Branding is an important aspect of business identity and marketing. It communicates the message of what your business is all about. However, because change is inevitable, a brand may become obsolete. As a result, you may need to revise or remodel it to match your current goals and strategies. Check the top business rebranding mistakes to avoid crucial common branding issues.
It’s natural to be worried about rebranding. You don’t know how your audience will react to the changes you’ll be making. You risk losing your audience if you make the wrong move, which, in turn, will impact your revenue. So, rebranding must be well thought out to ensure a desirable outcome.
Rebranding is certainly a venture you shouldn’t attempt to do blindly. There are specific steps you should follow because things could easily go awry. That said, here are some of the common rebranding mistakes you should avoid:
1. Not Doing Enough Research: Business Rebranding Mistakes to Avoid
You want your brand to convey the right message to your target audience, but you must understand them first. It necessitates extensive research to understand their needs and pain points better.
Ideally, you should conduct more than just a few web searches. Do a deeper dive by using analytics tools or looking for industry-specific data about your customers. Conducting research allows you to discover things about your consumers that you didn’t know before. Such information may inform you about changes in customer preferences, attitudes, and trends.
You’ll likely approach rebranding narrowly if you don’t conduct research. You may overlook many vital aspects that could botch your efforts. Keep in mind that customers have options nowadays; they’re observing you and your competition closely. If you mishandle the process, they could easily switch to your competitors.
2. Designing In Isolation
Your branding includes customer touchpoints, such as your logo, color palette, business cards, and signboards. Since others identify you with these things, they’re incredibly important. Thus, if you’re going to get a new logo design, for example, you must update all the other elements.
People frequently make the mistake of redesigning things in isolation. When it comes to branding, consistency is everything because mixed messages may confuse some consumers. So, if you’re considering updating one aspect of your brand, all related aspects must also be amended.
3. Deviating From Brand Personality: Business Rebranding Mistakes to Avoid
If you’re an existing brand, you probably have an established identity. People can identify you with certain products, services, or traits. Perhaps, you may have developed a dedicated audience who appreciates your brand for what it is.
However, one mistake you should avoid is deviating from your brand identity or persona. It would be best if you’re consistent with your brand’s message, or it may lead to confusion. You risk losing clients if it deviates from what they love about your brand.
Therefore, when rebranding, always make sure to retain elements of your brand that your customers like and not veer away from your known identity, which makes you unique. Otherwise, it may send mixed signals that do more harm than good for your brand.
4. Changing The Company Name: Crucial Common Branding Mistakes
There are some instances where changing the brand or business name makes sense. Some of today’s most successful firms began with bad names, and a name change helped them turn their fortunes around. You can also pull this off to differentiate yourself from a competitor with a similar name.
However, you should avoid the mistake of changing your business name for the sake of it. Don’t attempt to fix something that isn’t broken. Unnecessary name changes can hurt brand image, especially if done abruptly. Therefore, you must be careful not to go with your feelings before doing any revisions. Only modify your company name if it’s essential.
5. Following The Herd: Business Rebranding Mistakes to Avoid
When it comes to branding, it’s quite common for businesses to follow industry trends. As a result, you may discover that firms merely copy and paste branding tactics, which doesn’t allow them to stand out. It also makes attracting clients more difficult because they’ll be accustomed to seeing the same stuff repeatedly.
You must distinguish yourself from the pack by identifying your own unique selling point. While there’s nothing wrong with learning from and employing tried and true tactics, sticking out from the pack might become difficult. Once you decide to rebrand, ensure to set yourself out from the competitors.
Conclusion
It’d help if you exercise caution when approaching rebranding initiatives. Keep in mind that your brand defines who you are as a company. If you mishandle the process, you may lose clients and sales. So, whenever you decide to rebrand, keep the above tips in mind. Also, consider doing extensive research to obtain all the vital information you need to successfully carry out this vital undertaking.