7 Items You Must Include in Your Business’s Rebranding Strategy
Posted on July 11, 2019 by Logo Design Tips and Tricks
There comes a time during every successful company’s lifetime that they start to consider building a rebranding strategy.
Maybe the logo just doesn’t properly express your business’s ideals anymore. After all, you’ve grown!
With that growth has come several different products and avenues that your company takes to maximize efficiency, and your current logo just doesn’t cover all those bases.
OR maybe your company has taken a complete 180º turn from the plan it originally had and found a more meaningful and fulfilling niche it’s serving to.
Whatever the case may be, rebranding can be an exciting-yet-scary time for your business. There may be the pressure to “get it right this time” or fear of clients not adjusting to your new logo.
Below are 7 items you need to have in your rebranding strategy to make it a successful endeavor!
7 Items to Include in Your Rebranding Strategy
Capture the essence of your company’s mission with these 7 ideas and reap the benefits for years to come!
Define the “Why” of Your Rebrand
Let’s face it: the idea of rebranding your company didn’t pop up in your head as an “oooh, that might be fun!” scenario. There’re a few reasons that you’re considering revamping your look.
If you’re looking to keep up with the Goliaths in your market, a rebrand can give you the look and feel of a company that stands just as tall as those industry giants.
Are you merging with another company? Time to update your logo and reflect the exciting news that two groundbreaking companies are joining forces to save the world!
Maybe you simply feel like you’ve outgrown your old (maybe boring?) company logo and want a new logo to get you recharged and ready to take on the next decade as your company’s leader.
Whatever the reason, it’s important that you’re honest with yourself on the true reason(s) for the rebrand. That way, your marketing team can capture the contrast in the new logo and build the right marketing strategy to push it out.
Take this CBD beginners guide, for example. This company wraps its branding around the up-and-coming industry that their products reside in.
Assess Your Company and Its Customers
Of course, you’re hoping that the rebrand helps catch the eyes of new leads, but you also need to ensure the new look won’t compromise your current batch of clients.
After all, they’re the ones that’ve been with you since the beginning, they believed in your company and are the reason you’re as successful as you are!
Once you have the “why” of your rebranding need, it’s time to assess your company’s current situation and see what needs to be improved on to reach that goal.
If the “why” is a new product that you’re launching, assess what your company needs to adjust to prepare for the launch.
After your self-assessment, it’s time to gather the feedback that truly matters… your client’s feedback. They’ll give you a firm understanding of your current brand from their eyes, and what needs to be improved.
Perception is reality, so if your client focus groups have a collective view on your branding that doesn’t line up with the new product, it HAS to be changed.
If you’re not sure what branding would look like with the new product, gather a focus group of people you’d deem as those in your new target market and consider their feedback as well.
Identify the “Disconnect”
After you’ve heard the feedback of your clients and target market, it’s time to see how your company measures up to their ideals.
The reason you’re considering a rebrand is because you know SOMETHING isn’t working, you just may not know what that is yet.
Finding the disconnect between your current brand/logo and your target market is a crucial step to the remarketing process. What needs to stand out more? which pieces of your marketing are failing?
Lucky for you, failure is an opportunity for learning! Even the big companies like Apple and Nike identify holes in their branding each day; it’s all part of building a consistent brand.
Recognizing the previous faults of your old logo will help you easily apply what you’ve learned to the brand-new logo that you roll out!
Give Your New Brand a Holistic Background
Even though it’s fun to create and launch a new logo, it’s not a decision that should just be made by pulling pieces of paper out of a hat.
The new brand that you create needs definition and a background story behind it.
Your story can have many things behind it: your company’s values, motivations, projects, products, origin, future goals, and mission statements, to name several.
All these features to your story will give clients and business partners a firm understanding of what your company stands for and why they should trust you with their business.
Try to define as many details of your new brand as possible: if you chose light blue and yellow as your new colors…. why? Describe what the significance of those two colors and how it applies to your corporate mission.
The depth of your new brand will show customers the amount of thought you put into every decision. Each move you make for your company is done with precision and care, why should your new marketing strategy be any different?
Give Your New Brand a “Test Run”
Remember those client/target customer focus groups from before?
You asked them for their thoughts on your old brand, now it’s time to ask for their feedback on your new look!
Witnessing their initial reactions to your new brand will give you an idea of the reaction you’d see during your launch. Not satisfied with their reaction? Ask them what tweaks they would suggest making to it.
