When you first start a small business, you create your
brand based on your hopes and plans for the future of the
company. Sometimes this is based on experience, but more
often than not it's based on a guess.
Then once you actually start doing business, you may find
that your business isn't following the same path you set
out on.
And now for something completely different
Just like in Monty Python, everything can shift and change
in your business. It may even take a whole new direction.
But changing everything in your brand isn't a matter to be
taken lightly. Redesigning a brand requires a solid
business reason.
What "solid business reason" can cause a brand change?
Even though I believe that it's important for a small
business to design their logo for life, there are
occasionally big reasons for a business to redesign their
logo—and even rename—their businesses.
What kinds of change are big enough?
Company name. This seems obvious, but if you change your
company name, it's important to redesign your logo and
marketing materials to signal the change. Don't just put
the new name with the old logo and hope that no one
notices. If you don't redesign the logo, it can seem a bit
"fishy" to attentive customers—why did the name suddenly
change? Changing your brand design will also make the
change more noticeable. You'll be less likely to receive
checks made out to the old company name (and that you can't
deposit in your new bank account).
The structure or way you work. If you've gone from
personally serving each and every one of your clients to
having more staff members that work on accounts, a brand
change can ease the transition. The new brand can help
reset service expectations. For example, a move from being
Jennifer Perkins Consulting where Jennifer herself works
solely on all accounts to being the Rocket Process
Consulting Group where a team of consultants who all report
to Jennifer work on the account makes perfect sense.
Drastically changing services. If you were an interior
designer and now you're going into staging, you might be
able to keep your logo and just rewrite the copy on your
marketing pieces to reflect the change. But if you're
growing your company into an architectural redesign and
interior remodeling company, a redesign of your brand may
make more sense. It will show the change in your business.
This can also make your existing clients more open-minded
about hiring you for projects in your new area of expertise.
New target audience. If you're going from consulting with
hospital staff members to consulting with government
agencies, it may be appropriate to change your brand to
better appeal to your new clients.
You offer different benefits to your clients. If you've
refocused your business to create different results for
your clients or to solve a different problem then a brand
change may help.
If your business has changed in any of these major ways,
it's time for you to re-examine and redesign your brand.
The new brand will perfectly fit in with your "now
completely different" business.
----------------------------------------------------
Erin Ferree is a brand identity designer who creates big
visibility for small businesses. As the owner of elf
design, Erin is passionate about helping her clients stand
out in front of their competition and attract more clients.
Her "Define Your Difference Branding Workbook" will help
you with your brand definition - the most important step in
the logo design process.
http://www.elf-design.com/products-define.html
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