Covid-19 lockdown has forced many business owners to rethink their business delivery model to seek out new and inventive ways to pivot their business so as to remain relevant in these trying and changing times. Customers are looking to online delivery models but how well does your brand deliver from social media, website, e-newsletters, online ordering though to the physical delivery.
When challenged, business’s will need to adapt and evolve and so will their brands.
Here are signs to look out for that suggests it might be time for a brand evolution:
1. Here’s my business card but…
Do you cringe each time you hand-out your outdated collateral or direct a customer to your website? If you feel embarrassed then it’s probably a tell-tail sign you need to update. Regardless of your experience or the quality of your product if your image does not portray the same, you may just be fighting a losing battle.
2. Your brand identity never worked from the beginning.
Many startup business’s are organic and grow overtime and the same is true with the visual branding. Often startups overlook the importance of having their brand professionally created and will seek out the cheapest option to get some kind of a logo just to get started. Your neighbours, friends, daughter is studying graphic design and can get you a logo and business cards for $300. But as your business grows you soon realise the brand isn’t resonating with your target audience, customers confuse you with a competitor, can't remember your name or misunderstand what you are actually offering.
3. What do you stand for?
A strong brand identity is built on some solid foundations: your purpose, vision, mission, and values. If your business has never identified these foundations or never articulated those elements, or developed a brand identity long beforehand, it’s important to reassess whether or not your identity accurately reflects your brand.
From your logo through to your messaging, is an opportunity to communicate and reinforce who you are and what your brand stands for. If your brand isn’t doing this effectively, it won’t resonate with your target market.
4. Are you being noticed?
In a cluttered market, great branding is all about standing out from the crowd.
How do you stack up against your competition? Are your brand elements similar? Do speak in a similar tone of voice and talk about the same benefits? One of the most important elements of creating a successful brand is to demonstrate the reasons why you’re different from your competitors.
Whatever it is, knuckle down on what sets you apart and make sure everything created for your brand reflects this in a clear and cohesive way.
5. Is your brand identity and business a perfect match?
If your messaging doesn’t match your imagery, or your communications don’t resonate with your audience, it might be time to do a brand overhaul. Your brand is much more than just your logo or brand colours, it’s the combination of how the brand looks, what is says and how it does it. If you’re struggling to turn your positioning, messaging and visuals into a cohesive brand identity, it’s definitely time to consider revisiting your brand.
6. Consistency is key
As we know Covid-19 has forced many business’s pivot to some kind of an online model but how well has your brand transitioned and are you being consistent? It’s important to create a cohesive experience at all times, whether someone is reading your blog, engaging with your social pages, speaking with on Zoom or receiving a physical order. Inconsistency breeds the lack of recognition, trust, personality and engagement that is essential to brand success.
Avoiding the extinction list
A brand refresh does not always mean creating something completely new and is often an evolution of the current brand so that you remain familiar to your customers/clients and maintain the brand equity you’ve already built up.
If you recognise any of these signs then it must be time to consider a brand evolution. Get in touch with the team at Seamer Design to discuss your brand strategy and design a strong and resilient brand that continues to evolve.