Every rebranding presents kinks and adjustments that need to be made, this test run will allow you to fix those prior to the actual launch. Also, your client’s feedback may have an idea that you can easily include prior to the launch.
Little improvements can make a huge difference in how your new brand is perceived once it hits the open market for the very first time.
Spread the New Brand Across the Board
Alright! You now have a new-and-improved brand with a story that rivals the Harry Potter series… now it’s time to flaunt it!
Put the new logo on every flyer, social media profile picture, website space, and signage piece that you can get your hands on. Place the new mission statement on every bio and website subtitle within reach.
Heck, deck your employees out in swag with the new logo all over it… they’ll love it!
Make sure your employees are up to speed on the new brand’s logo, motto, color scheme, etc. More importantly, be sure to explain the story and thought process of the new brand to them so they can spread the word on the new venture.
Stand with Your New Brand
Be prepared for the long haul with your new brand. Push it out whenever you’re given the opportunity, and back it up whenever you’re questioned on it.
The only thing more important to a brand’s image than its depth, is its consistency. You could have the best logo in the corporate world, but if you never push it out, how will new markets ever find it?
The focus is to “steady the marketing ship” when the times get tough. Even when you’re not seeing great returns or copious amounts of consumer interaction, stand strong and continue to promote your brand.
Companies that promote themselves on a consistent basis stay at the top of their customers’ and prospects’ minds. The pay-off is well worth the time and money investment.
This new brand is your baby, take it with you wherever you go and shout it from the mountaintops!
Get Started with Your New Logo Today!
Now that you have the step-by-step process laid out for your rebranding strategy, it’s time to start coming up with ideas for your new logo!
You can find inspiration for the new design almost anywhere and apply it to a symbol that will be loved by you and your customers for years to come.
Use the Onlinelogomaker.com logo maker to start brainstorming for your new brand’s aesthetic.
This offers you an uncomplicated way of customizing logo ideas to your preference and allows you to save all projects for you to edit later.
A Step by Step Guide to the Logo Designing Process
Posted on January 25, 2019 by Logo Design Tips and Tricks
Would you like to learn a logo designing process that professionals use?
Your logo is the first thing that people often see about your company and often used to form a first impression.
Have you ever heard that you only get one chance to make a first impression? A logo is your chance to do that, but you only have about 10 seconds to create that first impression with your logo.
What to know how to create a logo that will make the right impression?
Read on to learn the logo design process that will impress customers and employees.
1. Brand Soul Searching
Do you know what your brand stands for? If you don’t, that’s the first step in the logo designing process.
Your logo should be aligned with your company’s values, mission, and marketing messages.
You need to have a clear understanding of these pieces before you start to design a logo because otherwise, the logo won’t be a true reflection of your company.
Another piece of critical information needed to design a logo is what you want your customers to think of when they think of your company.
For example, Volvo’s customers think of safety when they think of the company.
2. Competitive Research
Looking at your competition’s logos will give you great insight as you start to design your logo.
Think about it this way, the average person sees up to 8,000 brands in one day. How will your brand stand out from the thousands of others?
Look at other logos and write down what you like about them, what you don’t like, and what your first impression is.
This will help you design a logo that stands out.
3. Learn Basic Principles of Design
If you want to know how to design a logo, you’re going to have to learn the basic principles of design.
Color, typography, and symbols all work together to form an impression in the customer’s mind.
For example, red indicates a sense of urgency while blue gives people a sense of stability and security.
You need to brush up on these details before you start to design your logo so you know that your logo conveys the right message.
4. Brainstorm Ideas
This part of the logo designing process is the most fun because this is where you get to be creative and free.
You get to take everything you’ve learned about your business, design, and your competition and apply it into the design process.
Draw out sketches of logos. Include what typeface they should be and what colors to use.
If you don’t like to draw, then you can play with a logo design tool. Ideally, you’ll have 3-5 variations of your logo to work within the next steps.
5. Think About How the Logo Will Get Used
As you’re toying with different ideas for designing your logo, you’ll need to consider how the logo will be used.
Will it just appear in documents and your website? Will it appear on banners?
The application of your logo will also influence your design. As you’re sketching logos, print out a copy and put it on a business card and other places it’ll be used.
6. Tell a Story
Since your logo visually represents your company, it’s an opportunity to give your logo meaning that has something to do with your brand.
