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Thinking of a brand re-launch? Every brand needs an occasional refresh – it’s a great way to sharpen your image, increase consumer appeal and remain modern and relevant to consumers. Unfortunately as with any change, it’s easier than you’d think to miss the mark, confuse or alienate existing shoppers and lose sales… and even more dangerous in this world of social media where boycotts & bad publicity are easier than ever.

Whether it’s a complete re-launch, or a tweak, here are 5 golden rules to ensure your re-launch is a HUGE success:

 

1. Understand what cues make your brand easily recognisable and valuable to your customers… and KEEP them!

It’s worth taking the time to get to the heart of what’s working – and what isn’t.Talk to your customers, conduct research, observe behaviour and get to know how people identify and select your products. Know whether people shop by colour, always look for your logo or a key image, test fragrances before buying or go to the same place in store. Consider the impact of your change and test it if you can. If you have a distinctive brand colour, an historic brand mark or memorabe font then make sure you keep those elements in your new look!

2. Many people don’t like change so consider making a series of smaller updates over time.

The most successful changes are more evolution than revolution, especially if your brand has remained static for a long period of time, or you have an extremely loyal customer base. Even small changes can add up to huge results.

3. Take your customers or clients on the journey – often when people see a new look they make assumptions to go with it.

For example if the packaging has been updated consumers may assume that the product has changed as well, or if the brand has been updated they may assume a change in ownership or direction. In either case it’s important to explain the change (potentially in advance), or highlight the benefits to consumers to ensure you manage the message and take loyal customer forward with you.

4. Make it easy! People are busy & they’re inundated by brand and business updates & news all day every day.

While it may be all you think about, a brand update is just a minor blip for many of your customers. Like any client communication you need to make it relevant, interesting and client focused so that it engages with your audience. Consider creating a video, sharing behind the scenes access or a sneak peek or an (ahem) blog to bring your brand to life.

5. Amplify your re-launch! News of a re-launch or brand update can be a great source of new content, especially if it’s linked to a new range, product or benefit.

It gives you a great reason to touch base with your existing customers and reach out to new ones, especially if you can do it in a way that builds awareness of and connection with your brand!

By following these 5 golden rules and embracing new opportunities for change in your business, you’ll put the steps in place for sustainable, profitable business growth for many years to come.

Thinking about refreshing or re-launching your brand and want some help? Contact [email protected]  today!