How to Rebrand Without Losing Your Customers

Rebranding can be a scary proposition.

On the one hand, you come to a decision to rebrand because something is not working as well as it could, or because growth and expansion makes rebranding a great idea.

On the other hand, rebranding carries with it certain risks, the largest of which is losing your loyal customers.

Real rebranding is about carving out a new niche in the marketplace, while retaining the clients you already have. It's about re-positioning your organization for future growth. 

What can you do to ensure that a rebrand goes smoothly and how can you avoid losing customers through the process?

Here are some tips to help:

1) Clearly define your reason for rebranding.

First, it is essential to understand that rebranding is much more than simply changing a color scheme or tagline for your company. These things can be easily accomplished without rebranding.

Real rebranding is about carving out a new niche in the marketplace, while retaining the clients you already have. It's about re-positioning your organization for future growth.

TNW's "How to Rebrand Your Company without Losing Your Customers (and Your Mind)" notes:

"Rebranding means shaking up your identity, sacrificing your hard-earned familiarity with customers and wading into the waters of a new and untested market. It can provide stellar strategic gains, but only if handled with care ... When overhauling a website or an entire brand, the trick is to focus not just on fashion but also on function."

A clear vision of why you are embarking on a rebranding adventure will help you hold a steady course as you go. Definie how your rebrand will improve your organization's function and you'll be off to a great start.

2) Get buy-in from your entire organization.

One of the primary sources of client loss during a rebranding process involves mixed messages sent by your organization.

These crossed signals can be avoided by taking time upfront to ensure that everyone in your organization is on the same page about your reasons for rebranding, and the potential positive outcomes you expect the rebrand to provide.

If rebranding is like moving into uncharted waters, getting buy-in from your entire team is like ensuring that everyone is rowing the boat in the same direction.

3) Let your loyal customers in on it...carefully.

There is a delicate balancing act that must occur in a successful rebrand. Rebranding is like construction work. On the one hand, clients want to know when something new is in the works. For the most part, clients are not overly fond of surprises.

On the other hand, clients do not necessarily want to see the nitty gritty details of your rebranding process. Clients like concepts that are fully formed because they expect stability in the organizations with which they conduct business.

To honor the client relationship through a rebrand, it is good to give notice that a change is coming, being sure to emphasize that it will be a change for the better. Enhance that notification by keeping the details of the rebrand shrouded until you are ready for the big reveal.

4) Take measures to maintain your SEO ranking.

Because rebranding often involves building a new website and changing social media profiles, it is important to remember to follow through to prevent losing your SEO ranking in the process.

SearchEngineLand's "How to Rebrand without Losing Your Hard-Earned Rankings" shares several pointers for rebranding successfully and gives this excellent advice: "Make sure your SEO and social media teams are working with the branding team from the beginning to guide the brand decision if possible."

Ensure your entire team is rowing in the same direction during your rebrand in order to ensure the greatest success. Without your team, rebranding efforts can fail.

5) Use the expertise of a professional web design and inbound marketing firm.

Rebranding requires some heavy lifting. An inbound marketing firm specializing in web design can do much to ensure the success of your rebranding process.

From the nuts and bolts of the web redesign, to the crafting of client notifications and marketing messages, an inbound marketing firm eases the transition from your old brand to your new brand for both your organization and your clients. Leveraging the expertise of a web design firm in the initial stages of consideration increases the likelihood that your rebranding will go off without a hitch.

Is your organization contemplating a rebrand currently? Contact us today for additional advice about how to accomplish rebranding while retaining your loyal customer base.