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A Step-by-Step Guide to Effective B2B Rebranding

Learn more about B2B rebranding: knowing what it is, the right time to do it, and the steps you need to take to rebrand your B2B business successfully.

Written By: 

Erick Leon

Updated: 

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Looking to rebrand your B2B company but need help figuring out how to begin? It is a challenge, but the process doesn't have to be overwhelming when utilizing the proper guidance. And what’s more, you don’t have to do it alone.

A proper B2B rebrand requires excellent strategies and design - that’s where Evolv comes in. Equipped with a team of established experts, Evolv aims to provide you with rebranding projects that match, or exceed, the goals of your B2B company. 

brand appreciation bundle

Brand Appreciation Bundle is your first step in investing for a next-level rebranding experience. It is a curated set of projects dedicated to your brand from its inception, development, and growth until it becomes a sought-after name leading the ever-evolving market.

Would you like to know how we do it? This extensive guide will teach you the crucial concepts of rebranding, specifically for your B2B company, which will tell you a critical step-by-step process for executing your rebranding goals effectively.

What is Rebranding?

illustration of a team discussing rebranding

Rebranding isn’t just changing how you want people to look at your brand - it must also better reflect your goals and values. This critical shift allows businesses to stay relevant in an ever-evolving, constantly changing, and fickle market and communicate new offerings or changes in a business direction clearly and consistently.

Understanding how to rebrand effectively is essential for companies looking to achieve success. If you’re interested in learning more about the basics, here are some great sources available:

● Business Insider - "How To Choose The Right Brand Strategy For Your Early-Stage Startup, According To An Expert" offers insights into selecting a brand strategy that aligns with your audience.

● Harvard Business Review - "The One Thing You Must Get Right When Building A Brand" stresses the importance of delivering a clear customer promise, building trust, and continuously improving and innovating.

●  Hostinger - "How To Build A Brand: 10 Strategies That Function In 2023", entrepreneurs can gain viable instruction on formulating their business objectives, conducting research, and developing a strong brand, corporate image and identity.

What makes B2B Rebranding different?

B2B Rebranding differs from other types in that it requires considering the needs of multiple stakeholders.

● A successful modern B2B full rebrand must consider the company's brand positioning and the interests of everyone involved, from partners and clients to employees, suppliers, and shareholders.

● A collaborative team-based approach is essential for getting everyone on board with the changes. Since not everyone may initially agree with the proposed rebranding decisions, and many people are involved in the decision-making process.

● Rebranding should not be seen as a one-off project but as an ongoing mission with clear long-term goals that drive decision-making.

● The primary goal should always be creating trust between you and your clients or partners by demonstrating value and reliability through consistent brand messaging across all platforms.

illustration for a team crafting a new idea and expand goals

When to do a Rebrand?

Knowing when to do a rebrand can be tricky, but some key indicators will help you decide:

● If your current brand has lost relevance or doesn't reflect your company's mission or vision, it may be time for a brand overhaul.

● When the competitive landscape changes and new competitors enter the market, rebrand to help build fresh excitement about the innovative and entrepreneurial spirit of your business.

● If a business has experienced significant changes in ownership or services, it may require a revamp of its brand to portray the new trajectory accurately.

● If customers aren't responding positively to your existing logo branding, it could mean it needs updating with new visuals, colors, and brand voice.

● Finally, don't underestimate the power of market trends. Staying ahead of current design trends, like flat design, can often keep your branding looking fresh and up-to-date concerning its competition.

illustration of lego building blocks

How to do a B2B Rebranding?

Rebranding is a complex process that requires research, dedication, and strategic decisions – but if done right, it can help your company make a lasting impression on potential customers.

This guide will walk you through the essential steps of effective rebranding. From doing only part of an initial brand audit to measuring the results of your new visual identity – each step will be explained to ensure your companies achieve optimal success.

a team assessing a brand audit

● Step 1. Do a Brand Audit

Evaluating your brand and gathering stakeholder feedback is essential to kick off your branding process.

● Start by assessing your existing brand. Take a good look at the company's existing assets—logo, messaging, values, target audience—as you build an understanding of who the company currently is and what it stands for.

● Gather feedback from customers, employees, and other stakeholders to see what they think of the new brand identity and how they perceive it compared to competitors.

● Conduct research into competitor brands. Analyze their visible identity elements, tone of voice, communication strategies, and any successful rebranding examples they may have undergone.

● Look for emerging innovative technologies or changes in customer behavior that may influence a new direction for your brand image.

● Create an inventory list of all existing branded materials. Record details such as logo usage rules, color palette guidelines, and design files associated with each piece to develop consistency across all touchpoints.

illustration for strategy

● Step 2. Define the Brand Strategy

The next step is creating a comprehensive roadmap that tells the timeline of developments of your specific objectives and goals. The plan should consider the following:

● Establish who you want to reach with your new look, including geographic locations, gender, age group, income level, and other relevant criteria.

● Consider how your logo will resonate with your target audience and what elements appeal to them.

● Determine how you will communicate your messages to your intended audience(s). Consider the most appropriate and effective language when speaking directly to them.

● It's essential to include a business case. It outlines the reasons for rebranding and its potential benefits and can help stakeholders make decisions.

● Clearly define what outcome you're looking for after completing the rebranding process. Use measurable metrics such as market share or customer base satisfaction ratings where applicable to evaluate the campaign's success when it comes time for review.

● Develop a unique and relevant tagline highlighting your product or service's unique selling proposition (USP) to sell effectively. Use it across all platforms to maximize impact and visibility in your target audience's view.

deciding to develop a new brand identity

● Step 3. Develop a New Visual Identity

Once you have focused on where you want to take your brand picture-wise – it's time to start developing visuals based on these objectives.

