rebrand your business

8 Signs You’re Ready to Rebrand Your Business

A rebrand can be an excellent strategy for increasing your engagement and attracting the right customers to your business.

But you need to be sure it’s right for you and not just something you’re considering because you’re bored. (Hey, we all have those moments)

How To Know It’s Time to Rebrand Your Business

The decision to rebrand is a serious one. Your brand is composed of the perceptions and feelings people have about your business or company. If people are familiar with your brand and you’re established, rebranding could confuse them. 

Not to mention that rebranding is a process that takes time and money to be done right. You want to hire a designer who can reshape what people already know about you so that you can continue to keep your customer’s trust and confidence while scaling.

That said, you need to be ready to dive into rebranding with complete commitment and know why you’re ready for a rebrand.

1. Your Brand Was Trendy, Not Timeless

Trendy brands tend to only do well for as long as that trend is around. A trendy brand might not be able to change with you and your business.

If you’re looking at your brand identity and thinking it looks ‘dated,’ that is a sign you’re ready for a rebrand – preferably one that is timeless and can grow as you grow.

I tell all my clients to keep the trendy stuff on TikTok or Instagram because those platforms are built for trends. Your brand, though, should sustain you for a long time.

2. You Have Pivoted Your Business

If your business recently took a turn in a new direction, this might be a sign you’re ready for a rebrand.

Pivots could be a change in the services you offer or a significant rate change. Both of these will affect the way clients interact with your brand, and thus, you may need new visuals to help clarify your pivot. 

Another major pivot is a name change in itself. If you are changing your company name as you expand or because you need to ensure you trademark it and have brand ownership, then it’s a perfect time to revisit your brand and website design.

3. Your Metrics Are Declining

Be careful with this one. While a drop in sales, traffic, or clients can be a sign you’re ready for a rebrand, it’s important to consider the other factors that could impact these numbers as well.

For example, seasonality can play a huge role in business metrics, and a lull in your numbers doesn’t always mean you need to rebrand or shift. However, if you have noticed stagnation for some time despite outside factors, it is time to look at your brand.

4. You’re a Little Embarrassed by Your Visuals

If you’re not proud to hand out your business card or send an email with your signature graphic at the bottom, you might be ready for a rebrand. Your visuals, including your logo and website, should be something you love and that your clients love.

If you find yourself telling people to ‘only look at my Instagram’ and not your website, then it is definitely time to invest some money into your rebrand and website redesign to ensure you’re keeping your client traffic and not handing it off to another platform. 

Another way you can think about it is that your website is the new office space. It’s where people ‘walk in’ to your business, and if it’s not looking so great and maybe seems a little shady, it’s time to consider diving into the rebranding process.

5. You Moved or Expanded

If you have changed locations or expanded your team, it might be time for a rebrand.

For example, if you named your business something like “Mel’s Designs” but you’re expanding to an agency or bringing on a team, you might be ready to rebrand in order to encompass the team and not just the individual.

6. You’re Unsure About Raising Your Prices

Raising your rates is a major decision, and your brand might be holding you back. If you feel like your business doesn’t ‘look’ as luxurious or high-end as the rates you want to charge, then it is time for a rebrand.

Your brand says so much about you, including the type of client you want to work with. If you want clients who are aligned with your values, then strategic rebranding efforts can help get you there. That’s exactly what we did for my client Haley at Slade Copy House, who started signing clients at higher price points and felt clear about her brand + website when we wrapped up.

 What Haley Had To Say: 

“I was really nervous going into my work with Bethany because I didn’t feel like what I wanted could be done. I wanted a professional, yet really fun atmosphere for my business, which seemed so contradictory. During the brand phase with Bethany, I literally cried because she captured the vision PERFECTLY and I couldn’t have imagined it any better. Then came the design phase, and she absolutely CRUSHED the visuals. I walked away with a new brand and a new website that TRULY embodied everything I wanted, and I left feeling so freaking clear and excited to move forward in my business after my rebrand with her. I recommend her SO HIGHLY. Like seriously, use her for anything and everything.”

7. You Only Have One Version of Your Logo (And Not Much Else)

An incomplete brand doesn’t help you scale your business. I have worked with numerous clients who only have a single logo in the form of a circle, two to three fonts they aren’t sure about, and colors that do not have exact hex codes. This is a recipe for brand chaos, not cohesion.

As much as visuals are essential, so is the strategy you use to connect with your audience. If having a complete brand with every possible file type so you can launch on your platforms with consistency sounds like the dream, then it’s time for a rebrand. 

8. You Do Not Stand Out From Your Competitors

A strong brand should be unmistakable. One of the best ways to ensure this happens is by identifying your brand personality to build your brand identity around a strategy for growth and connection.

People need something they can relate to, and identifying your unique brand personality + a complete brand strategy can set a solid foundation for your brand to grow because you stand out from your competitors.

Is Rebranding Necessary?

Rebranding may be necessary if you’ve outgrown your branding or your business strategy changed from when you originated. It may also be necessary if you struggle to stand out from your competitors or your brand strategy is simply outdated and you need a new visual identity.

