Rebrand vs. Refresh

So you’ve been pondering on ways in which you can spice up your business. The thought of a rebrand has crossed your mind but you’re unsure about whether a rebrand from the ground up is right for your business.

A full rebrand is a huge commitment and significant investment, both financially and in terms of resources. It’s not just a change of logo. There are plenty of benefits to doing a full rebrand and many companies such as Burberry, Stella Artois and Apple have done so successfully.

Rebranding also carries risk and doesn’t always pay off. Gap is an iconic case of a ‘rebrand gone wrong’, having to revert back to their previous well-known and loved logo within a week. Whilst a rebrand is appealing it might be unnecessary – it was for Gap. Is there an actual problem with your current brand? Because if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it. However, there is another option to ‘going under the knife’ that is a rebrand – a brand refresh.

Yogimums - Brand Photography by Visuable

Brand Refresh

A brand refresh is made up of more smaller, incremental improvements and is much more feasible. Think of a brand refresh as a makeover for your business – it’s still your business but with a new hairstyle and a fresh outfit. Sometimes it pays to stick to your roots and what your customers know and love, rather than taking a nosedive into the unknown with the potential to backfire.

Before embarking on the brand restyling journey there are a few things that are helpful to consider:

Where is your brand now?

It’s vital to pinpoint where your brand is now to ascertain the direction your brand should be going. Here are some key questions to consider:

• What does your brand currently say about you and your business?
• Is the story (message and image) that you’re telling your customers confusing or out-dated?
• Has your company progressed while your brand has been left behind?
• What is it both you and your customers like about your brand essence that would be beneficial to retain?
• How do you want your customers to feel about your brand?

These are just a snippet of the types of questions I ask my clients in our initial consultation. If this is something you are having trouble answering then lets chat.

Calculate your restyle budget

To what extent do you want to refresh your brand? How deep into this brand do you want to go? Does your brand need more than just an updated slogan? Some companies can charge you a fortune for a brand refresh, but your business is your baby and you have every right to be picky about who will look after you on this journey to take your company in the best direction.

Visuable offers a free no-obligation consultation to chat through your concerns and to enable you to get a feel for what it is we do and how we work, which are vital things to consider before jumping into a business relationship. (*Back-hand whisper*) And without blowing our own trumpet, we like to think we are fairly priced too (*wink emoji*).

Easiest ways to refresh your brand 

Refresh your story

Here you need to take a hard look at the story of your brand. Storytelling sounds like a warm fireside chat but storytelling is a key marketing tool, which helps your customers connect and resonate with your business. The story can be the history of your brand and be a journey of how your business got to where it is today. Telling your brand story can be done in a few ways: through your website on the ‘About us’ page and also through your website imagery.

The story of your brand also helps shape your brand personality. If you’re unsure about what brand personality is, why you need it and how to showcase it then take a look here.

Relax Me Happy - Brand Photography by Visuable 

Update to a modern website

Does your website still consist of out-dated graphics and pixelated imagery? In a saturated and competitive marketplace, your business needs to rise above the noise and there are no longer any excuses for an unorganised website and bad photography. Your website will indicate to your customers what it’s like to work with you – if your website is difficult to navigate and uneasy on the eyes, then your customers are less likely to do business with you.

All parents tell their kids to never judge a book by its cover, but we are all still guilty of doing so from time to time. So many people judge businesses based on their website – I’ll raise my hand and say I am guilty of doing this and am sometimes not proud of myself for doing so. Make sure the front page of your book, sorry I mean your website, truly represents what your business is about to your customers.

Updating your website isn’t hard – Visuable works to map out a tailored customer journey for your business and uses a fresh set of eyes to cut out any unnecessary clutter you or your customers don’t need, resulting in a clean, easy to navigate online home for your business.

Actually yes, my website could do with a refresh -  Visuable Website Package

Website Design by Visuable

Invest in brand photography

Is your business using any of the following: pixelated imagery, clunky old graphics like they were done on paint, images shamelessly ‘borrowed’ from Google, or stock photography? A great way to refresh your brand is to get some professional, high-quality photography specifically carried out for your business. Stop ‘borrowing’ images from elsewhere and have your own unique photographs taken. If you want people to see your business as unique and taking that step up to the next level then the imagery representing your brand needs to be exceptional. Your business isn’t one that borrows from others but paves the way and leads the charge in its own distinctive way.

Read the rest of my previous blog on how personable brand photography on your website can benefit your business. 

Hmm, I could do with some updated imagery for my business -  Visuable Brand Photography

Brand Photography by Visuable 

Final words

A brand restyle is an evolutionary journey for your business. During your brand refresh, it is key to retain the essence of your brand and ensure your makeover still closely resonates with your customers.

Brand photography, website design and storytelling are Visuable’s bread and butter. If you think your business is due for a brand refresh then please get in touch or leave a comment below.

Blog originally posted on: WWW.VISUABLE.CO.UK