Branding can feel like a daunting task. It’s another thing you need to take care of as a business owner. But how do you know when it’s time to rebrand? Having a great brand can make your business money, and conversely, a bad brand will lose you money. Getting your brand developed by a professional graphic designer will reduce your stress and ensure that you have a high-quality brand identity. 

There are many reasons that you might feel that it’s time to restart the brand development process. Here are the five most common reasons our clients come to us to help them build their brand. 

 

You saw someone with a similar logo

If you see another business with a logo similar to yours, it’s time to take a step back. Maybe this is an instance of copyright infringement, in which case it might be time to talk to a trademark agent, or it could be because your logo doesn’t stand out.

Take a moment to Google logos from your industry — are there a lot of similarities? If so, your logo is a design cliché. 

A great example is a house logo for a REALTOR®, renovator, roofer or mortgage broker. There are lots of REALTORS®, renovators, roofers and mortgage brokers with houses as their logo. 

This is a huge problem if you fall into this category. Step into your target audience’s shoes. How do the customers tell you apart? What message are you sending them?

50% of businesses are confused for their competitors. Having a cliched logo tells potential customers that you’re just like everyone else in your industry. By creating a strong brand you differentiate yourself from your competitors. Remember, Apple isn’t a computer and MacDonald’s isn’t a burger. 

 

Your target market has changed

It can take some time to figure out who your dream client is, especially if you’re in a service-based industry. It’s easy to think that anyone who needs a massage is a great client for a massage therapist, but after a couple of years in your business, you’ll realize that this isn’t the case. 

If you can now define your target market and have a clear idea of who your favourites clients are, it’s a great opportunity to update your brand to cater to them. 

 

Target market demographics

There are a few factors to think about when you are defining your target market. These are important to stay on top of in case there are any changes.

Location, location, location, right? Where your business is located is hugely defining for your brand positioning. Are your customers urban or rural? What language do they speak?

 How do they access your product or service? If you are expanding into new areas this is a great opportunity to review branding.

Age is also a demographic to keep in mind. Knowing how old the people you serve are will help you make content marketing decisions, define your brand messaging and more. 

 

There are two ways businesses tackle age:

Growing up with your customer

Two brands have done this particularly well, though I probably am a bit nostalgic as well. McDonald’s and Bill Nye the Science Guy have both decided to target Millennials. 

When I was a kid they would wheel in that TV for science class and we would sit back and enjoy Bill Nye. Now that we’re older, his new show Bill Nye Saves the World is every millennial’s dream. He has always targeted millennials. As we’ve grown up his language has matured (Bill Nye swears!), he’s gotten more politically involved and he presents science in a way that’s meant for adults. 

McDonald’s has done the same thing as Bill Nye. Two decades ago every McDonald’s had a play place, LEGO tables, and hamburger seats. There was a whole cast of characters like Grimace and the Hamburglar. 

Now? McDonald’s looks like a casual dining restaurant with a full menu of salads and coffees. While play places still exist, it’s not every location and Ronald McDonald? He hasn’t made an appearance since 2016. 

 

 

Pick an age group and stick with it

Conversely, businesses will pick an age range and stick with it. Barbie has not grown up with me. I have one collector Barbie in my basement and that’s it. 

Barbie is popular with girls ages 5-10 (even 10 is pushing it now with the advent of the internet). The Barbie brand updates to stay relevant to this age group.

You can now buy Barbies with coloured hair, and Barbies with all types of skin tones. Her fashion sense is far less neon than it was when I was a kid in the 90s, and her careers are more diverse, which keeps her relevant to a new generation of kids. 

 

You’re still using the same logo from your start-up days that your cousin’s friend’s sister made.

We understand branding can be expensive and overwhelming. There are tons of things start-ups have to deal with and there actually might not be time or budget for branding. If you’re anticipating a big launch or just need to get a logo on a business card to hand out at your first networking event, quick and cheap options look super appealing. 

But once things have settled down and you’ve hit your stride with your business take time to revisit and put the same dedication into your branding that you did to build your company. If you’re three to five years into business this is a really good time to revisit, even if you don’t make any changes. 

A brand audit can be a great option as well to make sure your brand strategy is on track. It can also help you identify any gaps that exist in your brand or opportunities to grow your marketing strategy. 

 

You don’t seem to have any of the files you need

Have you been asked for a vector of your logo recently and had no idea where to find it? Or what on earth a vector file even is? Have you gone to reprint business cards only to discover that you can’t find the file? 

If this sounds like your business, it might be time for a rebrand. You will be paying a designer to reconstruct your existing files anyway and if you’re struggling with your files you might not have had the best branding experience, to begin with. 

When you get a professional brand created, you should leave with all of your logo files, your branding guidelines and a clear direction on how to build your brand. 

Consult with your designer and perhaps your existing files just need a tweak while they are being rebuilt, or perhaps you will discover an opportunity to build your brand. 

 

You think your logo is your brand

If you think that you don’t need to rebrand because you have a logo, I have news for you. Your logo does not equal your brand. Your brand identity is so much more than just your logo. 

It includes every impression you make on your clients this means that your brand encompasses:

• Logo
• Brand messaging & tagline
• Print design
• Business card, letterhead, stationery
• Social media
• Television & radio ads
• Customer service, policies and procedures
• And more

A strong brand development strategy will consider these different pieces, even if you’re not ready to pull the trigger on them. When you are ready, there will be a clear direction on the branding choices you should make. 

 

Time to rebrand?

Have you realized it’s time to rebrand? Are you still on the fence? Book in for a no-obligation consultation call and we can chat about what makes sense for your next action items.