5 Questions to Ask Yourself If You’re Considering a Rebrand

Written by Nikki Mihalik of Akula Kreative

To put it simply, branding is your reputation as a business. It’s a collection of visuals and interactions by which consumers will choose to buy from you or someone else. Your logo, color palette, typography, graphics, patterns, textures, photos, and language combine to create your UNIQUE identity.

If you’re reading this post, chances are, you already have branding. If you’re considering a RE-brand, these are the questions to ask yourself:

1. Is my branding an accurate reflection of who I am, what I sell, and what I stand for? When a customer sees your business card, website, shop, portfolio, or social media page, he or she should have no problem identifying your style, product, and purpose within 3-5 seconds.

2. Is my branding consistent, memorable, and recognizable? Consistency is KEY to successful branding. Using different colors, trendy fonts, and the latest Instagram filters might be fun, but it doesn’t help customers get to know you. Have you ever noticed that creatives with thousands of [real] social media followers have a really specific “look” to their feeds? I would wager that their success is based on 2 things: 1) they have off-the-charts talent, and 2) people count on the consistency of their content for inspiration.

3. Does my branding appeal to my ideal client/customer? Outgrowing the original target market is, in my experience, the primary reason clients need to rebrand. Our creative businesses are unique in that we can’t hire a Mini Me when we get too busy. We grow—at least initially—by taking on fewer, higher-paying clients who value our vision. Sure, you’ll have to make some upgrades to appeal to a more discerning clientele, but that’s the cost of sweet success! If you’re considering a rebrand, think hard about who your ideal customer is and what you need to do to win him/her over.

4. Is my branding flexible enough to showcase variety, yet classic enough to stand the test of time? Part of growing a creative business is about finding your voice and refining your style. By keeping your logo, color palette, and other visuals consistent, you can share the evolution and variety of your work while strengthening brand recognition. The key benefits of a simple yet memorable logo are: 1) it goes with everything and 2) it doesn’t compete with your work!

5. Technically speaking, do I have everything I need to function (and succeed) as a business? Have you ever tried to order something with your logo on it, and a vendor can’t do it because you don’t have the right kind of file? Are you currently using more than 1 version of your main logo? Do you feel completely disorganized when it comes to your branding? If the answer is yes, I recommend hiring someone to help you. I PROMISE your life will be easier and you’ll be thankful in the long run! 

Rebranding can be time-consuming and expensive, so by all means, don’t take the decision lightly. If you simply want to rebrand to be “on trend,” don’t do it. Instead, try to figure out what isn’t working with your current branding and see if you can fix it without a complete overhaul.

It all boils down to this :: does your brand do everything you need it to?

Instagram / Facebook / Pinterest / Twitter

 

comments

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *