Springing Forward: Why this is the perfect time to use a brand audit to spruce up your brand

It’s official.  Spring is on the horizon and warmer days are ahead.  Time for daffodils and buttercups, yard sales and remodeling.  Time to clean out the closets and de-clutter the work shed, pull up the weeds and plant the garden.  It’s indeed time for new beginnings.

And as a small business owner, what better way to kick off this season of renewal than with a good old-fashioned spring cleaning of your brand.

Yes, your brand.

Is it everything you’d hoped it would be?  And more importantly, is it everything customers want and need it to be?

Not sure?  Well, this will help you find out.

Getting started

Just as a savvy DIYer wouldn’t start a deck remodel without a count of how much wood was needed, a business owner shouldn’t attempt a brand makeover without first taking inventory of what’s currently going on.

And the best way to do that is to conduct a brand audit.  A brand audit is like a check-up for your brand.  It’s a thorough examination of who you are as a company, what you stand for, and how your business is perceived in the eyes of your customers.

A brand audit helps you gain powerful insight into what you’re doing right and what you’re doing wrong so that changes can be made.  And while brand audits can be incredibly complicated, depending on the size of your business, there are a few simple things you can do right now to get you started.

Step 1 – Is it clear to others?

Go grab a colleague or a friend.  Now with all the passion you can muster, describe your brand, using the most descriptive words you can think of.

What did you say?  Did you ramble off a laundry list of the products and services you sell or was it a colorful description of what it feels like to encounter your brand?

Strong brands relate to the experiences most important to their customers.   A positive experience will prompt a positive reaction from them.  And vice versa.

Step 2 – Relevant messages or pretty pictures?

Now, look at all your branded materials – your logo, website, recent email marketing campaigns, social media profiles and posts, newsletters, brochures, business cards…you name it.

What messages are you sending and do they consistently communicate and reinforce your brand value to customers, not just what you sell?

Because ultimately, you want your brand to be perceived as one that customers can trust, not only for good products and services, but for good information and an authentic experience that resonates with them.  The moment you trade in value for sales pitches, trust evaporates.

So, do I need to start over?

Loaded question and the answer is maybe. Branding is so much bigger than slapping your logo on a T-shirt.  It’s bigger than your business cards and even your website.  Branding is a total picture of the experience you want customers to have when they encounter your business.  It’s the impressions they’ll have about the products and services you offer and in their eyes, will define the type of company you are.

You may find that a complete demolition is needed, or perhaps, just a small renovation.

Brand audits will show you where the floor boards are strong and sturdy and where they’re weak and need to be replaced.

Want to spruce up your brand or have a question about brand audits?  Contact us today – with daylight savings time, you have an extra hour!!