How to Choose a Rebranding Agency

Rebranding your business is an essential step in expanding and taking it to the next level. It is a process that involves creating a new image, message, or identity for your company, which can be quite daunting and difficult to manage alone. That’s why it’s important to select an experienced rebranding agency that understands your specific needs and goals. Choosing the right branding agency requires research, organization, and knowledge of what you’re looking for.

Rebranding Basics

Rebranding is a process that businesses use to update their look and feel and messaging. It is an essential business tool that can help companies stay competitive in the ever-changing marketplace. Understanding the basics of rebranding is key to implementing it effectively and taking your company to the next level. 

The goal of any rebrand should be to create a unified, consistent brand identity image for your company across all platforms. In this article, we will explore the basics of choosing a rebranding agency step by step.

1. Research Agency Options

To ensure you select the perfect fit for your company, it’s essential to research different agency options. Doing so will allow you to compare each agency’s services and features before making a decision. 

From small boutique agencies with specialized expertise in specific markets to large conglomerates with extensive resources and global reach, various options offer various benefits. Before settling on one particular agency, it’s essential to consider the scale of work you require and do your due diligence when researching different agencies. Consider availability, cost-effectiveness, creativity, and track record when picking an appropriate rebranding partner.

2. Identify Your Brand Goals

First, you have to determine your goals. If you don’t know what your broad goals are, you won’t be able to find the resources you need. Once you have determined your goals, it will help you communicate more effectively and find the resources best suited to your particular project goals.

While deciding on your brand goals, please take some time to consider what aspects of the current branding should stay in place, if any. This could include existing or partial logos, icons, or color schemes. Also, consider which elements need updating and how the new branding strategy should address those updates. It can be a complete change-up, or as simple as adding a new icon to an existing logo — like when Microsoft used the butterfly. I think having a clear idea of what you want to accomplish — as opposed to the final design concept — will help any potential rebranding agency better understand and meet your needs. It is up to the agency to develop visual or message concepts for you to consider. Still, it is helpful if you have some sense of the goal- i.e., we want to incorporate an icon into our existing logo to represent the company’s new direction, for example. 

Establishing clearly defined objectives beforehand may also save time and money throughout the process, as there won’t be any ambiguity when negotiating contracts or discussing specific project details.

How to Choose a Rebranding Agency

3. Analyze Agency Expertise

Analyzing the agency’s expertise and capabilities is crucial before committing to its services. Such expertise, knowledge, and abilities should include defining concepts, writing the brand’s story and design, and understanding UX patterns and how to use them.

Review Previous Work:

To ensure your organization’s rebranding efforts are reliable and successful, you should carefully analyze an agency’s expertise and review its previous work portfolio. A thorough review of an agency’s portfolio of past work can help provide valuable insights into its capabilities and style. An agency can be excellent at what they do, but have a creative eye that differs from yours. 

Evaluating a portfolio will also help identify whether the company has a track record of delivering projects on time and within budget and whether it has any examples of successfully achieved objectives or strategies similar to what you are looking for.

Client Feedback:

Take your time to read reviews from past clients and ask questions about their experiences with the company. Reading reviews can provide insight into how well an agency communicates with its clients, handles challenging situations, and whether they have successfully achieved rebranding goals. What’s more, hearing first-hand accounts of another company’s success working with a particular agency can be invaluable as you make your decision.

Besides assessing the agency’s professionalism, looking at its creativity and commitment to staying current with trends is essential. Rebranding projects often require innovative solutions that are unique and memorable; therefore, having an experienced team familiar with design trends can help create a successful strategy for your organization.

4. Ask for References & Testimonials

The references will provide insight into the quality of previous work performed by the agency, while testimonials can help determine how well they communicate with clients. 

Before selecting any rebranding agency, please ask for at least two or three references from past clients who have undergone a similar process. This allows you to get in-depth knowledge about their working style and whether they can deliver results according to expectations. Moreover, it helps to understand how quickly the team responds to queries and how easily they collaborate with different stakeholders involved in the project, even if nothing more than to clarify expectations. For instance, if you’re in different time zones, they may take an extra day to respond, but if you know that going in, you can adjust your schedule and expectations accordingly. 

5. Discuss Budget & Pricing

You should determine the amount of money available for this project and then use that figure as a benchmark when researching potential agencies. It is essential to understand what services each agency offers so that you can compare them based on their prices and services. 

It is also vital to ask about any additional fees or costs associated with the project, such as design fees, printing costs, website hosting expenses, etc. By understanding all associated costs upfront, you can create an accurate budget for their rebranding campaign and ensure they are not overspending in any area. Furthermore, be aware of any hidden or recurring fees that may arise during the project and adjust the budget accordingly if necessary.

Conclusion:

Do your research, read customer reviews, and ask the right questions to ensure you get the best services. Consider the quality of work, their capacity to deliver on time, and their cost efficiency. Most importantly, ensure you feel comfortable with the company and its approach toward your brand. With these tips in mind, you can be confident that you have made an informed decision when choosing a rebranding agency.

Check out 5 Lessons we learned from these famous rebrands on HubSpot

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