7 Signs That Tell You Why Your Business Needs A New Branding

Branding is much more than a simple logo design or a change of color palette. It is the overall impression and feeling that people perceive about you, both in the online and real world. However, it can be quite difficult to assess if your business is in need of a rebrand. Too often we get confused and lost in the hustle and bustle of a typical workday. And even when you do see them, the decision to actually start on a rebranding initiative is not an easy task.

Rebranding should never be taken lightly. It’s costly, time-consuming, and most importantly, a rebrand can confuse your current audience or even worse, you might lose them completely. Whether your growing business needs to expand or has become tragically outdated, every brand will have to redefine itself at some point. So, how will you know if it’s finally time to pick up the phone and call a branding agency?

#1 Your brand name no longer follows your brand vision

It can happen. What seemed like a great brand name years ago can somehow no longer represent what your brand is about today. Sometimes those changes in the cultural context can alter the meaning of a brand name, and sometimes the name just outgrows itself. Whatever the reason is, you shouldn’t let your brand stick to the old. You could be in need of a rebrand immediately just because your old image is entirely untrendy.

All design trends change quickly, and in the span of a decade or two, the colors, fonts, and shapes that seemed cool at that time could be laughed at in the modern era. In these cases, the overall brand can remain intact. However, you merely have to update the surface-level features like reshaping your logo, updating your brand voice and tweaking your brand to fit in with the modern tastes.

#2 Your brand has become overly complicated

Is your messaging and design a bit lost or confusing? Has your business become too complicated with no unifying brand story? If your messaging strategy is making you lose your audience, it may be time to take a step back to simplify and focus on what your brand is all about.

When it comes to branding, it’s hard to decide on things you should be utilizing. However, your brand is a vital part of your company, so a rebrand is the best way to remedy this problem. When you’re thinking about all the changes you’d like to execute, then design your brand to be a company that you would like to see grow.

#3 You forget to differentiate yourself from other competitors

In the end, branding is all about how you differ from the competition. If you feel like your brand is not finding that difference, why not change it up a little? Capitalizing and focusing on your unique value propositions can make your brand more visible to consumers searching for possible unique solutions. In some cases, rebranding could also be a defensive mechanism to protect your business against a new competitor.

If a new company appears on the market that’s somehow similar to yours, then consumers might get confused as to which company to buy from. You can step back by differentiating your brand with a new, more appealing standard. Alternatively, you can also learn from some of the qualities that made the new company entirely successful than yours.

#4 Your business mission or strategy has changed

Sometimes the strategic objectives that a company has built for years are not going to be the same five years from now. Whether it’s the changes in technology or great marketing opportunities, business models will change. And when your business changes, so must your brand. The way consumers perceive your company should always align with the way it operates behind the scenes.

Your mission and values should also dictate on how your brand will develop. If they change, your brand should also follow. If your company decides to start implementing a more consumer-based strategy and maximizing its impact on the market, you can go for a sleeker logo and a more rational voice. Whatever it takes to make your brand a reflection of your company, just do it.

#5 You’re trying to connect with a new audience

There is always another generation making its way to those who are spending a lot of money in the current marketplace. If you decide that your company is going to target a new set of demographics, then your brand will have to develop along those lines as well. An effective brand is one that’s designed specifically for one target audience.

This is what makes a brand relevant and compelling. A brand that appeals to middle-aged men might not appeal to teenage boys. You’ll need to come up with a strong image to stay alive. A rebrand will definitely allow you to redefine your business again while reaching new target audiences. A good business strategy is staying on top of demographic shifts from time to time. The last thing a demographic wants, after all, is to associate itself with the brand that can’t connect with the new millennials.

#6 You’re not attracting top talent

People who are the best talents want to work at the best brands they could think of. It’s as simple as that. If you’re having some trouble recruiting employees that are essential for the growth and advancement of your business, it might be because your brand is linked to the same old industry standards.

A rebrand allows you to redefine your business, not just only for your customers, but for your current and future employees as well. Figuring these things out for yourself, and making them clear to your prospective employees will make things a lot easier. Think on how far you want to take your rebrand ahead of time so that things won’t get complicated in the future.