The decision to rebrand your business can come as a result of many factors. Whether your business is legally changing shape, or you’re just ready for something new, rebranding can be a great way to attract interest. Assuming your rebrand involves changing the business name, there are a few places where you’ll need to remember to update it. Check out McNutt & Partners’ Rebranding Checklist for 10 places to update your name during a rebrand.
Logo
First and foremost, your rebrand with a name change will involve updating your logo. In addition to your logo reflecting your new name, it may also involve new colors, fonts and designs as well. Your updated logo will be the precursor to several other items on our checklist.
Signage
Now that you’ve got the new logo nailed down, it’s time to update your signage. This could include storefront signs, awnings, roadside signs, front door decals, etc.
It can also include display materials you use for trade shows, pop-up banners and billboards.
Tangibles
In this category, we’re talking any promotional “take-away” items that you use for your business. Think pens, T-shirts, hats, stress balls, USB drives, reusable grocery bags (you get the picture). Anything with your old logo needs to be updated.
Print materials
Have a recurring ad running in a print publication? Don’t forget to create a new version with your updated business name and branding as part of McNutt & Partners’ rebranding checklist.
Brochures, pamphlets and other printed promotional materials also fall into this category.
Your website
Your website may be the star of the show when it comes to your rebrand. Not only can it creatively display all of the aspects of your new look (name, design, colors), but it’s also a quick and convenient way to get the word out.
Depending on your current website URL, you may also opt to change it as a result of your rebrand.
If your website URL changes, your company email addresses likely will as well. Grouped into this category, don’t forget about your email signature, as well as any assets you use for email blast campaigns.
Social media
No need to make new social media pages (unless you just want to). You can rename your existing ones to reflect your new branding. In addition to renaming your pages, however, there are several places on social media where you will need to update your name, including your page usernames, bios and more.
If you’ve got your business listed anywhere on your personal social media (including your LinkedIn resume,) don’t forget to update it there too.
Online listings
We’ve broken this one up into two categories:
Search listings
When we say “search listings,” we mean places like Google, Yelp and Apple Maps, for example. Whether you have claimed it or not, your business likely has a listing in these places, and your new brand name will need to be updated here to avoid confusion. If anything else about your business has changed in your rebrand (location, hours, etc.) remember to update those here as well.
Business/industry websites and database
For this one on McNutt & Partners’ rebranding checklist, think chamber of commerce directories or industry databases where your business might be listed. For example, if you’re in the medical field, you may have a WebMD listing.
Internal materials
Not all of the items that you’ll need to remember to update during your rebrand will be outward-facing. Update your business name and branding on internal materials like your stationery (business cards, letterhead, envelopes), employee handbooks, and brand standard guides, as a few examples.
Legal updates
Often businesses rebrand publicly without changing their legal entity names. If the legal name of your business entity did not change, don’t worry about this one. If it did, however, don’t forget to contact your attorney about all the places you will need to update it, such as business licenses, permits, bank accounts and beyond.
Summary
Do your due diligence when rebranding to avoid confusion for your brand followers while optimizing the effects of your business’ new representation. If you need help, call us!
McNutt & Partners is a full-service advertising and digital marketing agency. Contact us today for your marketing needs! Call 334-521-1010, or visit our contact page
