The Ultimate Guide to Rebranding
Who, what, when, why, where, how...
Branding isn’t simply a logo and fonts…
It’s a reflection of where you are and where you’re going next. It’s a bridge between you and your clients, and it’s a promise for what you’ll deliver time and time again.
“Your brand is a gateway to your true work. You know you are here to do something – to create something or help others in some way.
– Danielle LaPorte
It’s no small thing.
Which is why… I went ahead and put together this comprehensive guide for you to share the ins and outs of rebranding. Complete with resources, referrals, and more! That’s how much I love you :)
Do you need a rebrand or merely a refresh?
Most of us hit a point in small business ownership where we’ve grown, evolved, changed, maybe even reinvented once or twice, and we find ourselves asking this question.
Does my business need a rebrand?
How do you know if it’s time to fully overhaul with a rebrand or just slap a new coat of paint on the walls and refresh a bit?
In this episode of Small Business Casual, I’m joined by my friend and fellow cozy entrepreneur, Lindsay Dreyer, to answer this very question! We both get into our own rebranding stories, lessons learned, the emotional ups and downs of evolving a brand to match growth and reflect your new direction, and more!
Let’s say you’ve decided… and you’re ready (or just about ready) to REBRAND!
My own story is that I’ve been a Copywriter since 2018 and a business owner since 2014. In the past 11 years, I’ve also operated a retail shop as well as a successful online community.
My brand and business have been tossed about quite a bit, with me piecemealing this over here and that over there. I had a brand designed for me, but my whole business has moved at the speed of light since I started, and I’ve never given it much of my own input, direction, time, and attention.
This rebranding experience was different because I was different going in.
At the beginning of this year, I had the realization that stuff was feeling really “off” in the representation of my work and business. My website, logo, fonts, vibe, all of it. It matched a part of my personality… but it wasn’t the whole story. After defending myself, attracting multiple wrong-fit clients, and staring at a blinking cursor more times than I care to admit, I knew I had to do something BIG and go ALL in.
A painful realization, may this not be you…
As all this was coming up for me, it brought to light my tendency to play it safe, nod along, and choose the path of least resistance. In many past instances, I’d chosen something because someone else told me to or because it was good enough for now.
It fine for getting started, but you can’t build a thriving business on “good enough”.
And it’s hard to inspire my DREAMIEST of dream clients if I’m not even inspiring myself. Important to note:
The former branding wasn’t bad. There was nothing “wrong” with it. I’d just outgrown it.
The mismatch was exhausting. Every time I tried to create content or show up, I felt like I was wearing clothes that weren’t my quite style.
I was staying as-is out of fear. What if people don’t LIKE who I really am? What if they don’t like the change? What if I’m not ready for the big vision I have? Am I just a person who keeps on wanting to change things that aren’t broken?
A Great Brand Begins with Collaboration
Bringing in others who see your vision and challenge you to amplify it
Initially, I tried to do the rebrand on my own… my plan was to keep it extremely simple, whip together some font pairings on Canva, swap out my podcast cover art (because that was getting a transformation too), and get a bestie to take some new pictures of me.
Ba-da-bing, ba-da-boom. Thank you, Canva.
But after second-guessing myself for a month, and getting completely stuck because #WriterNotaDesigner, I ultimately admitted that…
I couldn’t and didn’t want to do it alone. 1. This was too important for me to DIY 2. Sometimes you’re too close to your own story to see it clearly. 3. I wanted a professional, upleveled look and feel that could stand the test of time. I’m in this for the long-game.
Who do you hire first when rebranding?
When doing a full rebrand, you can assume you’ll need most of (if not all) of the following:
Visual Brand Design (logo, social templates, overall look and feel, etc.)
Website Design (Squarespace, WordPress, Wix, Showit, etc.)
Website Copy and Brand Messaging/Voice (the WORDS behind the brand)
Photography/Headshots
Business cards and smaller assets ie. swag, gifts, etc.
Start by asking around for recommendations, talking to those who’ve done this before you, conducting your own research, and figuring out WHO you need on your individual rebranding team.
Begin with the BIG picture and choose the individual members of your collaborative team to be cohesive and communicative in style/timelines, etc.
Depending on the website designer you choose, some will act as the project manager. Sometimes, the website designer will work with a team of subcontractors for the copywriting or branding, and sometimes they’ll have you find each person individually.
How to choose:
Ask a lot of questions! It’s ok to make sure you clearly understand the path forward and all that’s entailed
Select people who care deeply about what they do and are passionate about your vision
Look for individuals whose work speaks for itself (they aren’t afraid to give samples, show their portfolio, and give you the info you need)
Seek out collaborators who work well with others and within the timeline you need
Pick folks who want to work together with you on this, allowing you the opportunity for feedback and input
Want more on the topic of choosing the right collaborator? Check out my recent episode, “Client-Contractor Collaboration: The Ultimate Survival Guide” HERE
I opted to go branding first and selected brand designer Jessica Mercier, of JM Artist / Designer, because she could see me. And I mean, really see me.
Was I scared? At first, yes, I was terrified. What if she couldn’t capture this vision!?
Would I just end up nodding along even if I didn’t like it?
I had to commit to myself that I wouldn’t do that! I have my back 110% and am showing up for myself and my business; I’m not going along to get along anymore.
That’s why I chose Jess.
