Rebranding: A 4-Step Guide To Successfully Announce Your Rebrand.

Every business has an identity - a name, a logo, a branding style that makes them stand out amongst other businesses. However, just like you could wake up one morning and decide that you want a makeover, a business could also decide to "rebrand" its identity.

What is Rebranding?

Rebranding is the process through which an existing and established brand creates a new image and identity for itself. It does this by changing its logo, brand name, image and messaging.

Although rebranding can be a good marketing strategy for companies, if it's not done right, it could fall flat.

A successful rebrand is more than creating a new logo or brand name. It involves making the people who care about your brand - your customers, employees, investors - a part of the rebranding process. A great way to do this is by effectively announcing your rebrand.

Rise and Grey Finance who in the past year, rebranded from "RiseVest" and "Aboki Africa" respectively, understood the importance of effectively announcing a rebrand. When they announced their rebranding, they received a lot of excitement from new and existing customers about their rebrand.

In this article, Wii share 4 steps that companies like Rise and Grey Finance have taken to announce their rebrand, and how with these steps, you can successfully announce yours too.

Step 1: Share the rebrand with your team members/employees

A successful rebrand starts with the members of your company. Although the reaction of customers to a rebrand is usually a company’s priority when announcing its rebrand, it is important to get the support and buy-in of your employees and internal stakeholders before you announce your rebrand.

When you include your team members in the rebranding process, they not only connect to the new image of the brand, but they are more likely to become personally invested in the rebrand.

This will turn them into proud brand ambassadors who will share the rebrand with both customers and non-customers alike.

Sharing your rebrand internally enables your company to celebrate the rebrand and create excitement about it amongst your employees. A great way to celebrate the rebrand with your team and help them get used to the new look with ease is by sharing merch with the new brand look.

STEP 2: Display the rebrand consistently across all your brand assets

Rebranding involves creating a new image for your company by designing a new logo, brand name or brand colour.

However, for your rebrand to be successful, it is essential that this change is reflected across all the tangible or visual elements or assets of your brand. Such tangible and visual assets include your business cards, website, flyers, merch, amongst other things.

It would be inconsistent if your website displays the new logo while your business cards or merch do not. This is why consistently displaying the new brand image across all your tangible brand assets is key to the success of your rebranding reveal.

Grey Finance understood this and reflected their new brand name and logo on their website, cards and merch as part of their rebranding process.

STEP 3: Announce the rebrand to your existing customers, clients and partners.

Announcing a rebrand through public channels such as social media, email, TV etc is key for a successful rebrand. However, it is important that long-time or high-paying clients/customers and partners of your business learn about your rebrand before the "general public" does.

The reason for this is, customers, clients and partners who have worked with your brand for a long time are most likely used to the former image of your brand.

Publicly announcing a rebrand overnight without giving them a "heads up" or prior notice could take them by surprise, and give them the impression that they do not matter to your brand.

Note: Announcing your rebrand to existing customers, clients and partners before the public does not mean you are asking for their input or approval. Rather, it shows that your brand cares about them and that you want to make them a part of your brand's journey.

To successfully announce your rebrand to existing clients, customers or partners, you need to determine the most effective communication method for this.

For some clients, sending them a merch box with the new brand image and a card explaining the rebrand would be effective.

However, for other clients, a personal phone call, message or email informing them about the reason for the rebrand would be more effective.

STEP 4: The Public Reveal!

A rebrand that does not involve or get the attention of your external audience can not be considered as a truly successful rebrand. This is because a rebranding is the best time to get members of the public interested in your brand's story and your brand itself.

To successfully announce your rebrand, show your external audience (online and offline) how your rebrand benefits them and why they should care about it.

Use channels such as social media, TV, email, etc to tell your brand story and show your audience how the new brand image reflects your brand's journey.

A successful rebrand could also improve your marketing efforts. When you announce your rebrand through a sale, contest or promotion, these promotional activities could get your customers involved in and excited about your rebrand.

Another effective way to get the outside world invested in and excited about your rebrand is by giving them branded merch.

When you give out branded merch to your external audience, you achieve 3 things:
1. You put the new brand in their hands, make it tangible to them, and help them to connect with your brand.
2. You give them an incentive to talk about your brand and rebrand. This will extend the reach of your brand and further publicize your rebrand too.
3. You make them walking billboards of your brand. The more people who see your merch, the more visible your brand becomes and the more public your rebranding becomes too.

This is what Grey Finance and RiseVest did when they created merch to give to members of their external audience. This created excitement and awareness about their rebrand, both online and offline.

Rebranding when done right can usher in a new, profitable and remarkable era for your company. With the steps outlined in this article, you can successfully launch your rebrand and put your brand in the minds and hearts of those that matter.