There are many reasons businesses across Australia might consider rebranding, with most stemming from a need to reposition a brand in the marketplace.

It could be as simple as the product or service you now offer has outgrown your original intention for your brand, or a major shift in customers and demographics.

Having a strong brand identity is what is most important in this discussion as customers are more likely to remember your business and trust your communications. Successful brands are those who creatively and clearly communicate who they are, their offering and what they stand for, making those who have interacted with you proud to be your customers.

Whatever the reason may be, here are seven steps which will help get you on your way.

1. Start with your why

Any re-branding strategy should start with thoroughly analysing the reason behind the need to rebrand. Do you need to accelerate growth? Is it to help you compete in your sector? Are you trying to appeal to a different audience? The answers to the above will help to define your first steps toward understanding what your business’ refreshed brand identity will be.

2. Know your identity

It’s incredibly important that you analyse what your new brand stands for, in light of understanding your why. Brands that don’t have a strong set of values and core beliefs can risk coming across as disingenuous, especially now that consumers are looking to purchase from brands whose values align with their own.

3. Research your competition

There are few things worse than launching the brand you’ve worked hard on, only to realise you are a little too similar to your competitors. The main objective of competitor research is to understand the difference between your core competencies and theirs. Analysing and incorporating this will be what sets you apart, including your unique selling point, and gives your brand the tools to flourish.

4. Build your messaging

Once you have collated the above and completed your research you can move onto building your brands messaging. In its simplest form, messaging should include your brands purpose and core values, from this you can build out your messaging house to include a vast array of different segments, depending on your customers and campaigns.

5. Get creative

By now you should know; who you are, what you stand for and who you are competing with. Now what? It’s time to get creative! Think name, logo, tagline, colours, stationery, and the like. These elements are often described as a brand’s style guide and pulling it all together will ensure your brand is implemented consistently across different mediums.

6. Boost your collateral

At this point you need to start thinking about your physical presence. Now that your branding and identity is sorted you can put it into play. If you intend to host market stalls, booths at any relevant expos, or hand out samples at events you will need to develop your marketing collateral. This should include anything you intend to physically or digitally give prospective customers that pitches your product or service.

7. Nail your online presence

It’s no exaggeration to say your website and online presence are the heart of your business. It’s the place where you can tell a compelling story to your audience, and the first place prospective customers will turn to learn more about your brand and products One of the key elements to a successful brand is consistency. Your customers should be able to find you on any digital channel and receive the same type of experience. It’s also important that your brand reaches your target audience in the places they want to be found – making a multi-channel brand essential in the digital age.

Growing your business online is simpler with Netregistry

Whether you have an online business already or are completely new to the digital world, Netregistry can make things simpler. We’ve been working with Australian small-medium businesses for decades and understand how to help them reach their full potential. With expert teams in SEO, PPC, Social and Websites – we have all the experience you need for a successful online business. To get started, call us on 1300 638 734 or submit a message online.