Should you rebrand? It’s hard to know whether to rebrand or not unless you live and breathe branding every day. It’s also difficult to know if you WANT a rebrand because you have Shiny Object Syndrome (those who get easily distracted and off-course by new, shiny or exciting things), or if you actually NEED a rebrand because yours, well.. kind of sucks.
Before we dive in to the ins and outs of how you know it’s time for a rebrand, let’s first take a proper look at what a rebrand is. The terms “brand” “branding” and “rebrand” are thrown around like confetti these days.. and are not always used in the contexts that they’re supposed to be.
Brand Strategy is when you take a step back and take a strategic look at who you are, what you value and how you are positioned in the marketplace.
A Rebrand, then, is when you take the step back and take a strategic look at who you are, what you value, and how you’re positioned and then adjust what you’re currently doing, to align your brand with your desired position.So how do you know if it’s time to rebrand? What are the signs to look out for?
You’re not attracting amazing clients.
In fact, you’re attracting clients who don’t pay their bills and who treat you like a door mat.
You’re not proud of your business.
You’d rather hide your business cards under a rock than hand them out at the next conference you attend.
You struggle to articulate your core message(s).
You just don’t know how to explain why people should buy from you, or why they should care.
The words Elevator Pitch give you heart palpitations and make your palms sweaty.
“What is it that you do?” is the exact reason why you avoid networking and business functions. You stumble over your words and really wish people wouldn’t talk ask you about your business.
Your website is hideous and you would prefer to switch it off.
You don’t feel as if your website fits who you are and where you’re headed.
You feel so anxious and vulnerable when it comes to what you have created.
You tend to blow even the tinies pieces of criticism about your work or your business out of proportion.
The stuff you’re creating is ugly.
Let’s face it – you may not think so, but your dream clients might do! You need to work at creating work that attracts them, not just something that you like.
You’re not creating stuff you LOVE.
It has been a L-O-N-G time since you felt motivated and excited about your business and the work that you’re putting out there.
Your clients could take you or leave you.
If you have apathetic clients, who are not passionate about your brand, this can indicate a larger branding issue. You want what I call “lovers” not just numbers! Clients and fans who are in love with what you do and how you do it, and can’t seem to get enough.
You don’t feel like your brand aligns with your heart & soul
Something just does not feel right. You know something is off but can struggle to put your finger on it. Your whole business may not feel like it “fits” you and your values. Your brand needs to feel like it fits, and more importantly than that – it needs to feel like an authentically you.
Your Brand Envy is out of control.
Your competitors website is basically on Speed-Google, you can look that lass up in 2 seconds flat to see what she’s up to. You know this isn’t helpful to you, but you also don’t know how to stop it because you’re in a self-sabotage loop.
If you’re ready to rebrand, and want to get it RIGHT this time, let’s chat! It is a powerful vehicle for change and up-levelling for you both personally and professionally.