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.
If you started out 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 to answer because every business has its own lifestyle and offer, but if you are in the middle of a big change with your product and offering anyway, it might be a good time to add this on and move forward with a new forward-facing version of your company right now.
Rebranding costs money. In some cases, it costs more money than starting a company from scratch. Because you are likely to have contracts in place for things like your company domain, marketing services, and even packaging production, it is going to 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.
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. Just keep in mind 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 is going to change things, think again. A rebrand is a great way to help bolster your business up, but it shouldn’t be done as a way 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 have moved away from in-person transactions to the majority of purchases being made online. 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 operation look more professional. Having a logo, colors to match, and a professional domain for their website, as well as an email is not really what branding is about. The message at the heart of the branding is what is still 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 at all, 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 of time – talking about the reasons behind the branding change. It’s an important step in continuing to build trust amongst consumers and attract new consumers, but it’s not the only thing that needs to be done.
Branding changes require testing and feedback. Don’t make a change without first 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 do the proper research as to 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 that 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.
