02-16-2015
“Step Up” Your Brand Basics Before You Begin a Re-brand Effort.
Dear House Rules,
Branding has come a long way since the internet became a staple in every household. I feel like my marketing efforts have stalled because they have not kept up with technology. Will a re-brand help me jumpstart sales? What steps do I need to take to get started and get the best value?
Sincerely,
Will a Makeover Help?
Dear Makeover,
The purpose of branding your company is to deepen the relationship with the public by promoting awareness, consumer confidence, new business, repeat sales, and referrals. With every outreach, your brand strives to introduce your product or service by reminding your network who you are and what you do. If your current brand is not doing this in a cohesive format, then a re-brand is in order and you should take these steps:
Check off these Steps before Re-branding-
- Gather core team support for re-branding
- Identify target market and sales goals
- Re-visit the positioning statement
- Set a budget
- Prioritize wish list
Creating a brand is like building a custom home. Every step contributes to the functionality and longevity of the finished product. Since this is your second time around, let’s make sure you nail it.
Groundwork
One of the reasons brands fail is lack of attention. For your re-brand, be sure all of the key contributors give their time and focus to the planning. The various disciplines of your business such as finance, sales, customer service, legal, and administration each offer value to the way you portray the brand.
Heavy Labor
The strategy behind the brand includes your market position. If anything has changed since your initial positioning statement, update it now before working on the re-brand. The competitive landscape is changing constantly, so analysis of the competition is a recurring process. Getting this part correct up-front is crucial, so take the time now to verify and update these important foundations of your go-to-market strategy.
Build the Brand
Depending on your budget and preferences, it is time to get to work by adding bold design to your strategic brand focus. The list of options to bring your marketing into the 21st century is endless. The most nouveau branding tools include relating all of your social selling with visual landmarks of your company including color, logo, icon, tagline, backgrounds and relevant content. Amplify your reach in every outlet by pulling through your brand and directing viewers back to your website. Positive attention produces more opportunities to grow your business.
To make the most of your rebranding effort, hire a professional brand design firm.