3 Ways to Tell It’s Time to Rebrand
Do you need to rebrand or will new brand photos get you by? A guide to help you creative entrepreneurs decide.
As an Austin brand photographer, I’m often asked by my clients, “Should I rebrand or will new brand photos be enough for now?” Recently, this became a question I needed to ask myself.
I was experiencing some growing pains in my business. Business is good. Growth is happening….But something in my branding felt off.
When it comes to rebranding or updating your brand, there's often a lot of confusion about what makes sense and what doesn't. It’s crucial that you remain original and memorable, but does that have to mean a complete overhaul of your brand?
If you’re feeling a yearning for something new, it will help to know exactly what to look for in figuring out if a rebrand is in order – or if new strategic brand photos will do the trick.
What Is A Rebrand?
A rebrand is a total overhaul of a company’s identity, often as a result of natural brand evolution where a company has outgrown its original branding. Sometimes it happens when a brand wants to expand its services and establish itself within a different market.
Rebranding requires reevaluating – and often rewriting – your brand positioning statement, core values, brand guidelines, mission statement, and client-facing messaging. Visually, it usually includes a new logo, a new color palette, and new imagery that help it stay fresh, modern, and appealing to your ideal clients. Oftentimes, this culminates in a brand-new website that reflects all of the changes mentioned here.
3 Ways to tell if a Rebrand May Be The Right Choice For Your Creative Business
There are many reasons why a company may need a rebrand, but here are some common ones I see among my clients and through my experience:
You’ve outgrown your current branding.
If you’re making a serious shift in service offerings or want to expand into new markets, and it feels like your brand is an old outfit that no longer fits, it’s time to consider a rebrand.
2. Your niche has narrowed.
You’ve narrowed in on a new ideal client, niched down in your industry, and your quality of leads doesn’t match. A rebrand can help you find and speak to the right people.
3. You want to stay relevant.
A lot changes in the business world in just a few years. If your messaging needs to change with it to better address your customer needs and pain points, a rebrand can help you do that.
What Is A Brand Image Refresh?
A brand image refresh is done when a business wants to better attract ideal clients while still sticking to its current brand identity. While refreshed brand imaging is not as drastic a change as a rebrand, these small improvements often mean big results.
The goal is to bring the brand up-to-date, create consistency across all your content needs, and connect with your target audience – all without changing the fundamentals of your brand. With strategic, storytelling brand photos, you are uniquely able to set yourself apart from the competition and begin attracting your dream clients, but without changing your brand’s core identity.
3 Times Getting New Brand Photos Is The Right Choice
A visual refresh is a smaller change that doesn’t disrupt the foundation of your brand, but can still create dramatic results.
Your photos represent your business. They communicate what you do, who you serve, your professionalism, expertise, personality, values, and most importantly - trustworthiness.
📌 90% of online buyers say that photo quality is the most crucial factor in an online sale.
If your brand images are not speaking clearly and powerfully about who you are, what you do, the value you provide, and how you stand out from the crowd, freshen things up.
Common reasons for new brand photos (rather than rebranding entirely):
Your current photos don’t accurately reflect your brand values.
In this case, your values haven’t changed, but your current brand photos simply aren’t doing a good enough job representing them. A new set of photos can help you better communicate what your brand stands for.
Your photos are outdated.
If your photos don’t reflect the confidence you now feel or the service you now provide, it’s time to update your visuals.
Your photos don’t fit together.
If your photos are hodge-podged together over the years, they won’t work as a set. Getting new photos can help make sure you have consistent imagery across your website, your social media, and all your marketing materials.
How I knew it was time to rebrand my own business, Alicia Leigh Photography:
As I mentioned, a rebrand is a good idea if your business is experiencing big changes, like:
a serious shift in service offerings
narrowing in on a new ideal client
making massive moves in brand messaging
What I didn’t tell you is that these were all things I saw happening in my own business.
When I first became an Austin brand photographer, I was serving a lot of business owners who were in the same place that I was at the time:
new to business
trying to gain clarity about who they serve and how
struggling with imposter syndrome and how to corner their market
But over the last year, it became clear to me that I and my brand had changed.
Today, I know my worth. I no longer apologize for my price or my process (which is not a show-up-and-shoot kind of deal) because I KNOW the value it provides.
Sure, I take great pictures that make you look good and feel good, but, more importantly, I bring to the table the creative vision, planning, and strategy for well-intentioned visuals that attract your ideal clients.
And I do it for unapologetic brands and driven AF creatives who want to connect with their ideal clients as their true selves.
To be totally honest with you, rebranding wasn’t even on the radar for my 2022 goals. But this year has propelled me in a new, clearer direction – personally and professionally – and it became increasingly clear that this was the next step for me, so I leaned in.
Key Takeaway
If your current brand feels off, begin to ask questions as to why. Don’t ignore the feeling - start to explore it.
When you’re struggling with attracting not-quite-idea clients, who come to you telling you they love a part of your brand that doesn’t reflect how you feel anymore, a rebrand could be in order. But rebranding is a big undertaking so ensure it’s the right solution for your vision and your business.
Often small changes can be enough to move the needle if you’re not ready for an overhaul — something like updated photography, new copy, or a shift in messaging might do the trick. With an investment in new business brand photos, you can keep taking steps forward, while spreading your investments out over time, and still create a dramatic impact on your business.
In the end, the best thing you can do is pay attention to the feelings you have about your branding and let them be your guide as to what you do next.
Is your gut telling you it's time to uplevel and show up as your best, authentic brand?
If you’re in the Austin, Texas area (or will be), and ready to update your brand photography, be sure to check out the story-driven, results-getting experience and shoot me a message when you're ready to chat.
