To re-brand, or not rebrand. That is the question.

And the answer? A rebrand — as in a totally new brand — is only necessary if you feel completely removed from your current offers or products and you don’t connect with your current customer or client. If you’re not there yet, don’t rebrand. At least not yet. 

Now, you might be thinking you just want to snazzy up a few elements of your brand. But changing a few visual elements or some of your keywords isn’t a rebrand. That’s a refresh. And when you need something that will hold up your brand for the long term, those just won’t do. 

It’s like doing a couple of stitches on that tank top strap. We all know it’s going to unravel at the worst moment possible.

If you’re considering a rebrand, there’s so much more you need to consider.

Visuals aren’t everything *gasp*

A brand is highly visual, but it’s so much more than that. Realizing that your current brand doesn’t measure up to what you do now or who you serve isn’t going to be fixed with a color palette. 

If you’re rebranding, you need to look at the whole wardrobe — not just, let’s say, a pair of shoes or your undergarments.

We’re talking things like your audience, keywords, mission, etc. Why? Because a brand is made up of all the things that create your business persona. Your colors and fonts are a great way to get the crux of who you are across to your audience, but what are those elements based on?

Your values. What gets you out of bed in the morning to keep running your business. What lights you up whenever you get to steppin’ (or in this case, working). 

It all plays a part in creating your brand. And just like when you’re starting from scratch, you need to start at square one and work your way up whenever you’re working through a rebrand.

When is it actually time for a rebrand?

So how do you know a rebrand is in store? If nothing feels right and it all feels like a misaligned mess.

Maybe you feel like you’ve outgrown a certain subset of your industry — like a service provider who does more coaching than service providing. Or a copywriter who isn’t just a content writer anymore, but has moved on to writing copy for high-end launches. 

It usually happens when you start working with a different level of client. And what you’re serving up right now or what you’ve become known for? It doesn’t exactly attract those people. So you keep getting the same work you no longer want to do. 
Basically, if you have to tell people, “Yeah, that’s not really what I do anymore,” it’s time to think about a rebrand.

A rebrand always starts with values

Any rebranding project must go back to the values. This is oh-so-important because values are the center of everything you do in your business, including your marketing. And in a world full of scummy tactics, if you want to be a brand that operates on your own terms, you’ve got to remember those values.

That’s why we say go back to the values when working on a rebrand. And it doesn’t matter if we’re talking about design or copy, it all starts from there.

Need help figuring this out?

Trying to redefine your core values can be a bit trickier than defining them in the first place. For one, you already have a mold to fit into, and breaking free from it can feel a little bit like an identity crisis. 

But don’t be scared of the change. Change is necessary for a business to grow. And trust us, when what you do truly aligns with your values, you get more jazzed up about the work you’re doing because it’s all in alignment.

It’s hard not to feel like you’re exactly where you should be as a biz owner when you’re operating under the right values (which are…ahem…YOUR values, no one else’s). 

But figuring out how all the pieces — including your voice, keywords, color, palette, fonts, photography, website, content, oh my! — fit together? Cue the panic!

Where do you start? How do you assess what’s working and what isn’t? How do you know if your beloved shade of chartreuse still lines up with your unwavering promise to be the voice of reason in your industry?

We’ve got you, doll. 

We know the process of rebranding is, well, a lot. And it’s a lot to figure out. But instead of trying to piece it together on your own, or hire a bunch of different agencies to do each piece for you (and end up with a brand more disjointed than the one you started out with), leave it in the hands of the pros…pros who do it all.

With our branding, design, marketing, and coaching services, we’ll help you map out your values, work on your offers, and help you find the vocal and visual elements you need to match. Sound enticing? Give us a ring! We’re happy to help.