How to Convince Your Boss to Rebrand - Part 2
Part 2 - Collecting Evidence & Making Your Case
Ok so now that you know what you’re up against it’s time to build your case.
If you don’t know what you’re up against go back and read Stuck in the Status Quo.
I can guarantee you that if you walk into your boss’ office and suggest a rebrand because the current brand is “stale” you will be shut down almost immediately.
Instead develop a portfolio of evidence to support your recommendation. Start with a brand audit. Gather all of your customer facing assets including:
Website
Social Media Pages
Promotional Materials
Rack Cards
Sales Templates
Email Signatures
Business Cards
Invoices & Letterheads
Vehicle wraps
Anything that represents your brand through imagery, messaging, or experience needs to be evaluated. Document examples of poor customer experiences, misused collateral, color variations, and different versions of the logo. Once you have an inventory of all of these assets you can begin to highlight elements that create dissonance, run counter to your mission statement, or are outdated.
Talk to your customers and your sales team to identify anecdotes that prove you are competing against your own messaging. If your sales reps are referencing your website, but the information is hard to find or worse isn’t there your CEO is going to want to know.
You can further drive your point home by comparing these assets with both your competition and industry best practices. Providing a visual comparison of how you stack up against your competitors is a powerful tool that can help convince your boss to rebrand.
While performing your audit you will begin to identify cracks in your brand. Real problems that are affecting your bottom line. For instance, your Facebook account receives decent traffic but you rarely interact with an audience that is trying to engage with your brand. Your website has a clunky user interface, leading to premature exits from potential leads that could be converted sales. You significantly strengthen your case for a rebranding by identifying a clear problem and providing a real solution.
If you don’t have time to perform a brand audit, or it sounds like a daunting task take a look here
Check back for the final part of our three part series of How to Convince Your Boss to Rebrand: So What Can You Gain From a Successful Rebrand?
