Making a Change to Your Brand
You've decided it's time for something about your brand to change. Maybe it's your logo, website, or even your social media strategy. Whatever it is, you know it's time to level up and invest in your brand.
TO SHARE OR NOT TO SHARE
It's embarrassing to admit that something isn't working. If it were up to any of us, we'd love to only launch perfect things, but realistically that would mean never releasing anything at all. The journey of building a brand is messy and far from perfect. The question remains, how much should you be sharing?
In Kathryn's case, she's wondering about making a change to her logo. She asks,
“If I wanted to change my brand logo a little or a lot, is it a big deal to the brand loyalists? Do you just do it, ease them in, warn them, etc.? Not sure if I want to or not, just considering it :)”
First of all, let's set aside the brand loyalists, and focus on the first part of the question. Is changing your logo a big deal? Yes, absolutely! It should be a big deal in the best most awesome kind of way. Investing in a new logo means that you're taking your business to the next level and even closer to your vision for it. That's exciting stuff, so take some time to celebrate!
The Overnight Rebrand
I see a lot of creative entrepreneurs do a complete rebrand—new logo, new website, the whole shebang—without sharing a thing about it until it's done and launched. To your audience, it seems like you rebranded overnight.
I totally get it. When you're improving something about your brand, it can be tempting to sweep the old look under the rug and pretend your branding has always looked this way. Maybe you're embarrassed, or it seems like even more work to post during the process, or—like Kathryn—you're just not sure what to share.
confusion & crickets
Any time you're making a change in your brand, that's an amazing opportunity to share your journey and build engagement with your followers. If you sweep the process under the rug and drop your new look suddenly, you're missing out.
What's the worst thing that could happen? There may be some confusion within your audience (especially the brand loyalists), but since they weren't involved and invested in the process, many will just acknowledge it and move on with their days. To be honest, the worst thing that can happen is that people won't notice or care.
You'll know when it's time for a change, so trust your gut.
When you're launching something you've invested so much into, do you want to be greeted with crickets and confusion? I didn't think so. It's your job to make sure your audience is in the loop so they can be just as excited as you are!
A Word of Caution
When I say you should be sharing the process, I don't mean asking your audience for advice or direction. Trust me, you don't want to invite those cooks into the kitchen. Your followers are amazing people, but no one knows your vision and goals better than you.
You'll know when it's time for a change, so trust your gut. Asking your followers will bring mismatched guidance that will leave you feeling lost and confused. So if you're looking for advice and guidance, talk to a professional.
Tell Your Story
What should you be sharing then? You should be telling the story of why you're making this change. What led you to this decision? How has your brand grown that made this a necessity? What brought on this newfound clarity? Describe your excitement and what your audience should expect as you transition to this next chapter.
In the context of a new logo this could mean sharing who you've hired to redesign your logo and the process of working together. It could be stylistic inspiration for your new branding, the color palette, and snippets of the new logo without sharing the whole thing. You can even set a countdown for the reveal and post something each day leading up to it.
My Infamous Name Change
When I decided to change my name after tying the knot, it was essential that my audience know all about the change so they'd recognize my new name when I switched everything over. Beyond that, I was unbelievably pumped about our recent wedding and the next chapter of our lives. This was a story I couldn't wait to tell, so I shared as much as I could.
As a result, I received a ton of support and excitement. People I knew would bring it up to me in conversation and there were lots of encouraging comments peppered around social media along the way. I have to say though, the most satisfying moment was meeting one of my Instagram followers in person for the first time and her excitedly bringing the change up to me. That was huge and so affirming!
The Next Chapter
I can tell you firsthand how rewarding it is to tell your story and build engagement with your audience as a result. Change is an exciting and scary thing, but sharing the journey will help you calm those nerves and encourage the kind of connections that make this all worthwhile.
Celebrate your growth. Share milestones and victories along the way. Build the suspense so your audience can't wait to see what you unveil and celebrate this next chapter with you.
