You started your business with an innovative idea. You had something new and exciting that people needed, and would be willing to pay for. But as the years pass, and your business successfully grows, you may find that your concept has lost some of its luster. It’s time to hit reset and give your brand a much needed refresh. Here’s how..
Step 1: Find the time!
Solopreneurs, mompreneurs, entrepreneurs: You’re so busy running your business, you don’t think you have time to give it the refresh it needs. You do, and I can tell you how.
Start by setting aside just one hour, once a year, to review your company’s logo, social channels, website and marketing materials. As you move through these items, score everything on a scale of 1 to 10 with the criterion of how well it represents your current brand and services. Anything that scores below a 9 gets a refresh.
Step 2: Get started.
- Logo: some people think that a logo never changes, but that’s actually not the case. Smart brands update their logos just as much as they update their other marketing messages. If your logo scored below nine, small refreshes can bring it up to par. This can be as simple as updating the color palette and typeface, modernizing font choices and other small tweaks. Both Apple and Google are examples of companies that have refreshed their logos many times of the years without going through a complete logo redesign.
- Core service offerings: Does your branding align with your core service offerings? It’s not uncommon for companies to change core service offerings as their services evolve alongside customer needs. So, if your company started off specializing in something but that service has either changed completely or even just evolved slightly, it’s imperative to make sure your branding reflects what you now do. Most importantly, are your core service offerings in line with what your clients wants and need? It’s ok — even desirable —for the services and products your company offers to change over time. To succeed and remain relevant, companies need to be dynamic and evolve to suit the needs of today’s consumers.
- Is your digital presence cutting edge? Is your website mobile?
- Social media: Does your social media presence reflect who your brand is? Does it communicate your unique value proposition (UVP)?
And, speaking of social media...
Step 3: Change up your social media game.
Need a brand refresh? Social media to the rescue! It’s so easy to use social media in a whole new way to grow your business!
Here are a few ways to make sure that your social media makes it RAIN revenue all year round.
- Do a social poll to ask your brand loyalists which type of services they’d like to see you offer next or which of your services/products they love the most. Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter all have tools to poll followers.
- Break out of your brand rut! Are you using the same aesthetic, same kind of copy, same tone on all of your social posts? Mix things up a bit! Instagram and Facebook stories are great way to test new marketing concepts and get out of your comfort zone.
- Go live. Yes, I’m talking to your brand! Going live is a great way to embrace the current craze for a video. Did you know that many experts agree that the optimum length for a live broadcast is just seven minutes? You got this! Plus, a live broadcast can then be used on a variety of other networks, including your own website, as a permanent video.
Lastly, some things I do each year to refresh my businesses and what these simple steps have taught me...
- Take a peek at all of your social bios. Do they still accurately describe not just your services or products but the personality of your brand? It’s OK if they don’t! Companies evolve. Smart entrepreneurs change with them!
- Invest in social listening! We use software but whatever method you use, there’s nothing better than doing some social listening to find out what consumers think about your brand and your competitors. Listen carefully and make changes as needed.
- Get out there! Even running a social media company and dot com business — while I respect the power of today’s digital world — nothing replaces going out and meeting your customers and consumers face-to-face. Schedule meetings, have coffee, host events… Do whatever it takes to connect with the people that power your brand from consumers to clients. Their feedback, their perception of your company, and their insight into what they need from you next can be truly game changing.
My final advice? In today’s world, brands can’t afford to be boring. Be unique and be interesting. Do whatever it takes to make your business (your baby) stand out for what it is... innovative and ever growing, like you.