A step-by-step plan for rejuvenating your business’s image

Giving your business a brand overhaul is one of the most comprehensive changes you can make, and there is no guarantee you and your team will get it right.

The reason for this double-edged sword is that if you are eager to take your business in a new direction with a revised marketing message, company values, and even product offerings, you will likely alienate your existing customer base. This could be acceptable if you know for sure that your new business image will draw in far more customers than you lose, but it is unknown until you make the changes.

As a result, any corporate image change should be approached with caution, especially if you haven’t any concrete reasons for doing it. In fact, many business managers and entrepreneurs make the mistake of fiddling with marketing messages or brand identities when there was never really a problem in the first place. The results can be confused at best and self-sabotage at worst. Therefore, it is critical that you have a clear, actionable plan in place for overhauling your business’s image in order to stand the best chance of success.

Here is a step-by-step plan for rejuvenating your brand image:

Consult with a design agency

The first step you should take if you are thinking of overhauling your business’s image is to consult with a design agency before you make any lasting changes. The reason for this is simple – top design agencies are experts at knowing how to alter a company’s image and present it in the best possible light. It is their job, so it is at least worth hearing what they have to say.

Additionally, you may be too close to your business to make an informed judgement. It might sound ridiculous, but when you are working within an organisation, it is difficult to see what your customers see. There may be areas you overlook or changes you implement because you second guess what the market might want. Often, having a fresh pair of eyes to look over your brand can make all the difference.

Analyse what went right and wrong before

The next step you need to take is to have a long, hard look at your existing branding, to ascertain what needs changing and what should remain. This is an often-overlooked step because it is easy to believe that your customers want a change when they might be happy with your current image.

Take time to analyse every aspect of your branding in detail – which marketing campaigns worked and which didn’t, as well as feedback from consumers. It might be that there is a certain ethos that customers are receptive to, but you simply need to communicate it in a better way. Conversely, you may realise that your current branding no longer fits in with the wider cultural landscape and that a more comprehensive change is necessary.

Find your ‘why’

It may sound like facile marketing speak, but finding the reason for your company’s existence is key to unlocking the right branding strategy. Without your ‘why’, your brand will likely blend in among the sea of competitors rather than rise above them as an industry leader customers can pin their flags on.

Every example of successful corporate marketing has a ‘why’ at its core, the instantly recognisable company DNA which stems from a challenge you set yourself when you started the company, a core ethos, or a passion for a certain product or service.

Whatever your ‘why’ turns out to be, it is worth pinpointing it as accurately as possible because it may well influence the kind of brand overhaul you give your business.

Narrow down your message as much as possible 

Following on from the previous point, it is essential to make your overall marketing message as coherent and singular as possible. This is because your target market will only have a narrow attention span, so they need to instantly be able to understand what your company offers and why they should be interested in it.

Far too many brands fail to create a one-sentence definition for their brand, which leaves them just as confused as their customers about what it is they do and why anyone should care.

It doesn’t matter what industry you are in; you need a simple message to convey your brand identity. Of course, the added benefit of having a simplistic brand ethos is that it is often far more powerful than longer and more multifaceted branding that resonates with consumers on an emotional – rather than rational – level.