For example, Nike is a sporting goods company that is about high-performance sportswear for all types of athletes. The name Nike and the swoosh relate to the Greek goddess Nike, who wore wings of victory.
As human beings, we relate to stories, just as much as images. You can create a similar type of symbolism in your logo to deepen the connection between your company and customers.
7. Test & Refine the Logo
One of the biggest design fails of all time is by Gap in 2010, which spent a lot of money on a redesign. When the new logo was released, there was such a public outcry the company reverted to the old logo within days.
That’s why you have to test your logo before you release it out to the world. You can test a few variations of the logo against each other.
The thing to remember is that you have to go beyond your friends and family when you test your logo. Talk to your customers, potential customers, and employees.
You basically want to get a good sample size of the stakeholders in your business.
Ask them what their first impressions are of the logo. You can also ask them the first thing that comes to mind and whether or not the logo gives them a good or bad impression of the logo.
Also, ask them what they would do differently to improve the logo.
Take the best parts of the feedback, refine the logo, and go back for more feedback. This process should continue for a few rounds until you get a logo that looks great and conveys what your brand is about.
8. Finalize & Publish
After you go through several rounds of feedback, it’ll be time to finalize your logo and release it to the world. It would be in your best interest to create a marketing campaign a few weeks before you release the logo.
You can create anticipation around your brand and tells the story behind the logo. This would have a big impact on your brand because you’re creating positive emotions around your logo already.
When you release it and people see it and love it, that will reinforce the positive connection with your company.
An Easy Logo Designing Process
A lot rides on the look of your logo. Current and potential customers will look at your logo and make a snap judgment as to whether they want to do business with you.
Your employees will look at the logo and it can boost employee morale if you get it right. By following the steps outlined in this article, you’ll be able to create a logo that your employees and customers can be proud of.
For more great articles about logo design, check out these articles on the best file formats for logos and how to convey brand personality in your logo.
Smart Signage Design Ideas to Get Customers in Your Front Door
Posted on January 10, 2019 by Logo Design Tips and Tricks
If you want to boost business for your company or shop, you’ll have to get creative. Thankfully, it’s not as difficult as it sounds.
All you need to do is brainstorm some stellar sign design ideas with your team. Signage is an easy way to attract customers and get your brand out there.
Are you curious to learn more? Keep reading for some awesome tips about signage design that will get customers in your front door and skyrocket your sales. Let’s get started!
Solidify Your Logo First
Small business signs will get your business noticed, even if you’re just starting out. But to create effective signage, you’ll need a stellar logo first. After all, your logo is the most recognizable part of your branding.
If your company already has a logo, make sure you’re happy with it before you create new signage. If you’re starting from scratch, check out our blog for info about creating the perfect logo for any business.
Choose an Attractive Color
Color is an important part of marketing psychology. So, when your team is coming up with business sign ideas, consider which colors best reflect what you’re trying to communicate.
Whether you’re creating the main sign for your business, or a sign to advertise a sale or promotion with both words and images, the colors you choose will affect how effective it is.
Use Signs to Increase Visibility
Is your business hard to find? Use signs to increase your visibility and decrease customer frustration. Placing clear signs around your area that point people in the right direction will help.
Focus on Contrast in Your Signage Design
If your indoor or outdoor signage design is too busy and complicated, it won’t attract anyone’s eye as they walk or drive by. Make sure the colors you use contrast each other in a clear and simple way. Sticking to two or three colors is a great way to achieve this.
Contrasting with clarity will communicate the message you want, whether you’re directing customers toward your business’ parking machines or foot traffic into your shop.
Put a Fun Sign in Your Window
Are you afraid your business is looking a little stale? If that’s the case, then it’s time to have some fun.
Signs are a great way to communicate your sense of humor to potential customers. Use your whole team to brainstorm out-of-the-box storefront sign ideas. You might just surprise yourself!
Take This as a Sign
Why wait to start boosting your business? Set yourself up for success today by using effective signage design to improve traffic flow.
For the best results, focus on using colors that match your company’s vibe and message. Be sure to contrast these colors appropriately and to keep your signage simple. Use these signs to show off your sense of humor and to boost your visibility.
Need help coming up with a recognizable logo to put on your signage? We’re here to help. Check out our online logo maker for great results!
