Building your business’ brand isn’t easy. From the moment you begin thinking about starting your business, you have to consider how you want it to be perceived, who your target audience will be, and how you reach them. Your brand is representative of your products and services. Consumers should be able to learn everything they need to know by your logo, slogan, and social media interaction. Once people have the opportunity to try your products or services, your reputation will begin to be established. The same word-of-mouth helps to build your brand.
Loyal customers will be happy to spread the word about your company. However, even if everything is going well, you may determine that your brand doesn’t mesh with your services or your company culture. If this happens, you might be tempted to leave things just as they are instead of messing with success. But, this inconsistency will continue to bother you and eventually your customers will notice that something’s not right as well.
So how can you change your company’s brand without changing its identity? Here are some tips that will help you feel more comfortable with your brand:
Obtain truthful feedback
You’ll need to find people that you can trust to tell you the entire truth. As much is you don’t want to, you need to include your critics in this list. Critics are always looking for a reason to tell you what they think. You’ll need people who aren’t afraid to tell the truth, even if they think it may hurt you. Your closest friends and business associates may not want to hurt you and can sugarcoat anything you ask them.
Determine the most visible aspects of your company, and start tearing them down. Discuss how the colors represent the services you offer. Determine if your logo is too edgy for your conservative business or too tame for your wild and crazy business. The same applies to your slogan. Since these are the first things your customers will see, you need to provide accurate representations of what you’re all about.
Don’t stop with just your colors and your logo. Your customer service policies, the tone of your website, the message you send on social platforms, your stores environment, and your staff are all representations of your brand. If you’re not certain what the many aspects of your current brand are, you can access a brand strategy will that will help you identify the many parts through branding firm, RiechesBaird.
Once you’ve determined the issues with your branding strategy, come up with solutions that will allow you to keep the majority of your previous decisions. For example, you could change the colors of your logo without requiring a full re-design project on it. You might be able to word your slogan in an edgier way without changing the message entirely. To prevent from confusing your customers, you will need to be recognizable even after you’ve made the switch.
Keep it confidential
While you’re working on any changes, make sure that you keep it very confidential. Don’t create confusion for your customers, by making changes publicly.
Promote your new brand
You and your team should come up with a comprehensive plan for unveiling your new brand. Remember that your new image is so much more than your colors and website design. The words that you choose when presenting your new image need to coincide with your brand as well. You can promote the unveiling of your new brand through your web copy, press releases, social media, and blogs. If you don’t keep your message consistent with your business brand, then all the changes you’ve gone through will be a waste of time.
Make sure that your logo and slogan, your website design, and your social media strategy are all ready prior to unveiling the new brand. Confirm that everything is in line, double check the plans, and do a trial run of the presentation, then repeat everything again. It’s essential that your transition from one face to a new one is as seamless as possible. Once you’re certain that you have it right, it’s time to launch.
Be prepared for damage control
Regardless of how well you plan, a lot of your customers could still be alarmed by your changes. Be prepared to reassure your most loyal customers that you’re not going anywhere. The rumors that will spread could include speculation about management changes, mergers with other companies, or even last-ditch efforts to save the business. As long as you have an excellent damage control plan in place, you will glide smoothly over the bumps into your new, improved, and successful brand image.
Contact Us for More Information – Like Us on Facebook – Follow Us on Twitter – Join our LinkedIn Group – Connect on Google +