But, if you are happy with your brand identity AND you have worked with a pro to craft it, plus your sales are great, and you haven’t changed your business model, your business may need only a refresh, not a rebranding. Only do what makes sense and won’t confuse your target audience that knows and loves your existing brand.

Rebrand vs. Refresh: Is There a Difference?

There’s a big difference between wanting to rebrand your business and refreshing it. A refresh may mean ‘getting with the times’ or your business values changed slightly, and you want your branding to reflect it.

When you refresh your old brand, your business model and strategy don’t change, but when you rebrand, it’s like a new brand and a new start. A brand audit can help you determine which option is best for your business.

In general, I do see a few too many folks opt for the ‘refresh’ because the idea of a rebrand seems like too much work. But if you’re trying to cut corners, your brand, the very face of your business, is not where you should do it. If you haven’t worked with a design pro and brand strategist before to build a strong brand, then you need a rebrand, not a refresh.

Examples of Incredible Brand Refresh

Here are some of our client brand refreshes that gave them exactly what they needed for their rebrand.

Estate In Time is one of our clients who needed a brand that looked timeless and high-end – attracting their clientele ready to entrust their entire estate to the company for a major move or if a relative recently passed. 

Find out more about this project here.

The Piece of the Pie’ and ‘Grab Your Slice’ are partner brands for my client Monica. The connecting between the brands for both language and color palette was essential for this rebrand.

Honey and Comb is a local client in Vancouver Washington who needed to rebrand for her luxury clientele. She wanted the brand to feel warm, luxe, and …a bit like honey.

Woman walking up stairs while holding a laptop.

Find out more about this project here.

Susan Padron spent years feeling like her brand wasn’t aligned with you she was an an intuitive. Our job was to rebrand her and build a website that fully embraced her queer self and her incredible personal stylist services.

Find out more about this project here.

Well Known Brand Refreshes

Below are examples of a few rebrands done for large companies. Each one made the brand modern but also ensured they were reaching a specific audience. You will also notice how each logo was able to transform and exist within advertisements and social posts without losing any of its visual power. 

Source: The Branding Journal
Source: The Verge
Source: The Blog Pandora
Source: The Pandora Blog

The Rebranding Process

The rebranding process is simple when done right. Before starting, consider these steps.

1. Know Why You Are Rebranding

Make sure your rebranding strategy is clear. Don’t rebrand just because it feels like you should. Have compelling reasons and ensure they guide the design of your new brand image.

Of course, initially creating your brand through DIY or Canva is a VERY compelling reason to rebrand.

2. Consider Everything That Goes Into Rebranding

When creating your rebranding strategy, consider all brand elements and marketing materials that must change. You’ll need more than a new name or new logo. Your brand strategist and designer should lead you on this, of course. We make sure to walk our clients through every step, even connecting them with our lawyer for a name check to ensure brand ownership.

Think of your website, marketing content, products, signs, and domain name. Create a plan that covers all your bases and does so in a way that keeps your audience engaged and not confused. Or, work with us because we’ve got your back on this and can chat through all the details.

3. Communicate Often

Let your audience know before you begin the rebranding process. Let them know what to expect with your new identity, including what may change and what will stay the same. If you don’t include your audience in the rebranding process, you could see a large decrease in sales.

It’s actually really fun to tease your audience about the big change with launch graphics and sneak peeks. We always give these to our clients after the rebranding efforts, right before we dive into the website redesign.

4. Broadcast Your Rebrand

You don’t have to gatekeep the rebranding process. Let the public know that you’re creating a new brand identity. Getting your name out there even further can increase sales while retaining your current customers.

The Bethany Works Branding Process is Unmatched

What To Do Before Rebranding Your Business

Before taking on the rebranding efforts, consider these steps for a successful rebrand:

  • Determine if your company’s identity or vision changed
  • Evaluate the issues with your current brand, such as messaging, sales, etc.
  • Assess your target audience and how it has changed (your brand strategist needs this info!)
  • Understand the rebranding costs by chatting to a few designers + strategists

FAQs

How Often Should a Small Business Rebrand?

Most small businesses rebrand every five to ten years, but this varies by industry and how much your business changes. Of course, if your company’s mission changes or your branding becomes outdated, you may need to rebrand more frequently.

How Long Does It Take to Rebrand a Company?

Every business is different, but on average, it takes six months to complete most rebranding strategies. From redesign to website and all internal and external changes, then launch.

How Much Does a Rebranding Package Cost?

If you’re ready to take your brand to new heights, we have a few rebranding package investment options, from the branding itself to website design and all of the elements, including your internal systems. They range from around $6,000 to $35,000. Reach out to discuss which one may be the best fit for you.

Can I Rebrand Without Losing My Existing Customers?

The most important factor when creating a new brand identity is to keep your customers informed. Don’t ‘sneak’ the rebranding in and hope for the best.

Take your customers along for the ride, communicating as much as possible about the rebranding to minimize the risk of losing customers.

Ready to Create Your Rebranding Strategy?

I would love to work with you. You can review my packages on my services page to find one that works with your budget.

If you need some time to save for this investment, then take my free brand quiz, which will help you identify your brand personality and get you on my list and in the know.