Sometimes, the idea of a company rebrand can fill your organisation with hope – particularly when you’ve been suffering from a bad reputation for some time now. A rebrand gives your company the chance to start afresh, but it’s worth noting that the process requires a great deal of dedication and effort. To sop your experience from spiralling out of control, it’s important to have a plan.

If you’re thinking about introducing a rebrand to your business, the following 7 considerations should keep you on the right track.

1. Check your Competitors Out

Checking out your competitors is crucial – particularly if you’re working in a saturated market. Start by examining some of the closest competitors in your industry. The aim here isn’t just to copy what other people in your sector are doing, but instead get a feel for what’s trending right now, and what your customers like. Evaluating your competitors will also help you to look for spaces where you can step outside of the box or “break the mould”.

2. Pick the Perfect Name

Choosing the right name is one of the most complicated parts of any rebrand. You need something that’s going to successfully demonstrate your brand values while setting you apart from the competition. Start by brainstorming a few ideas based on the words that are best used to describe your business. After that, make sure that you check out which options are currently available for purchase.

3. Give As much Information as You Can

If you’re working with a rebranding team to bring your idea to life, then you’ll need to give them as much information as possible as quickly as possible. Try to share details on what your company personality is like and what you hope to accomplish with your new image. If there are any specific colours you want to use or shades you hope to stay away from you should outline that too, along with details about your preferred typography.

4. Get Buy-in From Your Team

Ultimately, it takes more than just your CEO loving your new name to make your rebrand a success. Your entire team needs to understand why you’re making a change if you want everything to go off without a hitch. Explain the transformation to the people in your company and ask them to let you know if they have any questions or concerned. This will help to make sure that your employees don’t feel as though they’re being left out of important decisions.

5. Decide if You Want to Keep Anything

A rebrand doesn’t always have to mean starting again completely from scratch. Sometimes, you can keep parts of your personality and update others to create something that’s a combination of your old image, and the new image you want to create. Think about whether there are any specific aspects of your branding that your existing customers and shareholders are fond of. It might be helpful to keep these around, so you don’t lose the love of your existing supporters.

6. Let the Process Take You in an Unexpected Direction

Hiring a branding firm can help to make sure that you don’t get stuck on one path with your thinking. After all, it can be difficult to break your entire company down and start again from scratch. The important thing to remember is that this is your chance to do something new and positive for your company. While there’s nothing wrong with having an idea in mind of what you want to create, it’s a good idea to be flexible and allow the process to take you in its own direction. If you feel like you’re getting stuck in a rut, reach out to your branding professional for some help. You might be surprised by how useful they can be.

7. Consider Going Down the “Less is More” Road

Finally, remember that rebranding your company isn’t an excuse to go over the top with new designs and trending principles. While there’s nothing wrong with trying a few new ideas, you don’t want to let your excitement take you too far. Make sure that you experiment with different styles, but at the end of the day, try to refine everything down to make sure that you’re expressing a clear and concise image or message.

Customers generally prefer brands that are simple and easier to remember. The more complicated your branding becomes, the more difficult it will be for you to stay front of mind for your clients.