Facing Your Fears of Rebranding

If you want to see your revenue increase by 33%, you should keep your brand consistent. If you want to see your revenue increase more, you should consider a rebrand.

While we don't recommend everyone rebrand consistently, it's important to reinvent yourself every once in a while. What used to be cool ten years ago isn't anymore.

So, just like everything else, your brand must evolve. But, often, people are worried and scared by rebranding. They don't think that their company will survive these changes.

But, as branding experts, we're here to tell you that these fears aren't as real as you think they are.

Keep reading to learn how to face your fears of rebranding and take back control of your reputation.

Why Are Businesses Scared of Rebranding?

The rebranding process isn't an easy one. It involves rethinking everything surrounding the looks and organization of your business. In fact, it may change the personality of your brand as a whole.

These aren't small changes.

In fact, there are several reasons why businesses become scared and overwhelmed during rebrands. Let's break some of the most common reasons down and talk about how to overcome them.

The Board of Directors

Often, business leaders are overcome by the pressure and stress that they're under during the rebranding process. During one of these rebrands, interactions with your board of directors may become overwhelming.

In fact, the board of directors may be the thing that's stopping you from going forward with any changes.

However, it's important to remember that this brand is going to be around long after any of the board members are. At least, that's the goal.

You want your brand to last a long time, so you have to be willing to fight for the betterment of the brand. And, the board of directors isn't going to be there forever. It's important to think of longevity for the company over the opinions of a few board members.

Also, it's likely that the board of directors cares more about the business than the majority of the others around you. Your company chose these board members because they care deeply about the company. And, they care about the longevity of the brand.

Hence, they will care about the rebrand.

And, you should take advantage of all of their knowledge. These board members are experts in multiple different subjects and disciplines. So, it's likely that they may have an opinion or perspective that you don't have.

Rather than being afraid of what your board members might think, be open to what they might say. They could help you drive your rebrand in the right direction.

The Logo

There's this myth in the business world that everything comes down to the logo. Companies think that everything starts and ends with their logo.

But, that couldn't be further from true.

The logo is just the starting point. It's the emblem or symbol that represents your company.

But, the company comes first. No logo is famous because it's pretty. It's famous because of the company behind it.

You shouldn't cut off rebranding because you're waiting for the perfect logo. That's not a sound reason, even though it may feel like it.

Logos will come and go throughout your company history. You want to create a logo that will represent your business in the here and now. Besides, you can also transform your logo later if you feel that your marketing team has come up with something better.

I'm important not to change your logo every week, so you should have something substantial. But, we promise that you're never going to find the 'perfect' logo. It doesn't exist, and you're going to go running around in circles chasing something that isn't there.

If you're truly worried about how well the logo will do, you could conduct A/B testing or ask a focus group how they feel. After all, the logo is more for your customers than it is for your company.

All in all, the logo isn't going to make or break the brand. So, you should stop using it as an excuse.

The Corporate Culture

We love corporate business as much as the rest of you. But, we have to admit that corporate culture can be toxic. This breeds fear, especially in the face of higher-ups.

To control this fear, it's important to make sure that you're prepared for any and every question that may come up. Your higher-ups expect you to have every inch of this rebrand figured out.

While it's impossible to have every detail worked out, we do recommend that you're as prepared as possible. It can seem scary, but it's just preparation.

Besides, the more prepared you are, the better the rebrand will go.

If you're unprepared, higher-ups are likely to derail everything you've done. Having a completed vision will show them that you're ready to continue with the project. And, it says that you're serious about and prepared for the rebrand.

The bottom line here is that you can't let corporate culture dictate what you can and cannot do. Even if you're at the bottom of the food chain, there's room for you to dream and plan. And, if you think a rebrand is what's right for the business, you're probably right.

So, don't be afraid to speak up. Just make sure that you're adequately prepared when doing so.

The Failure

The last major worry that people have about rebranding is the possibility of failure. They think that one wrong choice will ruin their entire organization.

But, in reality, it's not that dramatic.

You're going to make mistakes. There's no avoiding it.

So, how do you get over the fear of it?

Well, you need to accept that mistakes are going to happen. No matter how well you plan for them, they're going to happen.

However, there is one way to ensure that nothing is ever truly a mistake: staying true to yourself.

It sounds cheesy, but it's true. Staying true to your company's goals, vision, values, voice, and personality will go a long way. And, if you're accounting for these, it's unlikely that you'll truly make a mistake during the rebranding process.

You may misstep or need to tweak things, but they won't be mistakes. The only true mistake is deviating from the heart of your brand.

