Deciding to rebrand is a big step. If you've recognised the signs that your brand has outgrown its identity, you'll know the feeling of a business that has grown past the brand first created for it, and the pull to have a brand that truly reflects the vision of where you are going.

The next question is how to do it well. A rebrand is a real investment of time, money and energy. Whether you end up with a brand that simply looks lovely or one that changes how the business performs usually depends on what happens before any new design is made. Done well, a rebrand gives the business a foundation strong enough for its next stage of growth, and a brand that does more of the selling on its own.

Here are the four keys I come back to with every rebrand I work on.

1. Understand what's already working

Before recreating anything, look at your current strengths. What do customers already say they love about your brand in reviews, comments and feedback? What have been your strongest moments for sales, and which products and campaigns have been most successful? Not everything has to be rebuilt from scratch. A good rebrand keeps what's working, and rebuilds what needs to be stronger.

2. Get clear on the overall strategy before touching the visuals

New fonts or packaging can make a brand look more polished, but they don't make it distinct. First, get really clear on the vision, your audience, and what makes you unlike any other brand in your category. Without this, a new identity might look more luxurious, but it won't give customers a real reason to see the brand as different or to keep coming back. I've written more on how to find what makes your brand unique here: For When Your Luxury Product Brand Doesn’t Feel Distinct

3. Be mindful of your audience

When it's your brand, it's natural to base decisions on personal taste, and early on that's often how a brand gets made. As the business grows, the brand needs to be built for the people choosing it: what they value, what they respond to, what makes them feel it's for them. When working with brands, I always take them through the process and communicate design choices with the customers' perspective in mind, because that's what translates into sales. It's entirely possible for the brand to stay aligned to your values and vision, and be built for its customers.

4. Build the brand as one cohesive system

This is what makes the whole brand feel like one world. The typography works with the brand patterns, the voice matches the aesthetic, the photography sits with the colours, and the packaging aligns with the website. It's like putting together an outfit. You wouldn't choose the dress, hat and shoes separately, you'd put them together so the whole outfit works. Detailed brand guidelines and templates for print and marketing then make sure your brand stays consistent, so customers see the quality of the brand, trust it, and the business grows. When each piece of your brand puzzle works, your brand is working for you. For more on this topic, read: For When Your Brand Feels Incohesive

Closing thoughts

A successful rebrand starts with what's already working, builds from a clear strategy, keeps the customer in mind at every decision, and all brand expressions work together in harmony in one cohesive system. Get those four right and the new brand won't just look more refined. It will give people a clearer reason to choose it, trust it and come back to it, and give you a brand you're proud to build the business on.

If you're still weighing up whether now is the right time, I’ve written a piece that can help here: 5 Signs Your Brand Has Outgrown Its Original Identity.

And if you're considering a rebrand and would like a clear view of where to begin, the Brand Roadmap offering is designed for exactly that. We look at your brand as it stands today and map out what to keep, what to refine, and what to build next, so your rebrand starts on solid ground. Find out more about the Brand Roadmap by inquiring here.

Kat Fletcher

Brand Consultant