7 Things That Signal It’s Time to Rebrand Your Business

This article was contributed by our friends at Forbes.

Rebranding your business is a natural part of the life cycle of any company. Even the most successful businesses will have to rebrand at some point, but it’s not an easy choice to make. You need to know when the time is right, and many business owners miss the warning signs until it’s too late. So let’s take a look at some of the most common signs that it’s time to rebrand your business.

Your brand is out of date.

A sign that you should consider rebranding your business is when you notice that your brand is outdated. “Outdated” in this sense can mean two things: You visually need a refresh to stay on trend, or you’re not staying up to date with customer preferences.

Your logo and other aesthetic elements of your brand may feel stale as styles change. Customers buy with their gut, and they will judge a book by its cover. So if they feel that your designs are outdated, you’re less likely to be within their field of vision.

The visual representation of your business also includes how your brand stands out at the store level compared to other products.

Additionally, when customer preferences change, this can also make your brand look and feel outdated. Get feedback from your customers to tap into their current wants and needs to ensure you’re still hitting their preferences.

Your target audience isn’t specific enough.

If your target audience doesn’t know why they need your brand or what you offer, or if you’ve cast your demographic net too wide, you need to consider rebranding your business.

Being too inclusive sets you up to fail. Niche down and market toward a clearly defined audience. If you need to shift focus toward an entirely new demographic, it’s best to overhaul your brand. Just ensure that it’s clear to this new demographic why they need your product or service.

Once you’ve finished revamping your rebranding strategy, relaunch toward that specific demographic. Remember that demographics are in a constant state of flux; stay flexible and revisit your message, touchpoints, and products when you see the market changing.

Your company is experiencing an acquisition or merger.

Rebranding your business will almost always happen when a company has experienced an acquisition or merger. These changes always have a significant impact on your brand. Unfortunately, many companies make the mistake of not looking at how the entity will fit into the existing brand’s structure. Some things that businesses should focus on include:

• Will the audience stay the same or will it change?
• What products or services, if any, will change or need updating?
• What changes, if any, are there to the geographic footprint?
• Will the name need to change?
• Will you need a more significant identity to incorporate your new products, services, or market?

When rebranding after a merger or acquisition, always keep your target audience in mind.

Your business isn’t unique.

Another sign that it’s time to consider rebranding your business is when your customers can’t tell the difference between your brand and the competition.

Communicating what differentiates you from the competition is key to growth and success. Rebranding your business can help you define and market your differences to give you a competitive advantage. This way, your audience knows what sets you apart and why they should care about your product.

However, when rebranding, focus on having a solid brand identity. Having a brand that customers know and trust with their business will always give you an advantage. You need to know how to talk to your target audience and communicate with a strong brand voice why they should trust you.

Your business model or service mix has changed.

Whether it’s a new product or service or you’re changing your business model or strategy, you’ll most likely have to rebrand.

First, make sure you understand why you need to rebrand. For example, know what your values are, what you want to achieve, and how you will achieve those goals. Next, know the ins and outs of your brand like the back of your hand. In the end, you should have a solid brand structure that seamlessly blends together the company’s vision, value proposition, and purpose.

Your target audience needs to know what you have to offer and what your products and services bring to the table that the competition cannot.

Your target audience doesn’t recognize your value proposition.

Your value proposition is the promise you make to your target audience to deliver quality products and services. If your customers don’t know what value you bring to the table, then something isn’t aligning between your brand and your business. If your deliverables and brand message aren’t in sync, they aren’t going to buy from you. Not having an audience means you essentially don’t have a brand.

Rebranding your business can help you realign. Clearly define your market position and make sure the tone you convey matches the customers you’re marketing toward so that you don’t attract the wrong audience.

Your brand image is wrong or negative.

Another sign you should consider rebranding your business is if you know your target audience has an incorrect or negative perception of your brand.

Sometimes your brand image will shift due to circumstances beyond your control. Whether it’s a scandal, changes in society’s views, poor marketing, or just a bad business decision, if it doesn’t align with your values, rebranding your business can help correct the problem.

Additionally, conduct an audit of your brand’s touchpoints to get a clear picture of the root cause of the negative perception and make changes accordingly.

Stay conscious of your brand moving forward.

Now that you’ve considered these factors that signal it’s time to rebrand your business, remember to keep them in mind and stay conscious of your brand moving forward. Rebranding can be difficult for your business, but it’s crucial if the situation calls for it and it will happen naturally over time.

Dmitrii Kustov is the Internet Marketing Director and Founder of Regex SEO located in Houston. This article was written by Dmitrii Kustov from Forbes and was legally licensed through the Industry Dive Content Marketplace. Please direct all licensing questions to legal@industrydive.com.