Even with all effort to make our brands immortal as part of our orientation in all discussions made so far, sometimes we are forced to rebrand.
Consistency in showcasing or leaving the brand promise has been an integral characteristic for success.
This should then be part of our rebranding so that we don’t experience a face-off.
Rebranding of our entrepreneurial businesses should be taken as a strategic matter not something that is done to follow a certain fashion of that moment.
We have some SMEs in our various sectors that failed in their rebranding due to processes underestimation.
In this edition we discuss some ways that might help to effectively rebrand through a well calculated judgement/execution.
The matter behind rebranding is mainly to come up with a new face altogether that directly influences the image of the business together with its overall identity and market positioning.
Therefore, when doing this exercise the entrepreneur should consider a strategy that brings about a new positive image, extensive identity and attractive identity.
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In most exercises one of these critical matters is not attended to well enough, which makes the whole rebranding process a flop. This is a multi-integrated effort towards business brand re-configuration.
Since a brand is represented by a mix of elements there is need to find the most basics that are easy to adjust and visible enough to show the customers that change has been done on the current brand.
Those elements that are closer to the eyes of our customers.
A logo is one of the critical elements that can be easily redesigned or uplifted with some add-ons that give new appearance of the brand.
Of course it is important not to overdo through coming up with a design(s) that totally talks about a very new story (rebranding should be more of a continuation from the previous but now with an upgrade).
There is need to keep momentum through safeguarding the legacy of the previous brand. Those good things that talk a successful story and goodness about the brand.
Maintaining a name and colours of the brand can highly remind the market that you are still there especially when you have changed the logo.
That is the same reason why most of our brand imitators have used our colours even with a different name because they know that customers are convinced by those visual elements representing a brand.
Colours attract the eyes of the customer first before any other element. So do it carefully here.
Just to remind a brand is there to represent not only the offerings of the business but also the people behind production/processes.
Most of our promising businesses have failed to align rebranding with their people.
As this process is meant to upgrade a brand it should do the same to its advocates/ambassadors.
To start with in this engagement there is need do a thorough stakeholder analysis for a full involvement strategy.
It calls for the entrepreneur and any other spearheading the rebranding process to train the members of the organisation on the new ways of living a revamped brand vision and its promises.
Communication is vital in carrying out this exercise just like with any other strategic change process.
Commitment to matters concerning rebranding by the senior members and all the employees is also key for a shared effort.
This includes motivating each other to be change agents and providing necessary toolkits for an easy transition.
I have seen some employees of a rebranded local food outlet wearing uniform with a previous logo and corporate colours.
This confuses the market if the process was worth doing or if the enterprise is still sticking to the old promises.
Same with delegation for ownership where the other members/employees are given autonomy to individually and publicly share the new brand values.
Rather than centralising all the matters in a certain department/individuals/group. Everyone is an agent for change when we rebrand (it should be systematic).
Lastly is the conveyance of the new brand into the market and the right customers. This is in relation to new brand publicity.
The use of right channels/technologies for this achievement. It even starts before the rebranding process as a strategic proactive approach.
Here we now want the markets to understand what we have become (that is the reason for change).
There are various social media we can apply even accelerated by the application of artificial intelligence.
Also bearing in mind that not all social media is applicable but you have to research and choose the specific one for your business/offering/audience.
As aforementioned rebranding multifaceted and engaging.
- Dr Farai Chigora is a businessman and academic. He is the head of management and entrepreneurship at the Africa University’s College of Business, Peace, Leadership and Governance. His doctoral research focused on business administration (destination marketing and branding major, Ukzn, SA). He is into agribusiness and consults for many companies in Zimbabwe and Africa. He writes in his personal capacity and can be contacted for feedback and business at fariechigora@gmail.com, www.fachip.co.zw, WhatsApp mobile: +263772886871.
