It’s not an easy decision to evaluate your brand and make meaningful changes based on findings. But there are many cases where it might be necessary to stand up for a change, so check out these 8 Genuine Reasons to Take a Step Back and Evaluate Your Brand.
8 Genuine Reasons to Take a Step Back and Evaluate Your Brand
There’s a problem with the Name
Your brand name is essentially your identity. So changing it has massive implications. Yet sometimes, it is necessary.
For example, perhaps there is another brand with a closely matching name. Or your brand name contains a word considered offensive. Whatever the case, it no longer suits your brand. And you might be better off changing it.
Depending on where you live or are registered, it can be tricky. But you can change your company name in 3 working days through a name change service provider that handles everything for you.
Evaluate Your Brand to Show Support for a Cause
Your brand is more than a nifty logo and a catchy name. You have an entire culture built around it. And work culture, whether you are a solo social media influencer, or a multinational corporation, changes.
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Often, your brand identity as a whole can be politicized, and you have power when it comes to effecting positive change with your followers and loyal customers.
Showing support for a cause you believe in, such as #MeToo gives you the opportunity for an internal look at your hiring practices, management structure, and work practices.
Suffering Negative Press
Negative press can be disastrous for your brand. It will lose you money, customers, and trust. And you might even have to change names because of employee actions.
For instance, the private security firm Blackwater has changed its name twice over the past ten years because of news stories of heinous crimes committed by its employees. And medicine maker Valeant was forced to change its name to Bausch after losing over $1 billion to shareholders.
It made the decision to raise the price of life-saving drugs to extortionate, unaffordable amounts.
Inappropriate Conduct Discovery
Further to employee actions, or even your own, inappropriate conduct discovery is one of the more honorable reasons to take a close look at your brand and what it stands for.
The #MeToo movement highlights just how widespread sexual harassment and bullying are at work for women and men. Of course, a single, isolated incident is one too many. But one unsavory person doesn’t indicate bad practices across your company.
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However, a pattern of complaints, cover-ups, and inaction to do nothing about it means something is very wrong at all levels.
EXTRA: How a Digital Marketing Agency Can Help
Assessing your brand or reinventing it isn’t easy. And you will need help to do it. Fortunately for you, there are professionals capable of helping you re-establish your identity and inform the public what you stand for.
Digital marketing agencies can help you in the following ways:
- Brand development: redesign and rediscover your brand with fresh values.
- Social media campaigns: disperse your brand through popular channels.
- Brand recognition: help make your brand the face of a movement.
- High impact content: create user content with a focus on social values.
- Vital SEO: create or adjust your web SEO to reflect modern times.
A DMA is a way to go if you want to completely change how the world sees your brand. No matter the reason, a reputable agency will work with you if you are willing to change. Then, in accordance with your planned changes, they can present your reevaluated brand to the world.
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A Shift to New Production Methods
Perhaps through no fault of your own, willful ignorance, or outdated practices, your brand has caused harm to people, animals, or the environment. Recognizing harm is the first step to rectifying it, and you can evaluate your brand to implement changes throughout.
For example, switching your production methods will have a significant impact. Not only on your business but how people see it. You can capitalize on this as part of a rebranding strategy.
For instance, you might make the switch to using sustainable materials in your packaging.
A Change in Products or Services
Your products and services will change over time no matter what you offer. Some changes are drastic, while others are minor. But you might consider evaluating your brand in line with any changes to your services or products.
Perhaps a particular method is becoming unpopular, unsafe, or illegal. Then it’s helpful to figure out new ways of offering services in the most effective way according to public sentiment or law.
Finally, ask yourself what your brand can do better to make your industry safer for everyone and become a leading inspiration for others.
Evaluate Your Brand Before a Merger
Mergers in business are common because small and medium-sized companies have a hard time competing in some industries. So sometimes they need help. If this is the case with your brand, you might be considering a merger.
But you need to assess whether your brand fits with the overall brand of which you are considering becoming a part. For example, their policies may not align with yours. Or perhaps they are the kind of brand you aspire to be.
Either way, you can learn a lot about your own brand before a merger by looking at others and moving forward.
You Have Outgrown Old Perspectives
You will change in your life. And your brand will too. Approaching your tenth year in business, you might not have the same attitudes you did when you started. Facebook is a perfect example.
It was meant to be a simple platform for connecting people when it began. Now it has evolved into a news and advertising powerhouse that implicitly relies on masses of data. Essentially, it’s a massive classified ads page completely different from when it started out.
So sometimes, it’s necessary to step back and check if your brand is going where you want it to.
Summary
You need to evaluate your brand every now and then. Some of the most considerable reasons include changing with the times, weathering a press storm, or a simple change of name.
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