Brand Updates

What's a Brand Update?


A "brand update" is a pivot in your marketing—a change in how you want to be seen or known. This can be mostly cosmetic—your brand colors, logo, font style—or it can be bigger like updating your business's focus or messaging. 



What Would Prompt a Brand Update?
This has as many answers as the day is long—it could be anything.

• Your business has evolved. Maybe you've changed directions or niched to focus on particular aspects of your business when you started broadly to see what your customers really wanted or needed. You want to update your message. 
• You have evolved. We're human. We grow—continually. Maybe your interests have changed or your knowledge base has changed to help you focus your efforts. 
• It's time. Maybe you're bored with the look of things and need to shake things up! Maybe it's been a couple of years with the same look and you want to try something new. 

How Do You Do a Brand Update?
It depends on the type of update. Much can likely be done on your own or you may feel a need to hire assistance. I'm a big fan of easy template-based options where you can hire someone to do the work and train you in the process so you can manage it on your own with updates anytime you wish. This is what I do! If you're eager to learn, I'm happy to teach!

• Updating the look. How tech savvy are you? Did you create the initial brand to begin with? Have your skills grown so you can handle tech updates? There are many tools available to DIY the project (do it yourself). All of these provide ways to keep colors and designs consistent.
  • Canva offers a number of template items to create logos and social or PR items in a consistent color code. 
  • MailChimp and other email providers offer template products for your email branding. It's often easy to change the colors or images.
  • Weebly, Wix, and Squarespace offer template-based websites that are reasonably easy to figure out to start creating immediately or have YouTube training videos available. 
• Updating the messaging. 
  • If you can write, you can do this as you wish. You can also hire someone to do the writing on your behalf with some ideas from you for the message to get across.
  • Talk out your ideas with others. Get out of your head. Whatever network you've created, in person or online, toss out acronyms you're considering or pieces of your LinkedIn profile. Many of the social medias have groups you can join of like-minded businesses with folks happy to share their insights. 

Changes Ahead!
Read. Write. Engage. is in the process of some updates in look and messaging! I'm beginning year #3 for my business—it's time to shake things up! I'm getting bored with the look of some things. I'm also getting more confident in my messaging and niches. I've added a couple of new professional associations to share. 

• The logo will remain the same but the banners that are at the top of website pages will be updated. 
• I recently purchased a professional email address which necessitates a change in banner images.
• I'm ready to get that newsletter started, even with a very small initial audience! It's time to get things freshened up to start publishing. Enough with the excuses in my head. (yes, it happens to me as well)
• LinkedIn is always evolving. It's time to review it and likely update a few things for consistent messaging. 
• I'm testing out a new acronym for what's become my favorite word in my business - ENGAGE! What do you think?
  • Encourage
  • New
  • Growth
  • And
  • Generate
  • Excitement! 

What About You?
Have you gone through a brand update? Words of wisdom to share with me and others? 

Are you considering a brand update and you're looking for a hand? Happy to help you with ideas or to find assistance!

Love to hear from you - Let's Chat by email or find me on LinkedIn! 

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