A brand is a perception in the minds of consumers. You’ve heard me say that before. It’s what consumers think and feel about your brand, whether you like it or not.
Every experience someone has with your brand is an opportunity for you to create positive perceptions. This could come from how they judge the workmanship of your craft, how thorough they think your services are, or how they feel about their interactions with your team.
Think about how important this is when you have an experiential brand. When you don’t sell a product you can touch and feel, or test drive off the lot, every interaction is important. Brand perceptions make your brand memorable and help move it up the consideration list.
Brand is never a one and done. Your brand needs to evolve and update for a number of reasons. Big and small.
“… by dropping the word “coffee” from its logo, Starbucks showed a clear intention to offer a wider range of products. This was a brilliant move, as it instantly changed the way people saw the chain.”
Starbucks’ 2011 Rebrand, Brand Sonify
- If the perception of your brand doesn’t align with your expectations, you’ll need to adjust. Are you delivering what’s important to your customers, or what people are looking for? You want to stay current with modern trends.
- If you’re updating your products or services, or your brand is starting to look outdated, it’s time to refresh. This would impact your marketing materials and digital assets.
- Have you acquired new business or are you part of a merger? Bringing companies together will initiate a brand review. Economics aside, as a bigger company you’ll be stronger and have more to offer your customers. How will your customers perceive this change? What brand will you market your services under?
- Changes to processes, service hours, even updates to team members can ignite a need for changes to your brand assets. Consistency in how you present your business is key. A change should never create confusion.
You’ve built a lot of equity in your brand. Don’t lose the momentum by taking your eye off the ball. Conduct research regularly so you know what your customers are saying about your brand. Review your brand guidelines and refresh or update as you need to.
Are you ready to pivot to ensure you stay relevant?
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