In our last blog post, we discussed the five essential steps companies should take when considering a rebranding. As promised, here are the five top mistakes to avoid when overhauling your brand.
Whether your rebranding is a result of a new acquisition or product to highlight, a misstep to correct, or is simply an image makeover to appeal to a new or changing customer base, there are many factors to consider. Your company size, resources, marketing assets, brand history, and audience will all impact how easy or challenging the process becomes.
Be on the lookout for these common errors and pitfalls so that you give your company and your new brand the best chance of success.
- Don’t Think a Simple Logo Facelift Will Do The Trick
It’s common for companies to think that rebranding simply involves rewriting the mission statement, changing the logo and fonts, and calling it a day. While a design facelift is likely an important part of your rebranding strategy, successful rebranding involves pursuing a new strategy or goal, and it will extend to every corner of the business. It’s the difference between repainting the trim on the ship and actually turning the vessel around. Use your rebranding process as an opportunity to re-evaluate your company processes, goals and long-term direction.
- Don’t Let Rebranding Become “Just Marketing’s Thing”
While the marketing team will be doing much of the forward work on rebranding, and will likely be partnering with and executing the visions of upper management, it does nobody any favors to silo the rebranding effort to one particular department. Executive leadership should be making sure that departments aren’t working at cross purposes by involving the entire company in the rebranding process. - Don’t Forget To Talk To Employees
Your employees may have some valuable insight into your company’s brand image and internal processes, so make sure you are bringing them into the decision making process and gathering their opinions and feedback. Understanding the culture and goals in your workplace is important to any rebranding, because problems in the office tend to bubble outward over time. The behavior and opinions of employees can be hard to change: a successful rebranding starts internally, using feedback from employees and executives to guide the most compelling narrative and strategies. If you can sell people inside, it’s easier to sell people on the outside. - Don’t Under-Communicate
Presenting a brand strategy once or twice is not enough for the strategy to stick. This applies to both internal and external communications. To successfully launch a new brand image, you will need tested methods for gaining the buy-in of your employees, your customer base, and your target audience. This will involve consistent, concerted marketing efforts and a strong belief in your new brand. - Don’t Hire A Design Agency And Call It A Day
There are plenty of designers who can craft a nice logo or a catchy tagline, but that’s not the same as having experience in brand strategy or business. Make sure your rebranding isn’t rushed and only skin deep. For a successful and sustainable rebranding, you should be partnering with a digital marketing agency that understands your company holistically and can make recommendations that incorporate your long-term business goals into your rebranding process.
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