Tips On Rebranding A Small Business
There's a whole list of reasons why a small business may want to rebrand, but some of the more common reasons are:
- Your brand needs an up-to-date makeover
- You have a new service offering
- You have outgrown your current branding
Rebranding a business is a big step, and can come with its challenges. When you're rebranding you have to think of a number of things: tone of voice, colour scheme, fonts, messaging, website, photography, Instagram grid... It's not easy to keep up and make sure all the changes are done on time, in order, and rolled out across all your platforms and materials.
As a small business, I'm guessing you don't have access to millions of pounds which you can invest in your marketing and communications strategy, right? But that certainly does not mean you can't make an impact on your brand and take it to the next level with a facelift!
Here are a few things you should consider when rebranding a small business:
Ask for feedback and hype it up!
Involved your current audience and customers in the process of the rebrand - let them feel like they're involved in your brand. Ask questions, allow them to share their opinions, and be decision makers in the process. You can be as open or as secretive as you want in the process!
Social media platforms now allow polls which is a great way to get your audience involved in the rebrand process. Remember your task is to keep your customers happy and coming back for more - you may find their opinions are even more valuable than you thought.
Keep your changes to a minimum.
Unless you have a whole new product or service offering and want to reach a different demographic of clients, I would advise keeping your changes minimal. Small and smooth adjustments allow your brand to be recognised by it's loyal following, as well as attract new customers. Try to keep original elements of the brand but give them an updated feel. If possible, keep the same name for a number or reasons: heritage, domain, SEO, social handles... You don't want to be starting from the beginning.
Research your competitors.
It's important to have a look at what your competitors are doing before you make any decisions on your rebrand. The last thing you need is to end up with a similar colour palette or mascot than your closest competitor! If you're changing your name, research that this name has not been taken not only via domains, but also on social media handles. Bear in mind you'll want to use the same social media username across all platforms so you are easily found.
Shout about your rebrand!
You need to think about your PR strategy when it comes to rebranding - this can be the perfect opportunity to get your name out there. Host an event, let the local press know about the rebrand, get bloggers involved, and remember to set up a hashtag for social media so your audience can post about you.
Whether you are simply updating your logo, adding a new service offer, or completely changing your branding, make sure people know about it. This is a great opportunity for marketing in the local area!
If you want to rebrand, but don't know where to start or would like some help, I would be delighted to talk to you about your business rebrand - send me an email on lana.suhova@hotmail.com and I will be in touch!