This deviation is what causes some companies to fail during the rebranding process.

So, just stick to the company that you want to grow. The rest will fall in place.

How Can I Develop a Successing Rebranding Strategy?

It's time to overcome these rebranding fears and get started with the rebranding process. And, that means that you've got to follow a strong strategy.

The best strategies combine analytics and creativity. Let's dive into the specifics.

1. Regular Reports

The better you communicate with staff, the smoother the rebrand will go. Often, there isn't enough communication despite regular meetings.

It's important to have focused conversations about the rebrand and its milestones. This way, your corporation can keep itself accountable for keeping the rebrand on track. And, it will serve as a way to ensuring that the rebrand is steady in pace.

So, you should use a myriad of media to keep your team on the right track:

• Emails
• Posters
• Newsletter
• Social media

You should use anything and everything you need to to get their attention and get this rebrand rolling.

2. Brand-Driven Attitude

Throughout the entire rebranding process, you need to keep your eyes on the prize. In this case, the prize is the brand as a whole.

The rebrand shouldn't be about opinions, numbers, and sales. It's about staying true to the roots of the organization and hoping that positive results follow.

So, if you're ever feeling lost or unmotivated, look back to the brand that you're trying to create. Then, let that vision drive you as you continue with your new digital marketing strategy.

3. Research

In order for a rebrand to be successful, you can't just dive in. You have to do enough substantial research to make sure that you're making sound decisions based on analytics and reason.

You should also be encouraging your staff to dive into the research as well. They should feel like a stakeholder in this rebrand just as much as you are.

Conducting their own research and making their own decisions will help them feel like they're a part of the action.

Along with your employees, you should be conducting substantial research. And, you should be double-checking any resources that your employees happen to bring up.

One place you might start researching is by looking at logo inspiration. Getting a good idea of what's out in the market is a good starting place for decision makers.

As the main organizer of the rebrand, you are accountable for ensuring that everyone is making evidence-based decisions. And, you should make sure that each decision is for the betterment of the brand as a whole. Remember, focus on the brand.

4. Stay Patient

Rebrands don't happen overnight. You have to stay patient if you're going to have a successful rebrand. Getting frustrated can cloud your vision and prevent you from making good decisions.

Plus, many people who become impatient also quit on the rebranding process in general. So, it's important to keep a realistic vision in mind.

You should also keep in mind that your rebranding will never be completely finished. Running a brand is an ongoing process that involves persistent effort.

Every single piece of content you release is an ongoing piece of your brand. So, your rebranding will continue until the next time you make large changes. And, whether you realize it or not, your brand is constantly making small changes that affect its overall outlook.

So, you're constantly going to be rebranding.

We know it sounds scary, but it's the truth of running an organization. If you remain static, you aren't growing.

5. Brand Book

The brand book is the holy grail of rebrands. This is the guidebook that will help you and your fellow staff members understand and adhere to the rebrand. It may include colors, fonts, mission statements, and more.

The point of this book is to keep the rebranding process together. Often, people get confused during rebrands. Thus, they aren't sure what to do in certain situations.

Creating the brand book prevents these kinds of problems. And, it lessens the number of questions that your staff may ask you.

Plus, having this book will make staff feel as if they are also contributing to the changes. It's a great mood booster for everyone.

6. Launch Preparation

Rebranding shouldn't be boring. Instead, it should be exciting.

You should consider throwing a party or having some kind of celebration to remind everyone of just how exciting this is.

And, you should be sure to announce the rebrand on your social media channels. A lot of companies like to tease the rebrand by giving their followers clues and hints prior to relaunch day. Then, you can do a big reveal when you're ready to launch the rebranded content.

Make the process as enjoyable as possible. Don't get bogged down by the work.

7. Listen Selectively

It's important to listen to customer comments and complaints. But, after a rebrand, you should be careful who you're listening to.

People are resistant to change. It's natural. In fact, you're probably going to notice a lot of resistance at first.

But, it's important to stick to your plan. You have your reasons for going through with the rebrand. All you have to do is win your customers over.

You may want to offer a Q&A about the rebrand to ease your customers' minds.

Reach Out to Rebranding Experts

Rebranding isn't easy. It doesn't matter how little or how much you're changing.

It's hard to change things. And, humans naturally resist these kinds of changes.

But, it's important to evolve your business as you see fit. You can't have the same logo, colors, font, and name forever.

However, if you're feeling unsure about the rebrand, you should reach out to us. We're close with our clients and care about their success. This means that you and your company are going to be our top priority.

Just listen to what we've done for other clients.