Lately I've seen so many posts regarding rebranding; from graphic designers marketing towards clients who need it to other entrepreneurs asking for feedback on their newly rebranded site. I had a general idea about what rebranding was, but I didn't have a full picture. With all the buzz surrounding it, I wanted more information. Chances are if you clicked on this blog- then you want more info too!
I sat down with my friend Steph, a graphic designer who owns Stephanie Audette Design, LLC, to ask for more insight regarding what it is and the process behind it. You can check out a video of our interview below, or keep scrolling to read our Q&A.
What is a brand identity?
A brand identity is what people thing of when they think of your company.
It includes visual aspects such as a logo, color pallet, and fonts. It also includes brand messaging. Brand messaging is how a company talks to their audience and the personality that comes through. The personality could be serious, playful, relaxed, etc. It is what sets you apart from other companies.
I try to make Tamara Merri Photography come across as fun and inviting. It is so important to establish a brand before doing anything else. If you don't, you'll have to backtrack to figure out WHO you're trying to sell to in order to actually target that market. You cannot sell to everyone. Everyone does not want what you have to offer.
What is rebranding?
Rebranding is when you change your company's visual identity.
Updating your visual identity may include your logo, colors, typography. A logo is a symbol or word(s) that quickly and effectively represents what your company does. Colors and typography (fonts) communicating on your behalf as they convey different moods. A visual identity also includes the personality of your brand. The personality is the way that you/your brand communicates with people both directly or indirectly.
Communication could include blurbs on your site, blog posts, Instagram captions, email templates, and how you interact with others. The communication tone, vibe, and personality should remain cohesive. I aim to communicate effectively with an air of happiness, but not much extra fluff.
Who should rebrand? Should everyone at some point?
If you're not attracting the right clients, it's time to rebrand
Almost everyone can rebrand. However, if you have a strong company brand already, it may not be beneficial to rebrand. A couple key signs that is IS time to rebrand include: you're attracting the wrong customers, you aren't attracting the right customers, you aren't making as much money as you'd like, and/or people don't understand what you do or sell. Check out GAP's rebranding gone wrong. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
How long does rebranding take?
The timeline differs for types of companies you're working with: larger marketing company vs freelancer. For Steph, her process takes around two months.
When should I hire a pro to help me rebrand?
If you've trail and failed at attracting the type of clients you want, it's time to hire a professional.
If nothing you do seems to attract the right clientele, look into hiring a professional to see where you're going wrong. Also if you don't want to do it yourself- whether you don't feel comfortable or don't have the skills to create a visual brand, and you have the budget for it, definitely hire a pro.
What can I expect to receive if I hire a professional graphic designer/brand architect?
Many clients are surprised to find that I provide them with a brand identity guide
Steph first starts with a questionnaire to discover your target market, your mission statement, and your "why". She then creates a mood board to discover visually what you're going for: logo, photos, expressions, etc., to make sure you're on the same page for concepts. Then she'll take the ideas to the computer where she creates 3-5 complete logo concepts to present to you. She'll then refine the final product of your choosing and will provide you with a brand identity guide. A brand identity guide includes all file info used for your brand in a PDF format. The file info includes font names, color codes, logo dimensions, etc. This is super helpful because it can be given to another graphic designer, an apparel or sign person, etc. in order to ensure your brand is consistent across all platforms and materials.
Info about our interviewee, Steph Audette Design, LLC
Steph has been a full time graphic designer and brand architect for six years. Before working for herself full time she's worked for other design companies but definitely prefers being her own boss. She enjoys educating small businesses on branding and hand holding them through the process as well as the challenge of visually creating something that will pull in their target market. An added bonus of her line of work is making relationships with the community and connecting her clients together to help build others' businesses.
Five quick tips you can implement to improve your website today
1. Add a "call to action" to get viewers to engage with your site without them having to scroll.
2. Add more white space between headings, paragraphs, and photos to allow the viewers eyes to "breathe".
3. Add a badge, award, and/or association affiliation to your site to prove your credibility.
4. Use a maximum of three different fonts to keep your site cohesive
5. Have three main things on your home page: portfolio, offerings, how to contact you.
Aside from this Q&A, in the video below (or above.. it's the same), Steph does a live critique of my website and you can see our bloopers at the end 😆.
Have more questions regarding rebranding? Leave a comment to get Steph's attention.
Have questions about a different topic regarding the creative industry or life of an entrepreneur? I'd love to hear your thoughts to create more helpful content.
You can find more info about Steph at:
Stephanie Audette Design, LLC
www.stephanieaudette.com
@audette_stephanie
You can find more info about the author, Tamara, at:
Tamara Merri Photography
www.TamaraMerriPhotography.com
@tamaramerriphotography
xo,
Tam
