How to guide your brand through change

At some point your business will change. As Sophie Cross said in her LinkedIn post: “Running a business is a marathon, not a sprint”. A marathon in the Nepalese mountains with countless highs and lows. To cope, change is almost inevitable.

Wondering if your business is ripe for change? Check out my blog post for the signs to look out for.

You might cultivate a new target customer, expand into new categories or markets, shake up your pricing, or update your visuals or words. Maybe you even want to change your business name. (I relate! Find out more about my recent brand refresh.

But change isn’t always easy. If you have loyal clients and a good reputation it can even feel risky. And I’d argue that when you’re a business that’s a force for good, your customers’ trust is even more important.

So, when change is on the cards, what can you do to guide your customers to the other side with confidence?  

Be straight

When you’re announcing change, keep your language simple and your message straightforward. Figure out exactly what your customers need to know; cut out the waffle.

In emails about interest rates, Marcus keeps the tone clear, friendly (note, “we’ll”: nice and warm) and brief. They also finish by telling you there’s nothing more you need to do. Very reassuring. Thanks, Marcus.

Your interest rate is increasing

Dear Reader,

On Tuesday 18 October we will be increasing the underlying interest rate on our Online Savings Account, Cash ISA and Maturity Saver. We'll apply the increase to your account(s) automatically, so you will not need to take any action.

Be consistent

Elon Musk’s Twitter takeover has been a masterclass in how *not* to make changes in your business. (But, of course, if you’re a billionaire already, who gives a crap, right?) A lack of strategy, decisions made and then reversed, major shifts in values. The whole thing has the feeling of jumping out of a plane with no parachute. Unstable. Unsafe. The lesson here is to plan ahead so that your change messaging is consistent and considered, and doesn’t leave your customers scuttling towards your competitor.

Make it make sense

You can probably name a couple of brands guilty of ill-advised changes followed by a hasty backtrack. Whether it was the crappy GAP logo update or when Coco Pops tried to make Choco Krispies happen in the 90s (and 92% of Brits hated it).

Avoid mutiny by helping your customers understand the change and what’s in it for them. They’ll be much more likely to tag along for the next chapter in your story. Like this email from Perkbox.

We've got something to show you...

We’ve made some big changes…

Over the past year we’ve been listening to all your feedback, dreaming of a future when Perkbox would be bigger, better and more user-friendly than ever before.

That future is here. That future is Perkbox 2.0.

Our team of designers, developers and marketeers have been hard at work transforming your Perkbox experience. Everything should feel a bit slicker now, a bit more colourful and a lot more fun.

Let them in

Or, go one step further, and get your customers involved in your change. It’s a trick lots of brands use to build an initial customer base when they launch, but it also works for a pivot or rebrand. (Show me a Brit that hasn’t heard of Boaty McBoatface.)

Whether it’s voting on a new name, asking people to send in ideas, or taking topic or product requests. Use change as a chance to invite customers into your world. Not only will they learn more about your evolution, but they’ll feel personally invested and more likely to stick around. You might even gain some new followers in the process.

Stay positive and reassuring

I’m all for building in public but that doesn’t have to mean airing your slightly wiffy laundry. It might be true that you’re changing niche because your old one is pure tumbleweed or changing your brand name because no one could pronounce the old one. But it’s usually safer (and more on brand for most) to stay positive in public. Focus on the exciting future ahead rather than yesterday’s mistakes.

That said, one of my favourite change announcements is this one from Ace & Tate. Once again proving there are no hard and fast rules about this stuff.

Ace & Tate is now an official B Corporation. But let’s be real here — it didn’t come easy. There’s been a few bumps on the road to becoming a B CORP and we’re taking accountability for our actions by sharing the bad moves we’ve made. Hopefully, paving the way for a more transparent eyewear industry. Grab some popcorn, this is going to be juicy.

What role does brand voice play?

Obviously, I’m biased, but brand voice is an essential tool for a changing business. If you’re maintaining your existing voice, the strength of it will help your brand feel familiar and safe. If your brand voice needs an update in line with your change, it will help to underline your new direction. Either way, periods of evolution are a great opportunity to do a brand voice MOT and get the right tools in place to carry you forward.

If you’d like a chat about this or anything else, I’d love to hear from you.