Everyone knows the phrase, “The grass is always greener on the other side.” When a business is about to rebrand, decision makers approach the precipice and prepare to take the leap. But just before the moment arrives, panic sets in. All of a sudden, what once seemed like a thrilling adventure has turned into a frightening jump that many fear will turn into a free fall.
But, fear not—with the right strategy and approach, a business can successfully land on its own two feet and find itself in a new, promising position that facilitates growth and prosperity.
First and foremost, it’s crucial to prioritize existing customers and employees throughout the rebranding process. These are the people who not only kept the company going strong before the transformation, but will also be the ones to show immediate support for the new brand. Ultimately, their loyalty is the boost that the company will need to sustain itself and help spread the word about the rebranding.
In order to preserve faith in the business, the company needs to let existing customers know that the rebranding is a positive change, through and through. Most importantly, the business needs to make it crystal clear that the company was not sold. Instead, the brand evolution is an improvement that was made possible thanks to their loyal patronage. To express gratitude and foster support for the enhanced brand, send existing clients a letter on new letterhead that showcases the new brand and generates enthusiasm for the upcoming changes.
Rebranding is not only about taking the right steps, but also carefully arranging the order in which they are implemented.
Rebranding is not only about taking the right steps, but also carefully arranging the order in which they are implemented.
In a perfect world, companies would be able to pull a new brand out of their back pockets and introduce it everywhere simultaneously. But in order to guarantee that the job is done right, rebranding requires time, money and adequate planning. For small businesses, in particular, launching the new brand onto every platform all at once is not only impractical, but also increases the odds that the rebranding process will be rushed and ineffective.
From the get-go, the company needs to finalize its new logo. As a business develops its new brand, the logo is the foundation from which all else will be built upon. Before developing other collateral or updating the website, make sure that the new logo is solidified.
From there, a company can either incorporate the new logo onto the current company website, or start from scratch and build a new site that fully caters to the improved brand. By the time the new brand is shared publicly, make sure that, at the very least, the website features a truck mockup to showcase the new logo. To start building recognition for the new brand, wrap at least one truck and introduce collateral, such as uniforms, business cards, etc.
The worst mistake that a business can make is taking the new brand to the streets without making any updates to the website.
The key takeaway is making sure that both the company’s web and physical presence are progressing simultaneously and in a parallel direction. The worst mistake that a business can make is taking the new brand to the streets without making any updates to the website. From beginning to end, keep the transition consistent across platforms. After all, when it comes to rebranding, slow and steady wins the race.
When a small business is on the verge of rebranding, an effective strategy goes a long way. Rather than fearing the unknown, go back to square one and reassess everything that made the company successful from the start. By properly presenting the change to existing customers, unveiling the brand in the correct order, and introducing the brand uniformly across various channels, small businesses can approach rebranding not as a potential free fall, but as a leap toward a promising, more profitable future.
