Brand evolution approaches for consultants
This article is a full crash course on the why, how, and what behind evolving a brand. We’re going to discuss:
The key ways in which it is unique to branding and rebranding
Identifying when a brand evolution is necessary
Understanding the impact of evolving on your audience
Crafting a narrative around your evolution and communicating it to the public
Leveraging brand evolution to reach new customers
First, what is brand evolution?
Brand evolution is a process. Unlike full rebranding, it’s a baby step that involves evolving the corporate image of a business or organization to align with the ways in which the business has changed over the years. Maybe the business now offers more products or services. Maybe the niche has changed. Whatever the reason, it’s important to revisit the brand and evolve it to catch up with the business changes.
How is brand evolution different from rebranding?
The terms “rebranding” and “brand evolution” are sometimes used interchangeably but it’s very important to acknowledge that these are two very different things.
While a rebrand is a more drastic and foundational change aimed at significantly altering the brand's identity and perception, a brand evolution is a more incremental and subtle process focused on updating and refining the brand to remain relevant and appealing in a changing market.
Definition: Brand evolution is a more gradual and subtle process of updating or refining a brand. It maintains the core elements of the brand identity but makes adjustments to stay relevant and contemporary.
Purpose: The aim is to refresh the brand to keep pace with changing market trends, consumer preferences, or technological advancements without alienating existing customers.
Extent of Change: Changes in a brand evolution are less radical than a rebrand. They might involve updating the logo design, tweaking the brand colors, or modernizing the marketing approach, but the fundamental brand identity remains recognizable.
Example: A well-known soft drink company slightly modifying its logo and packaging design to appear more modern while keeping its iconic brand elements recognizable.
Designing a brand that consultants can grow into
When I help consultants establish their first brand, I always recommend making decisions that result in a brand that the business can grow into. This helps avoid the need for full rebranding and paves the way for seamless evolution.
For example, I would not recommend aligning the whole business’s name or foundational elements (brand promise, pillars, values) to reflect the product or audience because that may evolve and change, which may trigger a whole rebrand right down to the name.
Rather, I recommend keeping future brand evolution in mind from the outset and making recommendations that will accommodate a growing business.
My own brand evolution
A perfect example of how this works would be the evolution that I, myself, have gone through throughout the years.
This website you’re on right now was first established in 2015 when I started my photography business. I quickly became both a photographer and an educator for fellow photographers so I needed to split the business in two for these distinctively different audiences.
So I kept this website as the home for education for photographers and made a whole new business for my services doing photography for customers. This constituted a rebrand for the photography business and a brand evolution for myself as an educator.
Over that next decade, the focus of this website changed from photography education to services in visual design (rebrand) and then from design services to consulting (rebrand).
As a brand consultant, I was serving many different kinds of clients from direct-to-consumer startups to established consumer-packaged-goods brands. I decided to specialize my consulting and focus in on my favorite customer type: fellow consultants.
This was a brand evolution where the brand promise, beliefs, and values remained the same. The logo is the same and the visual expression of my business has evolved but is reminiscent of the previous iteration which you can see reflected in the before/after screenshots of my website below.
The biggest difference post-evolution is that I no longer display work that isn’t relevant to the customers I want to serve and I tweaked my copy to reflect the needs of my ideal customer (consultants).
Identifying when brand evolution is necessary
There’s plenty of content out there about business rebranding. I’m keeping this article specific for my customers—consultants.
Consultant brands are personal brands built around a person. When a consultant evolves their personal brand, the reasons can be quite different compared to those of a larger corporate entity.
Personal branding for consultants hinges on their individual expertise, reputation, and relationship with clients. Here are some reasons and unique aspects that might prompt a consultant to evolve their personal brand:
Change in Expertise or Services: If a consultant shifts their area of expertise or starts offering new services, evolving the personal brand is necessary to reflect this change. For instance, a consultant moving from general business strategy to specializing in digital transformation needs to update their brand to attract relevant clients.
Market Demand and Trends: Consultants need to stay relevant in their field. If market trends shift (e.g., a surge in demand for sustainability consulting), they might need to evolve their brand to align with these new demands and demonstrate their expertise in these areas.
Professional Growth and Experience: As consultants gain more experience and higher qualifications, their personal brand should be updated to reflect their enhanced skills and expertise, positioning them as more authoritative or specialized in their field.
Client Feedback and Relationships: Personal brands are heavily influenced by relationships and reputation. Feedback from clients, whether it’s about the consultant's approach, communication style, or service offerings, can be a catalyst for brand evolution.
Technological Advancements: Keeping up with technological changes is crucial, especially if these impact the consultant's field of work. For instance, adopting new digital tools or platforms for consulting can be a reason to update their brand to appear more tech-savvy and efficient.
Personal Development: Changes in a consultant's personal values, goals, or life circumstances can prompt a reevaluation of their personal brand. For example, a new focus on work-life balance might lead to a brand evolution to attract clients who respect and align with these values.
Networking and Collaboration: Expanding their network or starting collaborations with other professionals or organizations might necessitate a brand evolution to reflect these new alliances and the expanded scope of services.
