When the settlers first arrived on this continent, they had experienced negative change back in their homeland that they felt would never improve. Their decision to initiate change and leave what was familiar rested on a hope for a new life, away from oppressive attitudes.
Perhaps you feel your business is in dire need of a change as well. Maybe your brand no longer reflects your company. Cultural attitudes change and businesses must remain competitive. It takes years to build trust with the public, but one PR disaster in the age of modern technology can rip away that trust in a matter of hours. Therefore taking control into your own hands through a rebranding, is sometimes your best option for restoring positive public perception.
Here’s a few helpful tips to guide you through the process:
Don’t completely replace the old with the new. For most, change is difficult at best and terrifying at worst. That’s why, in addition to building new traditions, the first settlers strived to keep the familiarity of old customs alive. Foods, fashion and cultural beliefs from the old country all helped ease the transition to a new life and a new world.
Rarely is it necessary or advisable to completely replace everything that represented your company in an attempt to live up to new perceptions. Leave something for your loyal customers to cling to–elements of your previous logo, company colors, or a familiar illustration or typeface–and you will see better reception for your new brand. Change doesn’t have to be drastic to be effective.
Listen to feedback. While the backlash the pilgrims received from native people upon arrival to this land threatened to destroy the change that they had worked so hard to initiate, it was through the help of welcoming natives that the pilgrims were given a chance at surviving their first winter.
Similarly, while you should expect a backlash from the public that jeopardizes your attempts at changing the face of your business, listen to those giving suggestions for improvement. It just might save your company from a complete rebranding nightmare. Furthermore, it will encourage solidarity between you and your customers when they realize your desire is to work with them rather than force your opinions upon them.
There is much we can learn from those who have gone before us when it comes to initiating positive change. Take these lessons to heart this Thanksgiving, and you might find that a successful rebranding experience is yet another reason to be thankful this season!