I felt comfortable and safe to be vulnerable with her. The good, the messy, the ambitious, the playful parts. She didn’t tell me who I should be, or who I was in her opinion; she helped me articulate who I already was and bring that to life visually.
She also worked collaboratively with me, allowing me chances to say, “That’s not for me,” or “How about we go in this direction instead?” The brand evolved AS I and my voice did through the process.
And that’s where the real magic happened, when I showed her who I really was and then trusted her to honor that and let it shine.
Bonus points for us being birthday twins. May 13th 🐂 👯
Jess’ attention to the small details was everything for me during our process. She presented me with selections and told me why, I offered feedback and input, and she gave me time to really sit with it and make sure I LOVED it.
She also offered me guidance in other aspects, such as the website layout (I ended up purchasing a template from LIW Studio) and photography.
The outcome is a beautiful, timeless brand that looks, feels, and reflects ME, peppered with small, meaningful details that make me abundantly happy down the last paperclip.
Branding & Website Designers I Collaborate With (and recommend):
Robyn White, RDW Design Studio | Wordpress • acts as Project Manager/Lead • niche in Interior Design & Home Trades, emphasis on SEO
Jenny Belanger, Jenny B Designs | Wordpress • acts as Project Manager/Lead • focus on SEO, UX, and conversion
Teresa Schlup, Caffeine Creative | Wordpress • works in tandem with copywriting • serves service-based businesses • focus on UX, creativity, personality, and brand design
Alethea Copelas, Inspired Website Design | Wix • works in tandem with copywriting • niche in small business with focus on SEO, creativity, personality, and brand design
Jessica Mercier, JM Artist | Wix • offers brand design and website design • works in tandem with copywriting • niche in businesses with soul and focus on creativity, personality, and brand design
Lindsey Burkhardt, Cheetah Design Studio | Wordpress • offers photography, brand design, and website design • works in tandem with copywriting • niche in small, local businesses with emphasis on UX and speed
Devorah Epstein, Studio 3 Eleven | Wordpress • offers graphic design and website design • works in tandem with copywriting • focuses on digital strategy
Elizabeth Nelson, Creative Allure Design | Squarespace • offers brand design and website design • works in tandem with copywriting • focuses on client experience, SEO, and refinement
Chantelle Davis Gray, Chantelle Davis Gray | Squarespace • offers brand design and website design • works with copywriter • one-week turnaround with client-centric focus, niche in value-based businesses
Jordin Brinn, Unica Formo | Showit • works with service providers to create brands and websites that are clear, strategic, and uniquely theirs.
As you can see, some of these phenomenal collaborators I get to spend time with in real life!
After working with Jess on branding…
My next steps were to hire a photographer. I selected Laurie Cesati of Young Pups Photography because I deeply trusted her and felt comfortable with her. She was amazing and offered guidance on outfits, poses, preparation, location, and more so it would align with what I was envisioning.
Then… the work was not done…
When you work with a website designer, they’re handling the most painful part of all: the website. I’m pretty savvy in WordPress and thought it would just be a simple “switch” to my new LIW Studio template. It was ANYTHING but simple. Not because of the template, but because I’m not as savvy as I thought. The process took weeks. And weeks. And weeks. Far longer than I expected it to take. When I was finally done, I was super happy with the outcome (over-the-moon), and had help from my collaborator, Teresa Schlup of Caffeine Creative, moving it all over and launching it and…
Womp. Womp. The migration to launch FAILED because I’d made some rookie website mistakes. Cause #NotaWebsiteDesigner, either it turns out.
Teresa was incredibly patient with me and offered tons of guidance, sparing me from bashing my head into my computer in despair.
My advice after this experience: HIRE A WEBSITE DESIGNER and do not go it alone!
Still not to the finish line…
It’s important to remember that rebranding is a massive undertaking and requires your time, energy, and attention! I just so happened to go through mine at the busiest time in my business, real smart of me, I know...
To circumvent the overwhelm, I committed to working on just a little bit every day on my “branding cohesion list” which helped me ensure I covered all the pieces where my brand showed up online.
I made a Google Doc of this list to get you started.
Finally, it was DONE. I launched my podcast with VIGOR and NOISE and I rolled everything out slowly, easefully, testing it all out as I went.
As I started making changes, it started feeling better and better and better than I could’ve ever even imagined!
What’s Possible When Everything Aligns
Now, successfully post-rebrand, everything from my copy to the images I choose to share on social media flows differently. I feel even more confident sending out proposals, I’m attracting clients who truly get what I’m about, and weirdly… I even DRESS with more ease because rebranding was a true process of self-discovery and BECOMING. Through it, I’ve learned more about how I ❤️ love ❤️ expressing myself without the external noise and “shoulds”.
Great branding doesn’t just look nice on a business card. It inspires you to show up better, create better, and believe bigger.
It also looks really nice on a business card (if I do say so myself).
What about you?
Have you outgrown where you are? Ready to step into where you’re going?
Your brand should make you feel proud to show up. If it doesn’t, maybe it’s time to reach out to me or one of these website designers and get started. I’d LOVE to be the copywriter by your side, bringing a FRESH voice to your brand and connect you to one of the fabulous brand/website designers who can see your vision through.
P.S. If you want to hear the behind-the-scenes of TWO recent rebrands, make sure to check out the most recent episode of Small Business Casual with my friend Lindsay Dreyer HERE.
And if you have ANY questions about this process, or something else, don’t hesitate to ask!