changes is essential to building a strong, impactful brand. It could also be that your brand design is no longer relevant then it could also be time for a brand makeover.
Every strong and recognizable brand we know today, has moved along with times. There comes a time for updates and these updates can still maintain the integrity of the brand.
One of the best examples of this is Dunkin’ Donuts. As you can see in the example below there are elements that have continued to stay consistent in the brand. You can also see that the logo has changed with the style of the time. It’s a strong balance which can be done in your own rebrand as well.
Rebranding can be a fun process but often takes patience and time. It’s best to fully understand if rebrand is truly what you need before you start the process. In this post, I will be covering 10 questions that will help you decide whether you need a brand redesign. The first question is one of the most important so we’ll start there.
1. What is your reason and inspiration for your rebrand?
I know sometimes as an entrepreneur (myself included), we can get excited about the next shiny object. In the process of rebranding, it’s best to stay grounded in your reasons for the rebrand so you can move forward with a design that will be impactful and focused.
Get deep down and ask yourself why you had a spark of interest in rebranding. Was it because your brand design no longer excites you? Or is it that you feel like your brand image isn’t relevant to your ideal client any longer?
Here are the most common reasons why you may want a rebrand.
1. You started out DIY’ing their website/branding but now you have outgrown your DIY look and you are ready for a more professional-looking brand.
2. You’re a seasoned brand and you’ve been in the business world for a while now. You haven’t updated your brand in about 3 years and now your brand needs a modern makeover.
3. You’re having a real change of heart from when you first started your business. This could be that you have changed your services you provide or your business is evolving in a new, different way. Maybe you were passionate about serving one type of client and now you want to serve a different audience. This is an important reason to rebrand.
A rebrand should never be used as band-aid to cover up other issues going on in your business. Once you can define your reason for your rebranding motivation you can lead with deliberate intention through the process.
2. How long have you had your current brand design?
A good timeframe for a rebrand is usually 3 – 4 years. A lot can happen with your business and your ideal audience during this time. Whether you decide to do a full rebrand or not, it’s best to evaluate your brand image every 3 – 4 years to see if it’s still working for you and your audience.
Like mentioned before, brand images don’t have to last forever. You should move with the times to stay relevant to your audience. If you’ve had your brand before the internet existed – it’s 100% time for a rebrand.
3. Does your brand design no longer make you feel excited?
When your brand design no longer makes you feel excited, it can be time for an update. This may seem like a superficial reason for a rebrand, but if you are not enthusiastic about your brand it can show in your marketing efforts.
I see how excited businesses get when they have a new, beautiful website and brand image. They are more enthusiastic about putting themselves out there in a more authentic way. Website or brand shame is no friend to growing your business. It is completely ok to rebrand if your website makes you cringe. You want to put your best foot forward and have your aesthetics match up with the brilliant inner elements of your business.
4. Has your ideal client changed since your last rebrand?
Over time, business and services can change. Even some of the biggest brands that we know today, have changed who they are trying to reach. As you start out in business you think you may want to work with a certain type of client and when you get started, you realize you want to serve a completely different audience.
This is another brilliant reason to go through the rebranding process. If this is your reason for your new brand, I highly, highly suggest digging deep into who exactly you want to serve. Get to know them inside and out. Understand what visuals they are attracted to and what visuals turn them off.
A brand image is an important tool to attract your ideal people to your brand. Doing this inner work of defining who your ideal client is will put the necessary substance behind your brand to bring you the people you want to work with. Let your rebrand be an ideal client magnet machine.
5. Is your brand story and image still relevant to your ideal audience?
Your brand story is a way you can connect on a more emotional level with your audience. An example of a genius brand story is Toms. Their whole brand is created around the idea that you buy a pair of shoes and they give a pair of shoes to children in need.
Toms’ branding reflects their worldly efforts to give to those in need. As you can see their flag logo allows their brand image to completely align with their inspiring brand story to change the world.
Evaluate what your brand is reflecting for your own story. What is your brand image telling about your brand story? Does your brand refer to something that is no longer relevant? If it’s no longer relevant, this is a perfect time to create a new story and allow your brand to reflect that.
6. Are your color palette, fonts, and design elements outdated?
The truth is that color palettes, fonts, and design elements can go out of style and make your look feel dated. It’s the nature of the game which is why it’s best to do a rebrand every 3 years like I mentioned before.
Unless it’s important for your brand to follow trends, I recommend staying away from design trends that become extremely popular very quickly. This is because when something becomes trendy very fast, it could become untrendy just as fast as well.
Don’t let the flashy trends be your motivation for a rebrand. You can never go wrong with more classic elements in your brand. You can always pair them with a couple of on-trend elements if needed.
7. Is your brand blending in with your competition?
Creating a brand image is all about standing out amongst the noise. I’m sure you’re aware of some of your competitors. I hope you have a good understanding of what makes you unique and different from them.
Does your current brand image reflect your unique features? If not, this is another great reason for a rebrand. If you are rebranding to stand out amongst your competition, I highly recommend leading with what makes you unique instead of focusing on your competition.
If you are a photographer and most of competitors have a similar brand design, then I suggest defining why your style is different then theirs. How can you create your brand to reflect and compliment your most beneficial and unique features?
8. Is your brand design streamlined?
One of the most practical parts of a brand is being able to replicate your brand elements when you need to put out new marketing materials. Streamlining your brand is important to stay consistent in your brand image. Building consistency in your brand is key to building trust with your potential customers or clients.
If you have a brand that isn’t easy to replicate when new marketing materials need to be done then this is the perfect time for a rebrand. Having your brand design streamlined will not only save you time but will create a stronger brand as well.
If you are doing your rebrand yourself, create a brand board like below from mintswift.com so you can easily replicate your color and font palette easily. This is also important if you have other people on your team working on any visuals in your brand. Think of your brand board as your branding visual style guide.
9. Do you currently have enough time to go through the rebranding process?
A solid rebrand takes some true time and patience. Whether you are doing it on your own or working with a designer, you will need to allocate proper time for this. If you have a big launch coming up or your work load is extremely heavy, then I would suggest waiting until you can devote the proper attention to your rebranding process.
That said, there may never be a slow time for you. If that is the case, then make sure you schedule enough time so you can give your rebrand the attention and love it deserves. Trust me, it will be worth it in the end.
10. Does your brand image and website reflect the quality of your services or products?
Your brand is the first impression you will be giving your ideal clients or customers. It’s important to have your visuals match what is going on inside your business. If you have a high-end brand, does your branding and aesthetics match this?
If you have gone the DIY route in your branding and it doesn’t look up to par with the quality of your business then I recommend rebranding. You can either do it yourself again with proper research and inspiration or hire a designer to help you with the process.
A solid brand design is worth the time and investment. Having your rebrand reflect the quality and brilliance of your business will not only grow your business but attract the right people to it.
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