What does branding mean for your business?

Your existing customers will have an experience of you that makes up your brand. This can include their actual experience as well as their expectations of what they may receive.

Your brand is more than just the graphic design – this makes up only part of the whole package that your branding represents. Branding includes what your customers see, and it also includes how your business makes them feel. It includes the total experience provided by being a customer of yours.

A sense of harmony and consistency is needed with your branding so that everything about you gives the same feeling and exudes the same experience.

When your customer follows online links to you, consistent branding lets them know they have come to the right place. It welcomes them and gives you that presence of immediate professionalism, quality, and trust (along with any other feelings you’d like to come across as well!)

Some secrets to good branding include:

• Branding which is targeted and focused enough to engage the customers that you want
• Not just trying to please everyone or promising things that you can’t deliver
• A message that is clear, truthful and relevant
• A message that matches the values and aspirations of your customers, not just solving their problems
• Branding that delivers the human and personal side of your story
• Branding that positions your business where the right customers will find it

Signs that you might need a complete rebranding

The signs that you might need to rebrand can be difficult to pick up, especially when you are caught up in the everyday busy-ness of running the business. And even if you pick up on the signs, it can be hard to make the decision to rebrand.

You might have some of these worries about rebranding:

• How do you know you are getting value for money from a brand designer?
• How do you know confidently what your brand should be?
• What if you lose customers in the process?
• What if you spend a heap of money rebranding and then it makes no difference?

All of these concerns are valid, and can make people put off rebranding far longer than they should. You may be worried that you will lose money or customers if you rebrand, meanwhile you are likely losing money and customers while you wait! (I did an interview with Georgina Bowden – Fiercely Bold Marketing and Sales Mentor on FB Live covering some of these worries. Check it out here!)

Here are some signs that your business might be ready for a complete rebrand:

• Your name or look doesn’t cover what you offer
• Your business model, message or strategy has shifted significantly since you first began
• Your look feels tired, or doesn’t inspire you anymore
• Your look feels outdated, boring or unoriginal
• Your brand doesn’t let you stand out from your competitors
• You don’t feel like your brand is representing your true and authentic self
• You find that you are having to explain too much to new customers about what you offer
• The customers who come to you disagree with the price or the inclusions in your services, or seem unreasonable in their expectations
• You want to offer different services or a service a narrower niche than you have been previously
• Your brand message is overly complicated or inconsistent
• You need to move on from a negative image or change your identity after a significant change in staff, services or geography
• You are struggling to increase your prices.

When your brand feels authentic it is easier to connect with people

If your branding isn’t right then you may feel a distinct disconnection between you and your business. For small boutique businesses and those that look after clients directly, it is incredibly important that you feel your branding is authentic – because your branding is you.

The confidence and ease that comes with sharing something that is you, something you don’t need to hide behind, brings a higher level of confidence to you as a business owner. Making a greater impact through your business becomes inevitable as you will feel safe knowing you are being your authentic self.

A complete rebranding can mean all sorts of things. You may need a whole new name and identity, a new look and feel, new logo and colours, new message, mission, and strategy. A good brand designer will work with you to figure out what needs to be overhauled, and what the new and improved you should look like.

It isn’t about what looks good – it’s about what feels right for you and what will be most effective at connecting with your audience.

It is time you gave your business some rejuvenation?

Resources
http://www.ignytebrands.com/12-signs-its-time-to-rebrand-your-business/