Rebranding is something that many businesses face at some point or another. E-commerce businesses are often more susceptible to the changing tides of business because of how picky consumers can become after a while.
Why You Should Rethink Rebranding Your eCommerce Site
If you start selling a product to a particular industry and find that it’s starting to decline, it might be time to change products or pivot your offering. But does that mean that you need to rebrand your entire company? It might. It’s a tough question because every business has its lifestyle and offer. Still, if you are in the middle of a big change with your product and offering, it might be a good time to add this and move forward with a new forward-facing version of your company.
Rebranding costs money.
Sometimes, it costs more money than starting a company from scratch. Because you will likely have contracts for things like your company domain, marketing services, and even packaging production, it will take a lot of work and planning to get your new brand out the door without a hiccup. But you should expect hiccups and delays.
Rebranding takes time.
The rebranding also takes a great deal of time, and you’ll find yourself second-guessing all along the way as to whether or not you are making the right decision. Remember that if this rebranding helps you grow your business and get closer to the ideal client you imagine for your company now that some time has passed, it’s the right choice.
Rebranding shouldn’t happen out of haste.
If your business is stuck and you feel like a makeover will change things, think again. A rebrand is a great way to help bolster your business, but it shouldn’t be done to make ends meet.
Consumers want to have faith in your product and service, but more importantly, they want to have faith in your brand. If the consumer doesn’t have faith in what you are all about, they aren’t going to buy from you. This has continued to be true long after we moved away from in-person transactions to most online purchases. Customers want to know who they are buying from.
Many small business owners, consultants, and even freelancers turn to a brand to help make their operations look more professional. Having a logo, colors to match, a professional domain for their website, and an email is not really what branding is about. The message at the heart of the branding is what is still the most important. So if you are thinking about rebranding, make sure you take the time to focus on more than just what logo you’ll be using and how your business cards will look.
There has been some debate as to whether or not rebranding is even a good idea, and the answers can be found in the purpose of the rebranding. Companies often make a big deal out of a rebrand and use it to generate much of their content for a long period – talking about the reasons behind the branding change. It’s an important step in building trust among consumers and attracting new consumers, but it’s not the only thing that needs to be done.
Branding changes require testing and feedback.
Please don’t make a change without consulting with your consumers about what they want to see and need from your company. When you try to put words in their mouths, everyone ends up disappointed. It’s best to give yourself plenty of time to research whether or not you should even proceed with a rebranding.
Sometimes, rebrands happen because of a change in the company at the executive level or because the company has been acquired or sold off for its parts. Whatever the reason for making the change, ensure it is properly communicated. If you hold your cards close to your chest on something like this, you’ll lose the trust of those around you, your customers, and the market.
