Pulling off a successful rebrand can be tricky. If it goes well, your brand is set up for positive growth. If it goes badly, you could ruin your chances of success. Rebranding takes a large amount of energy, time, and resources. When it doesn’t work out, it’s a huge loss.
Because these projects have several different elements, it’s easy for them to go awry. Even if you prepare extensively, there are plenty of obstacles, both big and small, that can ruin your rebrand.
No matter the size of your company, it’s easy to make mistakes. To succeed while rebranding, you need to be aware of these common pitfalls.
To make sure you don’t run into the same issues, we’re sharing 5 common mistakes that can derail your rebrand, and tips to avoid them.
Mistake 1: Not Doing Research
It’s important to know as much as you can about your brand, as well as your competitors before you pull the trigger on a rebrand.
- How your brand is currently perceived (internally and externally)
- How your competitors are perceived
You are much more likely to find success the better you understand your current position and where you are trying to go.
What You Should Do
Assess how your competitors approach all aspects of their branding, from logo design and slogan to messaging and brand voice. Complete a competitive analysis to find what works and what doesn’t.
Don’t forget to ask your employees how they feel about your brand. They know it better than anyone and they have very valuable insight.
Get as much feedback from customers as you can. Send surveys to both happy and unhappy customers to get a better understanding of where you need to improve.
Mistake 2: Not Knowing Who You Are
When a brand doesn’t have a clear purpose or mission, it’s difficult to pull off a successful rebrand. Your brand needs to have a core essence. This essence influences the products you design, the services you provide, and even the way you talk to customers.
You can’t build a strong brand if you don’t know who you are. To effectively rebrand your company, you’ll need to know your purpose.
What You Should Do
Take the time to figure out these core elements of your brand identity before even starting a rebrand.
- Purpose: Why do you exist?
- Vision: What changes do you want to make?
- Mission: How do you create those changes?
- Values: Who are you? How do you work?
Completing this step will ensure everyone on your rebrand team is on the same page. Knowing who you are will help you get to where you want to be.
Mistake 3: Copying The Trends
You should want your brand to be a leader in its industry, not a follower. So don’t copy the latest trends when rebranding. It won’t set you apart from competitors, and it may even make you look desperate.
What You Should Do
Because you’ve already done the competitive analysis, you should be able to differentiate your brand from competitors. Your rebranding plan should focus on these differences. Figure out what you do and do not want to promote about your brand, and make sure it stands out against any competitors. This does not mean you can’t evolve and grow with the trends, but don’t sacrifice your brand identity to follow what others are doing.
Mistake 4: Just Changing Your Logo
Many people get excited about a logo change and think that it’s the most important part of a rebrand. But this is one of the most common misconceptions about brand identity. Your brand is so much more than just a logo. It’s about your strategies and messaging too.
The whole point of a rebrand is to reshape your entire brand identity. You can’t just change your logo and expect everything else to follow.
What You Should Do
Build your brand identity the correct way. Create new content across multiple mediums, refresh your messaging, and stay true to who you are. This will help ensure you have a strong and memorable brand identity. It’s okay if a new logo is part of your rebranding strategy, but make sure it’s not the only part.
Mistake 5: Not Planning For The Future
Remember that this rebrand isn’t just for today, it’s for the future too. If you do things correctly now, your brand will continue to be successful in the future. This means creating an identity that is flexible and able to adapt as times change.
What You Should Do
Always stop and think about the future while creating new content. Consider how your logo will be perceived in 10 years. Think about how your brand will fit into society as technology evolves. If you can assess and plan for these situations now, you will be set up for success.
Most importantly, do not rush the rebranding process. There are far more benefits in rebranding intentionally than in rebranding quickly. If you take all of these tips into consideration and keep your team from making these common mistakes as you rebrand, you will find great success.
