Whether you’re a start up or a veteran, it’s a good idea to objectively examine your brand on a regular basis. Here are three questions to help you determine how well your brand is working for your business – and what to do if it’s not.
#1: Evolve or Transform?
Too often, a perfectly good visual brand is put into the recycling bin in favor of something new and different. This is a shame, as oftentimes the verbal brand messaging is what really needs to be updated. Minor visual refinements (colors, type, images, etc.) are just as important, but is that all there is to a “re-brand?” Changing for change’s sake may look good, but it often lacks substance and confuses customers.
You can choose to gradually evolve your brand visually and verbally, or prepare to transform it. To do this right, carefully plan (look at competition, listen to customers and think about the future). Don’t rush the process or settle for copycat trends, prepare to make a big splash and respectfully communicate with your customers.
#2: Relevant or Radical?
Think of the amount of re-branding you need on a scale of 1 to 10. If you’re a 7, your need is to remain relevant to your market and to stay ahead of competitors. Perhaps a simple brand refresh is all you need, which is essentially a shift from your previous 7 to a 9.
Payless 2008 re-brand | Courtesy of underconsideration.com
Payless Shoe Source recently re-branded and made a radical brand shift from a 2 to a 9. It was 25 years overdue, but its branding efforts proved fruitful: Payless Shoe Source looks and feels new again.
#3: Is it Meaningful?
The ultimate goal of re-branding is to better connect with your market; understand what your company or product means to your customer. Your reason for being is more than just your position statement or tagline. Your brand will always say something no matter what you do so strive to make it meaningful. If you don’t, your brand/message will simply be filtered out by your customer’s overly crowded mind.
It comes down to this final assessment: if business is good, your brand respects you. If business could be better, your brand needs more respect.
Eben
Lisa
