5 signs you need to rebrand your business

Your branding includes everything from your logo design and company colours to the fonts you use across your marketing materials. The idea is to paint a professional image to your customers, and accurately show the service you provide through visual communication.

Given that few of us are trained graphic designers, knowing what makes a good brand design isn’t easy. Even if you like it from a personal perspective, it may not translate that well to your audience. 

Do you lack confidence in your current brand design? Here are 5 signs you need to rebrand your business to tell you whether it’s time to switch things up. 

You’re failing to attract the right audience

The type of imagery you use has a strong correlation with the type of people it will appeal to. For example, you wouldn’t expect a children’s toy company to use a corporate colour scheme. Every aspect of the design sends a visual message, and if it isn't appealing to your audience your branding could be sending the wrong one. 

In some cases, you might not even know who your audience is, especially if you don’t pay much attention to your marketing. The demographics to consider include age, gender, interests, income, and personality type. Once you’ve analyzed your customer stats and nailed who your audience is (or who you want it to be instead) you’ll be in a much stronger place to pull off a rebrand. 

You ‘designed’ your logo on Microsoft Word

Hours of fun have been spent on the likes of Microsoft Word or better still… Microsoft Paint! But can you honestly say a few blobs and swirls is the most professional way to represent your business? If you’re not a graphic designer, you won’t fully understand the meaning behind colour, typography, and layout. 

Plus, when it comes to putting your logo into print (especially at a large scale), if the printing company doesn’t receive a PDF or EPS version of your logo it will look pixelated. Graphic designers use software such as Adobe Illustrator to create logos and will provide a range of high-quality formats to suit all usage types. This includes colour variations for print (CMYK) and screen (RGB) use too. 

Your business offering has changed

Whether you’ve taken over the business from someone else or have merged with another company, why keep your branding the same if your business is now totally different? You might even have expanded to offer more services, therefore your current name or branding design may no longer suit what it is that you do. 

Think of a rebrand as a fresh coat of paint on a wall. It’s out with the old and in with the new. If the business is long-established, you can request to keep elements of the old branding into the new design. But sometimes, it’s best to start from scratch especially if monumental changes have taken place. 

Your branding feels outdated

Ahh the 80s was quite a time, wasn’t it? Hairspray and glam rock was the order of the day. Sadly, the reality may have dawned on you that many years have passed since then, and if your logo was designed pre-millennium it probably screams it. Even if your logo was created more recently, the design might not have stood the test of time either. 

Don’t settle for dated colour combinations or font choices (especially Comic Sans!), especially when your brand image is at stake. Your logo should be something you are proud to put on your website, business cards, signage, company vehicles, etc. If it’s not then it’s time to quite literally go back to the drawing board. 

You want to get ahead of the competition

Most industries have a lot of competition whether that’s locally or online. If the branding of your industry tends to look quite similar across the board, it can be difficult to make your voice heard. From a customer’s point of view, such tactics aren’t particularly memorable either. 

New branding can follow any set brief and that includes being more striking. By ditching clichéd and rehashed design styles, you can carve out something unique instead - a design that will get you noticed and set you apart from your competitors. 

To sum up

Sometimes you just know that your branding isn’t working. It could be past its sell-by date, lack professionalism, or perhaps not fit who you are as a business anymore. If any of the above resonates or you’re simply not happy with your current branding, it’s time to consult a professional. 

Marketing agencies are best placed to help with a rebrand, as they will develop a new strategy and brand voice. Their talented graphic designers will come up with a new logo and brand guidelines, and they can even throw in a new website design too. Compared with remaining as you are, it’s far better to embrace their creative expertise especially if you want to grow rather than shrink your business going forward.