Once you’ve got your business up and running, you’re in a flow and seeing success, the question often arises: Do I need a new brand or to refresh my current brand?
In some cases it’s clear – maybe you’ve added new products, identified a different market you’d like to reach, or significantly changed your offerings and pricing.
In other cases it may not be so clear. Your first brand served you well. You’ve found your niche, your market is responsive, your sales are good – and yet, something just doesn’t feel right. Your brand is OK, but you have a niggling sense that it doesn’t represent what your business has become.
Here are a few questions to ask if you’re wondering if it’s time to rebrand:
- Do you feel like you need to excuse your website or logo when presenting yourself to new clients? Mention that you created it a while ago?
- Has your basic message changed in any way?
- Do you want to attract higher-level clients and charge more for your product/service but aren’t sure how to begin?
- Are you attracting a different clientele than your original audience, and you want to market more directly to them?
- Do you have this feeling that your logo/website/messaging is old and tired? It doesn’t inspire you any more?
- Do you feel your business growth is being limited in any way by your visual and verbal message?
If you’ve answered yes to one or more of these questions, it might be time to consider a rebrand or brand refreshment.
It’s important to remember that your brand is your voice in the market place. It’s the first thing people see. It says who you are in a glimpse, and it’s the basis for all your marketing.
My advice to small business owners is: don’t put aside updating your brand, making it sure it’s fresh, current, and a true representation of you. Your success depends on you standing out in the marketplace.