Is it time to update your brand? As your business changes over time, it’s necessary to revise and update your strategy. Your brand is no different, and it might need a “refresh”, or sometimes a complete overhaul, to ensure that your brand identity it is still in alignment with your goals and purpose.
Now, I don’t suggest changing your brand too often, as it will be hard to gain brand awareness and connection with your audience if you keep changing your look. So how do you know when it’s time to make updates? Read on for common signs that you may need to update your brand.
Your Customer or Offer Changed
A common reason your brand might need a reboot is if your customer and/or offer has changed significantly. This happens over time as business strategies and the market shift, and it’s important to ensure that your branding is still speaking to your ideal clients. A more modern font or lightening of your color palette might be all it takes to speak to your new demographic.
If your customer has changed – make sure to go through the process of developing ideal client personas before you update your branding. It’s important to really get to know your clients before you market to them, and to ensure that the audience you are targeting aligns with your offering. This paves the way for updating the visual components of your brand to target your new customers.
Your Logo is Outdated
Has your business been around for a long time? Just like fashions come and go (and come back again!), design techniques change over time. Certain trends in logo design like bubbly text or italicized fonts may have looked amazing in their hay day, but they aren’t up to today’s standards!
It’s important to make sure your logo reflects the company as it stands today. I always suggest working with a professional designer if you are going to do a complete overhaul of your logo. It is the key visual element of your brand, and so it’s critical to get it right. A designer can also help you incorporate aspects of your previous logo into the new one so that your brand stays recognizable.
Your Company is Expanding
A lot of entrepreneurs start out with minimal capital for things like offices, branding, and websites. Maybe you designed your initial logo yourself and it worked just fine for a few years, but now that your company is growing and evolving, it doesn’t give off an air of professionalism. It’s time to bring in the professionals.
I love helping small businesses at this stage in their growth. After you have been in business for a year or two, you tend to have a much better idea of what your company stands for, who your clients are, and what you need your visual branding to convey. This can be the perfect time to revise your logo, font, and color palette to best reflect the heart and soul of your business.
If you do update your branding, whether it’s a simple refresh or a brand new look, make sure to translate these changes across all of your digital and print mediums. This ensures your customer have a seamless experience every time they interact with you and your brand, leading to greater brand recognition and loyalty. Who doesn’t want that!
