5 steps to a successful rebrand
A brand is the calling card of a company. It is how people recognise you, the way that they associate your products with you, and a way to assure them of the quality of what they are purchasing in many cases.
Of course, there are issues with rebranding that you must be wary of before attempting it. You do not want to lose the reputation, customers and prestige that you have built up around your original brand overnight.
There are a number of essential steps that you need to take in order to ensure success. Going from one brand to another can be difficult, but plan correctly and it can be smooth sailing.
Hire an expert
You may recognise that you need rebranding, you may even recognise the direction that you need to take and the fundamentals of what it should involve. But, if you’re not an expert, it’s unlikely that it will be a smooth running process. Having someone who knows what they are doing is the best way to ensure a smooth transition. They will be able to give insight into the consumer experience, their needs, and how your brand change can be better developed in order to meet these needs. A guide can be just the thing you need to lead your rebranding campaign to success – it never hurts to have a second opinion after all.
Search and identity
Why isn’t your current brand working? Are sales going down? Is your original branding outdated? Whatever your reason, it has to be worth rebranding over as it is no small feat to change the face of your whole company. A rebrand is not a fix-all solution. Once you have committed to a rebrand, you must run with it and put your whole company behind it full-force in order to make it feel genuine. Realising halfway through this process that a rebrand is unnecessary is a horrible point to reach, after all.
Our experience comes from rebranding Tile Mart – commonly thought of as simple tile suppliers – into Roccia, a luxury tile and bathroom brand. Realising the importance of luxury and inspiration for our clients gave us the direction we needed, so searching for your identity in this way is absolutely essential.
Create a story
Why are you rebranding? What is the point? There has to be a who, what, where and why to your rebranded image in order to make the process feel as organic as possible. Getting people to understand why you rebranded in the first place is half the battle won. If your clients or customers feel involved in the process of your rebranding, that they are part of the story as it were, then they will be much more likely to get behind the process and be supportive.
It is also integral that you have internal support for this rebrand; forcing a new brand upon your employees without their input or knowledge will not be good for staff morale. So, include everyone and create a rebranding story to be proud of! Bad rebranding is easy to spot no matter the decade, but good rebranding will survive into the future.
Be honest
If the sales were down, state the sales were down. If your brand has moved away from the original concept, if it has outgrown its roots and sprung new branches, that is what you must communicate through the rebranding process. Honesty is the best policy – both at home and in business – and this is a true tenet to follow throughout any major overhaul of your business. It is also good for opinions to be given on your branding, feedback is guaranteed to be produced through an open rebranding process and it will help you to create a brand that will appeal to your clients.
Plan, plan, plan
A rebrand without a plan is like a ship without a sail. Knowing the beginning, middle and end goals of your campaign means it’s more likely to be successful. It can go wrong, the plan can change and you may discover halfway through that it was the wrong plan in the first place. The good thing about a plan is that it is flexible and can be changed to suit your needs. Transitioning between brands can be a tricky sea to navigate, so having a compass is important to help you weather any storm that may come.
Overall, a strong plan, full transparency in your process and the drive to create a brand that reflects your new direction is the process that needs to be followed in order be successful. Rebranding is not a simple task, but it can be a great success as long as you do not jump the gun on the issue. Take your time, think it through and create a brand that will last!
Roccia, a luxury tile and bathroom company, have recently undergone an ambitious rebrand – and bring these tips from personal experience.
