Change can breathe new life into your organization, raising morale for staff and members alike. One change you can make is rebranding your organization to meet the evolving needs of your customers and to reposition yourself in the market.

A rebrand is a large undertaking that shouldn’t be taken lightly. A lot can go wrong if you’re not prepared. Here we share the most important things to consider when executing a rebrand.

Seek out feedback from key stakeholders.

Don’t rebrand in isolation. Take the pulse of your customers, competitors and leadership, and ask what may be lacking in the current branding. You don’t need feedback from the entire organization, but getting feedback and approval from a select group of trusted and respected leaders as well as a focus group can go a long way to finding the right branding for you. You may already have a member committee you can tap as a sounding board.

Be intentional about your name and colors.

First impressions are important, and the name, logo and colors of your organization can either attract or repel. If you’re changing your name, find one that speaks to the overall mission statement of the organization. We highly recommend conducting audience analysis to understand how your customers will respond to your new name. What associations do they make with it? Does it have a positive or negative connotation? Do they understand it?

When choosing a logo or color palette, work with a graphic or visual designer who can help you select colors that are complementary and that will give you options across media. You want to make sure that your primary, secondary and tertiary brand colors give you the flexibility to use your branding in print and online while being legible and aesthetically pleasing.

Get your staff to buy in.

Your staff is equally as important as your customers when it comes to a rebrand, and you need to get them on board with any major change you plan to make to your organization. You want your employees to feel proud of the organization they work for — and having them play an active role in rebranding efforts can raise morale and help put a positive spin on any change. Consider sharing milestones throughout the process to keep them involved and excited for the launch.

Make a communications plan.

Hesitancy can cause customers to lose trust, go all-in on rebranding efforts. Make sure that all communication channels of the organization are rebranded at the same time. Your website, email communications, social media accounts, etc. should all switch over to the new brand in unison, to prevent any confusion and to show a united front.

Some members of your audience may have a deep connection to your organization, and an abrupt shift in brand can turn some people off. Therefore, it’s important to explain the reasoning behind the brand shift. Explain how this new branding will benefit the organization in the future by enhancing its position in the market. Share the journey of the rebrand, showing the thought and care put in during the process. Create excitement about the new era after the rebrand.

Use all of your channels to share the news, but be sure to coordinate the efforts. The day that your website’s new skin debuts is the day you should put out your press release and launch your social media campaigns. Send a dedicated email to stakeholders sharing the happy news with them directly. You can even invite them to stock up on new swag.

Consult with experts when you need help.

Rebranding can be a strenuous and demanding process with pressure from various stakeholders for success. You may not have all the answers, and that’s OK. Partnering with an agency that has the expertise to lead you on your rebranding mission can relieve some of the stress levied on you. Ask to see case studies of an agency’s previous rebranding efforts to determine if their approach is right for your organization.

Is your association looking to rebrand? Don’t go it alone. See how GLC and SPM Group can help.