As a business owner it’s important to strategically invest your time, energy, and money into your business. After you’ve invested a lot of time and resources into creating your brand, it’s equally important to evaluate and pivot as things change and grow. There may be a shift in your audience, business model, products, etc. - when that happens it’s always a good idea to take a step back and evaluate to see if your brand may need a refresh or an entire rebrand. Rebranding and a brand refresh are both business strategies that can elevate your brand, allow you to raise your prices, and reach the dream clients you are seeking more effectively.
There’s a difference between completely changing your brand and visual identity versus updating colors and fonts. If you feel like your branding could use an update, but also feel like it’s working for you and your audience, you probably only need a refresh. Refreshes are a great way to stay current and keep up with competitors in the same field. While your business is unique and embodies its own brand, it’s important to be aware of the changes and trending strategies in your content area.
A refresh is a way to stay current and fresh within the changes in your industry and helps you keep your competitive edge. It will communicate to your audience that you are modern and relevant. People want to do business with companies who are current and with the times. A typical refresh addresses color, typography, styles, and possibly even tone of voice. It is usually more cost effective and faster than a full rebrand, but can still be very useful. While a refresh often consists of simple changes, it can produce dramatic results.
A brand refresh is surface level and cosmetic - think about getting a makeover with new clothes, makeup, hair, but still the same bone structure underneath! The feel and vibe may be different but the base structure and foundation is still the same. Remember that your brand is more than just your logo, so take a look at the structure and stability of your business before you embark on a refresh.
Refresh
Look at this example of a refresh. Our client started working with more and more of her dream audience, taking gorgeous images of couples eloping on mountain tops. The coloring she had in her original logo we designed for her was clashing a bit with the forest greens and rich browns in her images so we updated them for her and used a more simple font that she had already been using on her website. The result? A new fresh look that better fit with her aesthetic and client needs.
As your brand continues to be refined and grow, a simple refresh may not do the trick, and you may need to look into a full rebrand. A rebrand is like plastic surgery on your brand; it changes the structure. Your brand is basically a customer’s perception of you: a rebrand seeks to influence and change that perception.
As you go through the rebranding process, it is important to make sure it meets the needs of your target audience (either current or new) and cohesively fits with your mission. Part of the rebranding process can look like tearing down what you have to build it back up. This may mean reevaluating your why and establishing a new brand identity.
Rebrand
This logo represents the rebranding of the same company from above a few years later. As she grew and expanded her business, it was time to completely overhaul and rebrand her logos, materials, and website to keep in line with her business growth and appeal to her dream clients.
It can be difficult to know if you should refresh your brand or opt for a full rebrand. Check out these tips to decide what option may be better for you.
REFRESH YOUR BRAND IF:
+ Your dream audience is the same, but some time has passed and aesthetic tastes have changed.
+ You still love the meaning behind marks or wording in your logo but want an update.
CONSIDER A REBRAND IF:
+ You’ve refined who you want to work with and need branding that resonates with them.
+ Your specialties or niche has changed.
+ Your colors or typography are outdated beyond a couple of years.
+ Your current branding feels too common or unprofessional.
+ The marks or wording in your logo are no longer representative of your goals and the identity of your business.
Three questions to ask yourself when determining your next steps:
1. Are you currently connecting with and converting your dream clients?
2. Does your current branding feel boring, outdated, too common, or unprofessional?
3. Does your logo or website represent what you currently do or what you would ultimately like to focus on?
If you yes, it’s time to rebrand! If “kind of” or “unsure,” you likely need a refresh.
Remember that change is inevitable. At some point your brand will need to change in order to grow. The extent to how much your brand needs to change depends on your goals. A simple refresh can help improve, update, and build on what your current identity, while a rebrand will change everything and completely transform it.
What about your brand? Is your brand current and accurately representing your industry and ideal clients? Are you feeling stuck, lost, or stagnant in your business? Has your ideal client or needs changed? Don’t overlook a refresh or rebranding as a way to ignite a growth path for your business. If you need help figuring out how to tackle your branding, schedule a complimentary 20 minute chat with us! We’d love talk brand strategy and see how we can help you flourish and grow!