The aim of any business is to take your customers on a journey. A life experience that they will never forget and one that will always allow them to return to your business.
However, when you start a new business, the response and following you want and the results you get is totally different. Sometimes your business voice is just not being heard. If you always feel as if the noise and other businesses around are drowning you, then it might be time to rebrand your business.
Take for instance Apple. They are intentional with their brand, marketing strategies, and business culture. From the moment you decide to browse their website you are taken on a journey that leads you to the feeling of “want”. This is an excellent example of how you want your customers to feel after interacting with your brand.
Consumers are highly influenced by the aesthetics of a particular product. What they see, hear, smell, and also how that specific product makes them feel. This is a great marker to use when creating your brand identity. Your brand identity is something that is unique to your business, and that allows you to stand out from the rest.
What Does Branding Mean In Marketing?
Branding is the process of creating your business identity, and it’s all about the culture of your company. At the core of branding is knowing your target market and how you want them to perceive the message of what your business is about overall.
There are a few core areas that your company should always include, to make it unique to your brand. These areas are:
- Your company colors
- Your company’s logo
- Tagline
- Visual design
- Colors
- Font Sizes
- Style
- Company Mission
- Website
- Your company’s tonality, meaning personality
- Quotes, Phrases, or Sayings
- Personal Brand
A question you may be left to ask yourself is, how do I rebrand my business while taking into consideration the areas mentioned above? I call these the 4 R’s of rebranding; Reevaluate, Research, Reform, and Reintroduce.
Reevaluate
In reevaluating your business you have to think about the story you want to tell and how you can bring that story across effectively. Think about your original goals as to why you started your business, evaluate what has been currently happening, and set clear goals of where you would like your business to be. At the foundation, you have to assess your company’s mission, tone, phrases or sayings, and your personal brand.
Ensure that the goal you set for your business walks hand in hand with the company’s mission. For example, you can’t expect to be a world-leading online store, but your company’s mission limits the store to specific locations.
Be consistent with your brand tone. Don’t confuse your target audience by using brand items that are not within your chosen brand. If you have a more formal tone throughout your business, don’t allow your customer service team to be overly friendly. To prevent inconsistencies within your brand:
- Make sure you have a “Brand Board” created, which provides all of the core areas mentioned along with hex values for your exact colors, font styles, etc.
- Make sure all marketing incorporates your chosen brand
- Ensure that all phrases and sayings are in alignment with your brand and what you would like to put forward.
One of the simplest, but most important aspects of reevaluating your business, is ensuring that your personal brand portrays what your business brand stands for. You should be a walking embodiment of your business so that when customers see you, your business voice can also be heard.
Research
One of the best ways to gather all the information you need to make the necessary changes within your business is to do some research. The place to start is by determining the reason for your research. This should be eagerly followed by looking into your target audience and competition. Remember your customers typically determine how successful your business will become. They influence your brand voice, the products you offer, and your overall business mission that we spoke about earlier. The following strategies will help in creating the best possible market research.
- Determine the purpose of your research – Are you doing the research to create internal workflow processes to improve your business or are you deciphering external reasons like what additional products to offer or to remove?
- Look into the industry that you are a part of – Check if the current market you’re in has room for growth or if it is oversaturated. If it is oversaturated, what can you do better?
- Identify your target audience – This is one of the most important parts of your market research. Explore areas such as age, gender, location, and occupation. Finding a specific demographic will allow you to tailor your business to the needs of your customers.
- Compare your competition – What are they doing now that you can do differently to stand out? Do they have practices that inspire you to create your own variation? Comparing allows you the opportunity to be one step ahead.
- Put your findings into action – With all the information that you have gathered and analyzed, start creating further strategies that you will use in your rebranding.
After you have done your research, you will now be able to determine what you have been doing and where your efforts of rebranding will need the most work.
Revamp
Revamping your brand is the act of making large changes to your existing brand identity. Remember earlier when we spoke about the aesthetics of your brand? This is where it comes into play. Once you have determined all the changes that need to be made, you can begin looking into your company’s color, visual design, logo, and website. Will your brand be upfront and bold, requiring bright colors such as red, yellow, or orange? Or will it bring about a feeling of calm and subtleness, which would require shades such as white, beige, or pastel colors? Is your logo unique to your business or is it similar to others? Not to mention your website. Your company’s website should be clutter-free and easy to navigate. Use font style and colors that can be seen easily. A catchy tagline or slogan is always welcome. One that will ring in the minds of your customers subconsciously. These are things that will determine your brand awareness, value, and how customers feel about your business.
Reintroduce
Here is where your hard work pays off. You now get the chance to introduce your customers and the world to your improved business brand. This introduction should be consistent on your website, your physical business if you have one, and all your social media platforms. Hold campaigns, contests, and events to aid in the reintroduction. Some ways in which you can reintroduce your rebranded business are to:
- Reinforce your brand recognition by incorporating it into everything you do.
- Use your logos on promotional items, banners, and flyers
- When speaking to customers or at events, use original phrases, quotes, and information that can be trademarked or copyrighted by your company.
- Work with branding/packaging specialists who can help you properly brand your physical products.
- Work with copywriters to ensure that your brand is carried throughout your presentations, and opt-in offers
- Create contests on your social media platforms to allow customers to participate in learning more about your business
If you are not where you want to be, rebranding your business will definitely propel you to where you need to be. It is all in the fine details that resonate with your customers and give them a sense of home and security when they think of your brand.