Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Google Podcasts | Spotify | RSS
When is it the right time to rebrand your business? Rebranding is a topic I love talking about. As a brand designer and strategist, I’ve seen some of my favorite branding projects happen during my clients off season.
Now, why is it that their off season sets them up for a successful rebrand? I firmly believe it’s because during an off season, you’re able to give more time and energy into rebranding with intention. You strategically step into a new booking season with a new elevated brand identity that will draw in your most ideal clients.
In this episode I’m breaking this concept into four parts so you can make an informed decision for yourself about how to leverage a slow season within your business to rebrand.
4 Ways to Utilize Your Slow Season to Rebrand
Now, before we dive in, I want to take a minute and highlight one truth here. If you experience some months where business “slows” down, you have an off season. And that is such a beautiful thing. Because an off season means you have the opportunity to create the mental space and the energy to invest back into your business.
Slow seasons are no reason to panic. They are a gift for you to slow down and think about things like: what’s working, what’s not working, and what changes need to happen within your business?
An off season is a great opportunity to think about the different ways you want to grow. And on top of that, it’s a great opportunity to take a minute and catch a breath. And in that space of slowing down, you’re able to see the ways that rebranding your business could propel you forward.
So with that, let’s dive into the four reasons leveraging a rebrand in your off season can help your business grow.
#1 SET BIG GOALS FOR THE SEASON AHEAD
First and foremost, I believe that by diving into a rebrand through a slower season, you have the ability to set big, beautiful goals for the season ahead.
Your off season is such a great opportunity for you to sit down, look at your goals for the coming season, and identify how you want to grow.
Do you want to book more high-end clients in 2020? More ideal clients? Do you want to pivot your business and change the way you’re being perceived in the industry?
If any of these hypothetical goals are making you nod your head, then crafting an elevated brand can help position your business in the right way and get your work in front of your ideal clients.
Take a look at the goals you have—whether you’re dreaming of scaling or dreaming of scaling back—I want to encourage you to look at your brand (not just your visuals or logo) but your brand as a whole and ask yourself: is my brand equipping me with the tools I need to achieve my goals or my brand holding me back?
There is no right or wrong answer here. Tune into the episode with the media player ahead to work through this question even further.
#2 – STRATEGICALLY SHOWCASE YOUR WORK IN A REBRAND
The second reason why elevating your brand in the off season can be advantageous is because it gives you the opportunity to strategically showcase an elevated brand that represents you and your work.
Going through a rebrand in your off season means you have some gorgeous work from the prior season to showcase. You have beautiful examples for your portfolio you can leverage through your collateral, your website, and social content.
Rebranding in the off season is an easy way for you to turn your focus towards the ideal clients you want to serve in the next season while leveraging the best work you did in the past season.
When I think about many of the incredible wedding planners and photographers I worked with this year, we strategically positioned them—through their website, investment guide, welcome guides, etc.—through curated assets that focus only on the very best of their work. We want to attract our ideal clients so we need to showcase the type of work, aesthetic, and environment our ideal clients see themselves in.
If you’re going through a rebrand, you have this beautiful opportunity to showcase your best work so you can continually bring in your ideal clients time and time again.
This gets me so excited for my clients because there is so much beautiful possibility that allows you to do the work you love doing while connecting with the kinds of clients you dream of working with.
#3 – GET IN FRONT OF YOUR IDEAL CLIENT
The third reason I think you should rebrand in your off season is because it allows you to get out in front of your ideal client at an optimal time.
If you’re dreaming of the kinds of couples or clients for the next year—or even the following year—now is a really powerful time to start thinking about rebranding your business because it gives you and your designer ample time to work through your strategy, design, and website so you’re able to launch your new brand when the timing is right for your ideal client.
Think of it this way. If you rebrand in your off season, that gives you the chance to launch a beautiful, strategic new brand at a time that serves you and your clients best. You’ll be reaching them at a time in your ideal client’s journey where they need your services.
If your ideal client begins to search for services that you offer and they come across your elevated brand with a heartfelt presence, then they’re seeing your best work. Seeing your intentional strategy and best work will resonate with them and inspire the kind of confidence and excitement where they cannot wait to fill out your contact form and get in touch because they want to work with you.
#4 – LAUNCH YOUR REBRAND WITH A PLAN
The fourth and final reason you should rebrand in the offseason is because it gives you the opportunity to launch with a plan and not in a hurry.
One of the biggest mistakes I see creatives who are going through the rebranding process make boils down to how they approach their launch.
So often I see creatives make this big investment for a beautiful new brand, but they don’t educate their audience about why they’re rebranding or even what changes they made. Let’s be real. You and I know our brands in and out. But to your ideal client, chances are they aren’t aware of all the little or big changes you make.
Focus on utilizing the time leading up to a brand launch to proactively educate your audience about what is coming.
If you’re rebranding in your off season, you have more time to invest in partnering with your designer and strategist to create a plan that allows you to plan your launch and for that new brand to be received in the best way possible versus spending all of your time, energy, and money creating something beautiful only to release it into the world to hear crickets.
The best thing about rebranding in your off season is taking time when you have it and working with a brand designer and strategist who is able to equip you with the tools and insight you need to strategically launch your new brand, website, and collateral.
REBRAND WITH A PURPOSE
I love doing the foundational work with my branding clients, but I also love carving out time to discuss the launch strategy so we can launch this beautiful new brand as successful as possible.
So friend, if you’re in a current season where things will slow down and you’re thinking, Bonnie you know what?! I’m listening and I’m ready. This is the time for me to pour back into my business. Well then I want to let you know I’m currently accepting new branding projects and would love to work with you to build a brand that truly reflects the heart of your life’s work.
My 2020 calendar is quickly filling up. I’m currently booking for Spring 2020 start dates and would love to chat with you. Click here to book your complimentary brand consult call and to chat more about working together in this way!
BOOK A COMPLIMENTARY BRAND CONSULT
I hope this episode encourages you to think about how to utilize your slower season in order to pour back into your brand.
THE QUICK SHOW NOTES:
4:45 – #1 – Set big goals for the season ahead
6:20 – the question to ask yourself about your brand to know if it’s time to rebrand
7:30 – #2 – strategically showcase your work
8:45 – rebrand your best work to attract your ideal clients
9:40 – #3 – get in front of your ideal client when they need your services the most
13:00 – spark the confidence and excitement from your ideal clients
13:45 – #4 – launch with a plan
14:30 – proactively educate your audience before a brand launch
17:00 – the strategy behind launching a new brand
18:30 – Book a complimentary brand consult
RESOURCES MENTIONED:
Continue this conversation with me over on Instagram!
Book a Complimentary Brand Consult Call
FOLLOW ALONG
LIKE THE SHOW?
IN ORDER TO PROVIDE CONTENT YOU LOVE I WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! SUBSCRIBE TO THE BRAND STRATEGY PODCAST AND LEAVE A 5-STAR REVIEW HERE. THE MORE REVIEWS, THE MORE I’M ABLE TO PROVIDE THIS FREE-ACTIONABLE CONTENT!
leave a comment