There comes a point for every company when it's time to refresh their brand or rebrand themselves. There are many steps and processes that go into a rebranding, but what all is necessary? Let's break it down:

When to Rebrand

The first step is understanding if rebranding is right for your business. You shouldn't just decide to rebrand because it’s been 3 years. You need to really establish why a rebrand is a logical step forward for your company. Here are some key reasons why a business should rebrand:

• An Outdated Branding
• Reimagining your outdated brand can really bring life back into your company. Consumers are visual creatures and something that changes and looks nice is sure to capture their attention. You can see this in action with these 10 examples.

• Separate Yourself From The Competition
• Rebrand your business to separate yourself from your competition is a great idea, in theory. If your brand closely relates to or matches the branding of a competitor, try mixing it up with a brand refresh. Think this one through, though, and make sure that the rebranding will help your business stand out, not fade to the background.

• Evolving Business
• One of the most important reasons to rebrand is when your business evolves. As your company grows and gets older, it’s likely to change. If your branding doesn’t match the changes and evolution of your business, a rebrand might be the answer. Apple is a great example of this, as they have refreshed their brand several times as their business has grown.

How to Rebrand

Once you figure out why you need to rebrand, you need to prepare. There are great resources online that can help you with your rebranding, such as Designhill and Entrepreneur. Here are a few things that can help get you started:

• Understand your mission and values
• Before starting the plan, make sure you and your team understand the mission and values of your company and that the new branding still matches.

• Develop a rebranding strategy
• Your customers are familiar with your business and brand, so drastically changing it could actually hurt your company. Make sure that the changes you make still work with what you have been doing. Fanta is a good example of this.

• Simplify things
• Sometimes, the best thing to do is simplify. Your brand should be easily recognizable, but if your branding is busy and a lot to take in, it could be turning consumers away. See if there’s a way to simplify your brand and if it would work for your business.

• Look at your target audience and competition
• When rebranding, make sure to consider who your target audience is and research your competitors. You don’t want to rebrand your business in a way that’s unpopular with your audience or looks similar to your competition.

• Utilize your team
• Your team is an invaluable resource when rebranding. They speak with your clients and target audience more often and can give a different perspective on the business. Take advantage of this resource and find out what ideas and suggestions they have. This will also give you the chance to let them know what’s happening and what to expect with the rebrand.

• Test the rebrand
• Once you have crafted the new brand, test it on a few different clients and see what their thoughts are. Make sure to pick a diverse group, with people of all ages and perspectives. Once you’ve gotten their feedback, see if there is anything that needs to be changed or improved before the full launch. This will also allow you to gain insight into the overall feel of the rebranding from the publics’ perspective.

• Launch and promote
• Once you’ve worked out all the changes and improvements, it’s time to launch! Be sure to announce and showcase your new branding. Feature it on your social media channels, website, and anything else visible to consumers.

Rebranding can offer numerous benefits to your business and bring new life to your consumer base. It can take time, but the end result can be amazing!