How to Follow the Logo Design Process That the Pros Use
Posted on October 06, 2018 by Logo Design Tips and Tricks
Ever stopped to marvel at distinct company logos everyone can remember? Almost everyone can, in the blink of an eye, identify the logos for Nike, McDonald’s, Starbucks, and Apple.
Speaking of Apple, did you know its market dominance with smartphones is at 12.1% globally? A big reason behind this isn’t because of the iPhone’s capabilities but of brand recognition. People know the logo, they trust the brand and hence buy their products.
As a small business, this is a good example to follow. That said, you need to have a good grasp of the logo design process companies use since it helps people understand your brand.
Experts don’t make logos on a whim.
There are intricate steps that most logo design professionals follow. Not sure what these steps are? Read on to learn every step and what you can do to make the best logo possible:
1. Discover the Client
One of the first steps to create a logo is for the logo maker to have a long conversation with their client. This meeting helps them learn a lot more about your company’s culture as well as your values and your means of doing business. This allows them to show off that message when designing your company’s logo.
After all, aspiring for a great logo means expressing your company’s values and reflects the ideals you want to show people. You can compare this to an employee with the sole purpose of representing your company in its best possible light while maintaining its distinctive features. You can’t give a good representation without making the wrong assumptions if you aren’t asking for professional help.
Completing this step ensures that the designer creates a logo that you and everyone in your company can relate with. It’s important that they ask the personality you want your brand to project and the kind of customers you have.
2. Discover the Industry
After getting to know your company, the designer then attempts to know your company’s audience and your competition. Knowing the former allows them to have the understanding of the specific kind of logo style you need to appeal to them. For example, working in a market that caters to teenagers needs something mainstream and catchy.
That’s the reason designers will ask for thorough answers when it comes to the customers that you cater to. The more they know about it, the easier it is for them to give the logo your audience can appreciate and get behind with.
Knowing your competition is a more important part of the process. They need to know if there are other logos out there that look similar to something they might design. Doing a logo identical to your competitors’ is a big business blunder, so it’s important that they design one that sets you apart from the key competitors that need your consideration.
3. Discover Logo Usage
This step in the logo designing process is about the designer knowing how and where the logo gets usage. Logo application refers to the different possible uses of your company’s logo. It’s important since it allows the designer to set what can and what cannot happen in terms of the logo’s design perspective.
Web-based companies, for example, can let designers use the full spectrum of the RGB for the logo. After all, the digital devices that view it won’t have problems with the color. It helps the logo stand out but it can become horrible when printed as physical copies.
With this, you need to consult your designer and tell them the medium you’ll use for the logo. This ensures that they only use the ideas your company can execute without having to spend more.
4. Lots of Sketching
Some design schools urge their students to formulate around 100 ideas before deciding the right pick amongst the bunch. It’s a practice that ensures you have a lot of choices. It allows your designer to separate the good ideas you have from the bad ones.
It’s a simple truth but if you want your logo to have the identity it deserves, your designer needs to sketch lots of logo ideas while brainstorming. Once they do, they pick from a handful of decent designs to present to you. It might sound difficult, but the process isn’t that long since it can take less than a minute to sketch each depending on the complexity of the logo.
5. Design Drafts
After sketching, your designer will now pick the top 5-7 of their ideas and create drafts of its designs. They aren’t necessarily the nicest-looking designs but they all have the capability to make you stand out in the industry. They will often present the black and white versions of their designs, keeping them focused on the ideas without the need to gloss over the tiny details.
You need to give them the feedback for the rough ideas. It helps them know which ones are worth refining.
6. Refining Logos
This logo creation process step is the longest. The reason is the fact that it needs lots of back and forth when it comes to the necessary improvements and updates to the drafts they present to you. There are times when you pick one idea from their drafts but it’s often ideal to pick at least three and see where they end up once they get refined.
This is the part where they add the colors and details. It’s up to you if you wish to add, change, or throw away the ideas that don’t appeal to you. Once the final logo gets chosen, you can now help in developing its identity and use it for your company’s sake.
Learn the Logo Design Process Today!
With branding firms asking for at least $1,000-$50,000 to help develop your brand identity, you need to know the logo design process to ensure you get what you pay for. Of course, there are some cheap ones out there but you don’t want to pay those since they don’t give you the best results. It becomes worse if you ask people to do it for free.
It all comes to how much you’re willing to spend. In any case, you often get what you pay for.
Do you need answers for your logo-making questions? Contact us today and we’re more than happy to assist you.