How to review your brand

Clare Froggatt
February 26, 2024

How to review your brand: It is important to assess your brand from time to time to make sure it is still effective and working for your business as it is now, rather than how it was when the brand was originally created.

Here are some of the changes that can affect how your brand resonates with your target audience:

Changes in the industry, for example new regulations
New competitors entering the market
Changes or updates in technology
Your target audience may change the way they buy products or services
Communication channels may change
Market trends and fashion may affect how your brand appears

If you review your brand regularly, you can adapt the brand strategy to make sure it is effective, aligned with your business values and relevant to customers, so your business can remain competitive in dynamic trading conditions.

If all this sounds a bit scary, remember that you can talk to me about all things branding.

So, if this how to review your brand blog has you running for the hills, contact the Make a Brew team or book a friendly brew with me, Clare, to talk about your next steps over a cuppa.

Alternatively, to get started, you can request a FREE copy of my ‘Brand Audit Workbook.’ Just email me with ‘Audit’ in the subject line, and I will send it to you!

8-Key steps to review your brand

There are a number of different steps we use when we review your brand, these are focused on various aspects of the brand’s presence, reputation, and effectiveness.

Here are the key steps:

Brand Audit

A brand audit will demonstrate the perception and performance of your brand in the marketplace as a measure of its equity.

It will identify strengths and weaknesses, so you can adapt the brand strategy to improve business performance.

Re-evaluate the core values and purpose of your brand. Are they still aligned with your business goals, or do you need to make changes? Do your core values still resonate with your target audience?
Examine the elements of brand identity (logo, colour scheme, typography, tone of voice) and messaging. Do they still communicate your brand identity effectively or do they need a refresh? (You can read more about this in last month’s blog, ‘Is it time for a brand refresh?’)
Is your brand identity consistent across all customer touchpoints and communications channels? Consistency is key to building brand presence whereas inconsistency waters down the effectiveness of a brand.
Analyse your current market position to gain an understanding of how your brand is perceived when compared to competitors. This is key to differentiating your brand, so it stands out from the noise in the marketplace.

Customer Insights

How to review your brand includes understanding how customers perceive your brand and what their expectations are, so you can surpass them.

Conduct a target audience analysis by gathering data about both current and potential customers. Understand their needs, preferences, and behaviours so you can align your brand strategy with their expectations.
Use customer surveys, social media listening, and customer reviews to get feedback about your brand. You will be able to pinpoint what you are doing right and where improvements can be made.
How do customers buy from you? Review the customer journey to identify pain points or areas for improvement in the buying process.
Manage potential risks owing to negative perceptions by planning for or taking proactive measures to protect the brand.

Competitive Analysis

When you review your brand you will compare the performance of competitor brands in the marketplace.

Are you aware of the latest market trends in your industry, so you can adapt quickly to a changing trading environment?
Analyse your competitors’ branding strategies, identifying their strengths and weaknesses, so you can adjust your brand strategy to take advantage of weaknesses and combat strengths.
What makes your brand unique? Identify how your brand differentiates itself from competitors and how you can use this to your advantage in your marketing strategy.

Digital Presence

How does your company perform online? You should undertake a detailed analysis of your website and social media channels when you review your brand.

Does your website reflect your brand identity and is it user-friendly? Can you make the online buying process easier for your customers? How does your website performance compare to the main competitors?
Review SEO and content strategy for effectiveness. You may need to rethink your keywords and rewrite webpages to remain consistent and effective.
Assess the performance of social media channels in engaging with your audience. Where does your target audience hang out? Should you update how you communicate across social media, or look at new and emerging platforms?

Marketing Materials and Collateral

Consistency is key! Ensure all marketing materials are consistent in terms of brand voice, visual style, and message.
Update outdated brochures, business cards, or promotional materials. Do you need to implement new POS materials to stay up to date with buying habits?

Internal Branding

Your employees should embody your brand values.

Do your employees understand your brand values and identify with them?

Evaluate the effectiveness of internal communication channels in promoting brand awareness among staff.
Use staff feedback questionnaires to see where employee communications can be improved.

Performance Metrics

Review key performance indicators (KPIs) and the return on investment (ROI) from your marketing campaigns. Use the information to improve the relevance of campaigns.
Based on data from the metrics I have outlined in this blog, adjust marketing strategies to refine and target your audience to achieve campaign goals.

Action Plan and Implementation

Once you understand the data, develop a clear, actionable plan for addressing weaknesses and capitalizing on strengths in your brand strategy.
Ensure support for your brand action plan by allocating sufficient budget for the changes.

Regular Review and Adaptation

Brand strategy is an ongoing effort. Make sure you can continuously monitor brand performance, making changes and adapting actions as required.
Stay on top of market trends and the competitive landscape so you are ready to update your brand strategy quickly.