● Develop a unique visual identity for your business that accurately reflects your objectives and messages.

● To rebrand, research, and choose appropriate typography, logo designs, colors, symbols, images, etc., that reflect your brand's core values.

● Ensure all visual identity elements are consistent with the mission outlined in step 2 to ensure maximum impact on potential customers.

● Be creative in using visuals to further cement the critical message of your brand within the public domain.

● Stay updated with current trends and technologies when creating new visuals – looking at industry influencers can provide helpful ideas!

● As you develop your new visual identity, consider how it will be applied across all other aspects of your brand growth, including your website, marketing materials, and product packaging.

● Using edgy portraits in visuals for your brand can add boldness, innovation, and creativity, perfect for businesses that want a younger audience. Ensure the use of edgy portraits fits the message and values of your brand.

ensure a clear promoting the new brand identity to the world

● Step 4. Communicate the Rebrand

Once all decisions have been made, and everything is decided, it's time to inform the world of your company’s new look!

● Develop a plan to effectively communicate the brand's evolution to crucial stakeholders, such as company partners, customers, and shareholders.

● Ensure clear, concise brand messaging that expresses the brand's new identity.

● Be prepared for questions and feedback from multiple brands, which should be considered before proceeding with implementation.

● Utilize multiple communication channels as needed depending on your intended audience. Ensure to update all internal and external materials, including your marketing and social media profiles, to reflect the new look.

● Listen carefully to customer feedback and take any criticisms on board – positive or negative responses are valuable insights that shouldn't be overlooked.

● Make a timeline for the communication plan, including dates for different stages of the rollout and milestones for tracking progress.

● Consider offering existing customers special promotions or incentives to help introduce new branding and promote rebranding.

Illustration for implementing the rebrand

● Step 5. Implement the Rebrand

Implementing a full rebrand requires careful planning and execution to ensure a smooth transition. Here are some critical steps to follow:

● Review the new brand name and identity and make any necessary collateral to inform internal audiences.

● Create signage with the new logo in critical locations.

● Change all logos, company stationery, cards, and other materials to reflect the rebrand.

● Update web page content with new images, copy, and coding as needed (if applicable).  

● Ensure all presentation material is updated to include current slides, information sheets, and brochures reflecting the rebrand.  

● Distribute press releases announcing your refreshed brand image online or offline.

● Monitor consistency across channels, including social media presence, emails, ads, etc. Ensure that everything is in line with your rebranded identity!

illustration of measuring and monitoring results

● Step 6. Measure and Monitor the Results

Once your B2B rebranding is up and running, it's essential to measure the results of your efforts. This will help you determine if modifications are necessary and ensure everything works correctly. To properly measure and monitor the results, here are some tips:

1. Establish measurable KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) ahead of time, including numerical goals to be met and qualitative items such as customer base feedback or surveys.

2. Gather data on leads generated, web page views, brand mentions in press coverage, social media presence/engagement levels, and other analytics related to campaigns launched post-rebranding. This can help determine if the money invested in this process provides a positive return on investment (ROI).

3. Monitor changes over a while; regular reporting helps track progress more accurately than measuring on a one-time basis and provides more reliable trends over time. Make sure to adjust accordingly throughout the process with changes in tactics or strategies where needed for KPIs to stay aligned with the overall objectives.

B2B Rebranding Best Practices

essential b2b branding practices

In 2023, rebranding will be more critical than ever as B2B companies strive to be relevant and a competitive advantage in their respective industries. As such, it's vital to incorporate innovations and best practices into a successful strategy. Below are some great tips for a successful B2B rebranding:

● Building Awareness for Your Brand Through Social Media Profiles

Social media profiles like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram help businesses promote their brand, products, and services and build connections with potential customers.

● Prioritizing Personalization in B2B Marketing

B2B marketing should prioritize personalization to engage with targeted leads directly. Making personalized, value-oriented messages instead of sales pitches builds strong relationships with your target audience, leading to higher conversion rates.

● Prioritizing Paid & Organic Social Media Marketing

Marketers should prioritize paid and organic social media marketing on platforms like Twitter and LinkedIn by creating content related to their target market and tracking their performance metrics. Analytics software like Google Analytics can help them understand the effectiveness of their campaigns.

● Maximizing the Use of LinkedIn for Targeted Lead Engagement

LinkedIn is an invaluable resource in B2B marketing. Leverage this platform to engage with your intended audience and generate leads, such as:

● Sharing relevant content

● Participating in groups

● Connecting with industry leaders.

● Integrating Brand Strategy into Business Strategy

Alignment between brand strategy and business strategy is essential for success. Incorporate both into one plan to share a unified purpose with customers and enable highly effective marketing toward your objectives.

● Harmonizing Internal Disciplines

A successful rebranding of any B2B company hinges on coordinated work from all internal disciplines. Seek collaboration across operational areas to ensure consistent messaging, positioning and values that deliver a strong branding cohesive brand image unifying everyone behind shared goals.

Final Thoughts

By now, you should know how to rebrand your B2B company effectively, and we expect that you are already looking for plans to do so. Visit https://www.evolvbam.com/branding and tell us how you want to rebrand your B2B company, and let us help you design a new and better look for your company. 

However, company success isn’t only achieved with a practical rebranding roadmap. Once you’ve seen growth, you must also plan to keep your brand on top. To learn more, you can visit www.evolvbam.com/resources/main for comprehensive and helpful guides to company success.





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About the Author

Carl Undag

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Copywriter

Evolv's dedicated copywriter, blending storytelling prowess with business acumen for impactful results.

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