August 2024
5 questions to ask yourself for a brand refresh
Rebrands are expensive and, while sometimes absolutely necessary, they can have devastating effects if they aren’t relevant.
You’ve no doubt heard endless stories about rebranding.
Companies like Tropicana and MasterCard have famously failed their rebrand attempts. (Like, really failed them. Have you ever seen the Tropicana logo that made their sales drop over 20% in one month?!)
Rebrands are expensive and, while sometimes absolutely necessary, they can have devastating effects if they aren’t relevant.
For a small business owner or solopreneur, that probably sounds daunting and potentially disastrous.
But, thankfully, not every stagnant situation calls for a complete overhaul.
A brand refresh can be a powerful tool to reconnect with your passion and your audience.
It’s not always about rebuilding things from the ground up but more about revitalizing what you love to do and who you love to serve.
If you’re feeling a bit stalled or out of sync, here are 5 questions to ask yourself for a brand refresh.
(That will help you feel a lot less Tropicana-disaster-waiting-to-happen and a lot more you!)
Rebrands are expensive and, while sometimes absolutely necessary, they can have devastating effects if they aren’t relevant.
1. What’s your purpose?
Your purpose – your big “why” – is like the umbrella that all your other values fall under.
It’s the reason you do what you do and the driving force behind every other decision you make.
When we develop a full branding strategy with clients, this is where we start so we can get a feel for all the other things that come after the purpose is established.
This will include:
- Your messaging
- Your visuals
- Your copy
Among pretty much all the other marketing, promotional, and customer support parts of owning a business.
Often, when things are feeling a bit funky, reconnecting with the reason you started your business in the first place can be all the brand refresh you need to get excited about your offers once again.
2. Who is your audience?
It’s honestly riskier to keep everything about your business exactly the same than it is to do a brand refresh.
And that’s because your market is always evolving.
As you refine your offers and work with more clients/customers, your target audience may also change.
The way you feel about working with certain industries or types of people might even end up being different than when you started.
So it’s important for you to come back to this question frequently (even outside of a brand refresh) and ask who your audience is right now.
- Is this the audience you want to serve?
- Do you know what they want/value?
- Are their needs different than past audience needs/challenges?
- Have you asked your audience what they want or what problems they’re facing lately?
If it’s been a while since you’ve considered your brand from your audience’s perspective, that could definitely be affecting your feelings about your offers or services.
When things are feeling a bit funky, reconnecting with the reason you started your business in the first place can be all the brand refresh you need to get excited about your offers once again.
3. When was the last time you experimented?
Stagnation in anything – life or business – usually boils down to a routine that no longer serves you.
If you’re stuck, it’s time to ask how you can change up your routine:
What can you do that’s different or, better yet, that pushes you out of your comfort zone?
If you haven’t tried something new in a while – or you tried something long ago and deemed it a failure – it’s time to try it again. This might mean a new marketing tactic or networking strategy.
And remember that just because you tried something in the past, or were hesitant to try it before, doesn’t mean it doesn’t work.
Your brand – and you – are constantly changing. Your approach can change, too.
Can you change up your content?
This will be especially relevant if you’ve already identified a change in your audience.
It might include changes to the type of content you create (like a whole new content pillar or topic you haven’t talked about before) or the format of your content (like finally trying out video).
Whatever you decide to do to shake things up, don’t be afraid to experiment!
If you’re stuck, it’s time to ask how you can change up your routine.
4. What do the numbers say?
If you’re wondering if now is the right time for a brand refresh or if you’re just feeling bored or restless, check the data.
“Numbers don’t lie.”
Your analytics will be able to tell you if you’re stuck or if things are working perfectly well right now.
Remember that there’s no point in fixing something that isn’t broken, so if the data says you’re making the money you want to make and working the hours you want to work…
You might want to do a gut check to decide if you’re just trying to make changes because some guru said you should.
Or if you actually need that brand refresh.
5. Are you rested?
Sometimes it isn’t your brand that needs a refresh – it’s you.
Feeling restless or unsatisfied can be a result of not getting enough rest.
And not just sleep, but all 7 types of rest that humans need, including:
- Physical rest
- Mental rest
- Sensory rest
- Creative rest
- Emotional rest
- Social rest
- Spiritual rest
If you can’t remember the last time you took a real break and actually had some mental downtime, you’re probably way overdue.
Don’t feel guilty about needing time off, though.
Rest is an important investment in your mental health, which makes it an important aspect of your business, too.
Rest is an important investment in your mental health, which makes it an important aspect of your business, too.
Feel good about brand again
A brand refresh is a strategic move to realign with your purpose, reconnect with your audience, and renew your passion.
By asking yourself the 5 key questions above, you can keep your brand relevant and engaging – to you and your audience – without the need for a complete overhaul.
I hope you embrace the process with curiosity and openness.
You might just find that a few thoughtful changes that lead to significant growth and renewed enthusiasm for your business.
And feel good about your brand again!
If you need more help, book your brand consultation to chat about options.