R.E.S.E.T your branding this Spring

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By Laura Macaulay navigatebydesign

As we welcome in Spring, businesses are re-emerging once again and re-evaluating their brand positioning.

This season is a natural time for reflection and renewal, and many of our clients have recently expressed a desire for us to review their overall brand positioning.

It’s not enough to just invest in branding at the beginning – It’s important to continuously validate what your clients want and access if your brand is still meeting that need. Even without major changes, it’s wise to review your brand every 2-3 years to ensure it’s still resonating with your audience.

This can feel like a big task, but by using this R.E.S.E.T. framework, you will have a structured approach to reviewing your businesses branding, ensuring you’re well-positioned for spring 2024 and beyond.

Group of chairs in a circle

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1. REFLECT on your goals

Spring is a great time to reflect on your goals for your brand and business. When was the last time you looked at your brands trajectory? Often a brand can be conceived at the early stages of a business and it’s just not reflective of where you are now. Ask yourself what do you want to achieve each quarter and before the year end. Whether it’s increased sales, build brand awareness, leveraging emerging technologies or developing new niche areas, clearly define your objectives into actionable tasks.

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hand placing a pin on a map

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2. EVALUATE Your Strategy

Next, evaluate all your current marketing and sales strategies, across both digital and print. What’s working well, and what needs improvement? Do you have relevant sales data you can evaluate? Consider your social media engagement, and what is (and isn’t) generating customer engagement for your business. What can you learn from the competition and other market leaders? Re-evaluate your brands values – are they still reflective of your business today?

Ask yourself are any of your brand’s visuals starting to look a little dated or tired?

This is where your Graphic Designer can explore refreshing your logo, colors, or typography, to help to give your brand a more contemporary and professional edge.

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3. STRENGTHEN your Brand Experience

Once your brand has implemented any change, it is crucial to strengthen its presence by building a consistent and cohesive brand experience.

Remember a brand is not just a logo, it’s all your consumer interactions both online and offline. From website design and social media presence to packaging and customer service, every interaction should deliver a unified experience.

person walking through lots of signage on busy streeet

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4. ENGAGE your audience

In today’s crowded marketplace, simply having a presence isn’t enough. To truly thrive, brands need to actively engage with their target audience across channels and platforms. This fosters trust and loyalty, building a community around your brand and its values.

One of the key roles of a Graphic Designer is to help clients tell their brand story in a compelling and meaningful way. This involves:

• Understanding your audience: What are their interests, needs, and aspirations? How can your brand connect with them on a deeper level?

• Crafting a compelling narrative: Chances are, your brand already has a story, all we need to do it tell it. Your brand story Is the essence of who you are, what you stand for, and how your values impact your customers and make their lives easier.

• Developing engaging content and campaigns: By effectively communicating your brand’s values and purpose, you can help to create a foundation for a strong and lasting relationship with your customers. This not only benefits your business, but also fosters a deeper connection between brands and the communities you serve.

trendy desk space with ivy wall paper

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5. THRIVE by embracing Opportunity

Schedule a time with your Graphic Designer for your next brand check-in. This will help to give you both a dedicated time for identifying opportunities for growth, and optimising any brand strategies accordingly.

Don’t be afraid to try something new – what are your barriers to competition? It could be a fresh bold marketing approach, collaboration with other brands, or innovative design to help keep your branding agile.

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Conclusion

By following the R.E.S.E.T steps, you can help to rejuvenate your brand and connect meaningfully with your audience.

Below is a checklist of what we have covered:

  • Reflect: on your goals
    Review your brands trajectory – what do you want to achieve

  • Evaluate: your strategy
    What’s working well and what needs improvement?

  • Strengthen: your brand experience
    By building a consistent and cohesive brand experience

  • Engage: your audience
    Tell your brand story in a compelling and meaningful way

  • Thrive: by embracing opportunity
    Schedule ‘brand check-ins’ to help keep your brand agile

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If it’s time to R.E.S.E.T your brand and you would like to engage a professional Graphic Designer, please contact laura@navigatebydesign.com – with over 20 years in branding and design, I’d love to help.

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