When you own a business, there is so much going on at any given time. There can be seasons when your business feels off and it's time to invest in it. But where do you start? Most business owners think to rebrand and get a new website. There is a right time to invest in branding and a website but sometimes, you need to invest in other areas. We'll be covering the scenarios when it is time for branding and website design and when it's not.
When you need new branding
Your brand is misaligned with your target audience
Just starting out, it's easiest to brand your business according to your own likes and interests. Even if you work with an expert, if you don't do strategy, your brand might not last as long. Rebranding your website when you're noticing your ideal audience isn't engaging with you could get new eyes on your business. Investing in a new brand can also give you more confidence when you're creating messaging for your business, building a deeper connection with your audience. Trust is a huge factor in modern business and a well-designed business can build trust better than one that feels disjointed and confusing. Branding should be based on a balance of your personality shining through and what will speak to the clients and customers you want to help.
You have a brand made in Canva
I'm not one of those designers that think Canva is the devil. I use it to create my social media graphics all the time for my businesses. It's a super helpful tool. However, it cannot be used for branding. Not only is it not able to be trademarked, but you won't be able to get the file types needed for a designer to expand upon your brand in the future. And with Canva templates, a lot of DIY brands can become so similar looking, you can't tell them apart. With brand strategy, you can really dive into what your brand not only needs but who you are as a business compared to others in your industry. One of the most important aspects of your branding will be standing out in a sea of competitors and investing in your brand is the first step. I do recommend waiting a bit when you first start your business so you know who you are, who you serve, and how you best solve your audience's problems. But if you are sure you can dive deep into that and who your audience is, a brand early on can be the difference between getting funding or breaking into the market.
Your brand doesn't match your quality of service or product
On your journey as a business owner, your processes and results will improve as you work with more clients. With happy clients and customers, we can start getting business from word of mouth. But eventually, our brand needs to match the quality of what we're delivering. Our client Elevate Events was delivering high quality events to their clients but their brand and website didn't match. When you are confident in your skills but not how you are presenting yourself, that can be when imposter syndrome creeps in. Through the rebranding process, they found their voice and unique selling perspective to help them stand out and really show off what they can do for their couples and clients.
When you need a new website
When you rebrand
Depending on your needs, a rebrand and website can be a big investment. With your website being the home of your business, you need consistency in the quality of your brand and website. Not only will you have more eyes on your business after a rebrand, but you have the opportunity to create a larger impact with more changes, your website included. This is also a good time to invest in your brand photography and copywriting if possible. Which leads me to...
You invest in new photography and copywriting
Even if your brand is the same (you branded recently with strategy and intention but couldn't invest in the rest all at once), new photos and copy can transform your website for the better. The messaging on your website is a heavy lifter in conversion driven design. You can have the most beautiful website design but if the photos and wording are subpar, clients and customers will simply leave. When you elevate the elements of your website, it's important to elevate your website alongside it.
Your site is not converting
The final piece of the puzzle to an effective website is conversion driven strategy. You could have an amazing brand, work, photos, and copy. But if your website isn't built to convert, it won't be doing its job. Youre website is a 24/7 selling tool whether you sell products or services. It represents your business in its best light and you have full control over how you're represented. Website strategy dictates how information is laid out so that your visitor gets the best and most efficient experience. Immersing a visitor into your website can be like bringing them into a physical space. Your website is where you build trust and provide information, so making sure it's optimized for conversion is essential.
When to not rebrand or get a new website
If you have recently gone through the strategy process with an expert, the misalignment you feel in your business may not be your brand or website. It can be tempting to overhaul something you can see and share with your audience. But your money may be better spent in other areas to bring more traffic to your website and convert your audience into clients and customers. So let's talk about where you can invest instead.
Social Media Manager
Your marketing and acquisition techniques may be what is holding you back. If your audience is on social media and books from that platform, a social media manager may be a great investment for your business. Even if it's only for a few months, getting a plan and establishing what type of content draws in your people is extremely valuable for the future of your business and marketing.
SEO
If your audience isn't as frequent on social media or you already have a pretty good plan for that, you may need to be putting effort into your SEO. An SEO expert should be doing a lot more than just optimizing your sitemap and tags on your website. Great SEO experts will also help you craft a plan for your blog, a great way to boost SEO, and maybe even your newsletter. Make sure to do your research and view their client's successes before booking.
Systems
You can have inquiries and a fantastic website and brand but the experience with your services or product could be lacking. Investing in streamlining your systems can be so helpful for your referrals and word of mouth acquisitions. Having a strong onboarding, offboarding, client experience, and customer service can be the difference between an angry or happy client. Introduce automation and tools to your process that make working with you and buying from you seamless.
In Conclusion...
When it's time to invest in your brand and website, it's important to take the steps to get it done because it can make a huge difference in your business. But make sure that's where your money should be going. Have you established it's time for a rebrand, a new website, or both? Reach out to December Oak and we're happy to chat and see how we can best serve you.
