Why I needed a rebrand
Rebranding my business was something that had been on my to-do list for a LONG time. However, as many self-employed people tend to do, I kept prioritising my clients’ work and putting my own rebrand to the bottom of the list.
But here’s the thing, I didn’t just WANT a new brand. I NEEDED one. And here’s why:
1. My ‘brand’ was the bare minimum
I couldn’t even really call my old brand a ‘brand’. It was made up of a logo I put together quickly without much thought, a colour palette, and a handful of assets that I threw together as and when I needed them.
Without a cohesive brand, it was difficult to remain consistent in my style, which meant there was very little brand recognition.
I see this happen with so many start-ups, and it’s totally understandable. You want to get up and running as quickly as possible, so you run with what you have. But I promise you, putting the work into your brand at the start always pays off!
“Debunking the common misconception that a brand is only a logo and name, it’s critical to recognize that logos and colors are the visual facets, while the essence of a brand lies in its emotional resonance.”
My old 'logo' pictured above.
2. I hadn’t done the groundwork
I didn’t fully understand what my business was trying to say, and how I wanted to say it.
I knew roughly who I wanted to target, but I hadn’t researched them in any real depth. This made it harder to grow my client base. I had no real connection to my brand, so why would potential customers?
By establishing my values, nailing down who my target clients were, and outlining the value I could add, I knew it’d be easier to attract and retain the type of customers I wanted to work with.
3. My website didn’t represent my business
It was a starter website. Something I’d put together because I knew I needed something. It had served its purpose, but it wasn’t befitting of a more established design agency.
Getting started on the rebrand
I settled on a new name – Twig Design Co.
There are a few reasons behind ‘Twig’, but one of them is the definition of the word:
To twig ~ to understand the meaning of something instinctively.
I want my clients to know I’ve done the research and I understand their brand completely, but I also want them to know I’m going to help them achieve that same level of understanding between their brand and their customers.
So, I had the name. What next?
I wrote and re-wrote my purpose, mission, values and brand personality until I was completely happy with them. This felt like the beginnings of a business I could really connect with and get other people to connect with too.
“…a brand that reflects your true identity will not only resonate but also endure. Whether you’re starting from scratch or going through a refresh, remember that your brand is not just a logo; it’s a living, breathing entity that, when nurtured, becomes the heartbeat of your business.”
Designing the logo
All of this groundwork made the logo designing stage feel like a breeze. I won’t go into the full process (feels like a post for another day), but here are some snippets of the journey of my logo.
I wanted to make a subtle reference to that sudden moment when you ‘twig’ something, but I didn’t want to use a lightbulb. Instead, I created a filament shape out of the ‘w’ in the brand name. This gave the typeface a bit more personality, whilst also helping to portray a key value of my brand.
Bringing the brand together
When I built my first website, I ran with the logo and rushed to get things live without putting any thought into how I might apply the brand I had created.
This time, I sat down and mapped out exactly how the brand could be put into use.
I approached it in the same way I would approach a client’s rebrand. I created detailed guidelines on how to style my brand, that I can always refer back to. I created a bunch of brand assets, such as icons and imagery styling, as well as rules on how to use the brand colours and patterns.
While I was at it, I began to play around with the website design. Your website is a fundamental part of your brand’s identity, so it often makes sense to design your site alongside the branding process.
“67% of customers say they’ll only continue buying products from a brand if they trust the company behind them…Communicating the same values in the same voice at every customer touchpoint develops a reliable brand personality. When people can count on your brand, they’ll be more loyal.”
The result? A cohesive brand I’m so proud of
I preach the importance of good branding all day long to my clients. I spend so much time focusing on their brand work, and I’d been pushing my own to the back of the queue.
Now, I have a brand I love.
I know what my story is, and what my promise to my customers is. I know what Twig Design Co. stands for, and I can put that story out there for customers to connect with too. I also now have guidelines to refer back to any time I’m making content for my brand, to ensure I’m keeping things consistent and recognisable.
If your brand is stagnating, or it doesn’t reflect your worth, drop me a message. We’ll book a no obligation call to have a chat about what your brand needs and how I could help.