Globalization and Cultural Sensitivity: If a consultant is aiming to attract clients from different cultural backgrounds or expand their services globally, they might need to evolve their brand to be more inclusive and culturally sensitive.
Visibility and Thought Leadership: As consultants aim to establish themselves as thought leaders in their field, evolving their personal brand to include speaking engagements, publications, or a strong social media presence can be crucial.
Adaptation to Remote and Digital Work Environments: The shift towards remote consulting or the increased use of digital platforms for client engagement might necessitate a brand evolution to showcase the consultant's adaptability and proficiency in these environments.
For consultants, evolving a personal brand is often about aligning their external image with their current expertise, goals, and changing market needs, while maintaining a strong connection and trust with their client base.
The impact on the audience
Brand evolution can have a significant impact on audiences like existing and potential customers. The effects can be both positive and negative, depending on how well the evolution is executed and communicated. Here are some key impacts of brand evolution on different audiences:
Existing Customers:
Positive Impact: A well-executed brand evolution can reinvigorate the interest of existing customers, reinforcing their loyalty by demonstrating a commitment to staying current and relevant.
Negative Impact: If the evolution is too drastic or not well-communicated, it can alienate existing customers. If specializing and no longer serving a certain type of customer is a goal, this may not be a negative impact.
Potential Clients:
Positive Impact: Updating the brand to align with current trends and preferences can attract new customers who might have previously overlooked the consultant.
Negative Impact: There's a risk that potential clients might not connect with the new brand identity if it doesn't resonate with their expectations or needs.
Competitors:
Impact: Competitors might see a brand evolution as an indicator of a shift, potentially leading them to adjust their own strategies.
Industry Perception:
Positive Impact: A consultant who evolves effectively can set new standards in the industry, positioning themselves as a leader and innovator.
Negative Impact: If the evolution is perceived as a failure or a misstep, it can damage the consultant’s reputation in the industry.
Brand evolution can be a powerful tool for repositioning a brand and staying competitive, but it requires careful planning, execution, and communication to ensure that the impact on various audiences is positive and aligns with the brand's long-term goals.
Leveraging a brand evolution to attract new customers
When you redecorate your house, aren’t you excited to invite guests over to enjoy it? A rebrand or brand evolution is an equally great reason to invigorate new interest and amplify the brand with fresh excitement.
You can attract this new interest through launching ad campaigns and the methods you employ to communicate your rebrand which are outlined below.
How do you explain your evolution to the public?
Crafting a narrative around a consultant's brand evolution and effectively communicating it to the public involves a thoughtful approach. The key is to tell a compelling story that connects the reasons behind the evolution with the benefits it offers to clients and stakeholders. Here are steps and tips on how to do this:
Define the Evolution Story:
Identify the 'Why': Clearly articulate why you are evolving your brand. This could be due to changes in your expertise, market demands, personal growth, or a desire to better serve your clients.
Connect with Your Values: Ensure that the story of your brand evolution aligns with your core values and the principles that define your professional identity.
Develop Key Messages:
Highlight Benefits: Focus on how the brand evolution benefits your clients. For example, improved services, expanded expertise, or more aligned values.
Maintain Continuity: While emphasizing what's new, also reassure clients about what won't change, such as your commitment to quality and your foundational principles.
Use Personal Storytelling:
Personal Journey: Share your personal journey and experiences that led to the brand evolution. Authenticity in storytelling fosters trust and relatability.
Choose the Right Channels:
Digital Platforms: Use your website, blog, social media, and professional networks like LinkedIn to share your evolution story.
Email Communication: Send personalized emails to your existing clients and contacts explaining the change.
Public Relations: Consider press releases or articles in industry publications if the evolution is significant.
Engage with Your Audience:
Interactive Content: Use webinars, podcasts, or live Q&A sessions to engage with your audience and explain your brand's evolution.
Feedback: Encourage feedback and be open to discussions about the changes. This can provide valuable insights and further engagement opportunities.
Visual Branding:
Visual Consistency: If your brand evolution includes visual changes like a new logo or color scheme, ensure consistency across all platforms and materials.
Before and After: Show a comparison of the old and new brand elements to visually communicate the evolution.
Consistent Messaging:
Unified Voice: Ensure that all communication, whether on social media, your website, or in person, conveys a consistent message about your brand evolution.
Share Success Stories:
Case Studies: Use case studies or testimonials that reflect the positive impact of your brand evolution.
Monitor and Adapt:
Feedback Loop: Continuously monitor how your audience is responding to the brand evolution and be prepared to make adjustments based on feedback.
Celebrate Milestones:
Acknowledging Progress: Share milestones and successes related to your brand evolution to build momentum and reinforce the positive aspects of the change.
By crafting a narrative that is authentic, clear, and engaging, you can effectively communicate your brand evolution in a way that resonates with your audience, strengthens your professional relationships, and positions you favorably in your field.
How to get started
I make it my whole business to help consultants brand, rebrand, or evolve their brand. Please contact me to talk about your goals and I’ll make a recommendation about how to eat the elephant one bite at a time.
