Refresh Your Brand For the New Year

Every Business should audit marketing materials at least once a year to ensure they are up to date and in line with your company’s brand and image. The new year is a great time to incorporate new designs and themes. Try a new color palette or modernize your current documents. Don’t forget to update and improve service offerings based on what competitors are offering, and based on the needs and demands of your customer base. This could include refreshing goals, messaging or work environment.

Some of the items that need an annual refresh include:

• Business Cards – When it’s time to order new business cards, verify that the information on the card is still accurate (such as email address, website, and phone number.) Update the information where necessary or remove things that are no longer relevant, like social media links that are no longer being used. Consider changing the theme to stay up to date with current business card trends.
• Logo–  While logos are not changed every year, now might be time for a logo refresh. Work with a designer to create something unique to the business. If the company is celebrating a special anniversary or event, that can be incorporated into the design. 
• Stationary, Letterhead, Envelopes, and Labels – Just like business cards, it’s essential to make sure that stationary has up-to-date information. Too often, companies send out letterhead with a previous office location, creating confusion for the customer. Nobody likes to waste! Labels can also be purchased to cover up the old address for businesses who have old envelopes they want to use up. 
• Banners – Whether displayed at the office or at an event, banners help promote your brand to customers with little to no effort from the sales team. Be sure to order new banners that coincide with current branding and promotions so that the message is clear to the customer.
• Fliers and Brochures – Fliers and brochures need yearly face-lifts. When the same brochures sit out, they become too familiar and are likely not to be picked up. Utilize new graphics and colors to tell your  message in an exciting way. Order enough for a few months and then re-evaluate and reorder when you run out.
• Company apparel – Employees are the face of the brand, so don’t let employees be seen in worn-out, dingy attire. Order new apparel to keep them looking clean and professional. 
• Vehicle Graphics – Are your Vehicle Graphics worn out or out of date? Your company vehicles are moving billboards that represent your brand. Keep them looking professional.
• Calendars – Nothing says “New Year” better than a calendar! Design and order a new calendar to send to clients, to keep the company on their mind every day!
• Website – Has your Website kept up with changes in your business?

Reflect on your positioning
After a year like 2020, your brand may have strayed from its original positioning. Now is the perfect time for a gut check to make sure your branding components are still on point. Are your Tagline, Mission Statement, Marketing Materials, and Brand Core Values still accurate for the coming year?

Set achievable goals
Many businesses had lofty goals for 2020, which promptly got put on hold. This year, as we begin to return to normal, we need to inform our target audience of the changes that our businesses have gone through and the reason why our products and services are even more important than before. We’ll likely be status quo with the pandemic for at least the first quarter of the year, with restrictions gradually lifting throughout 2021. Instead of setting goals for a normal year and setting yourself up for failure, set challenging, but achievable goals for a year in the midst of a global pandemic. It’s okay to reassess goals and set reasonable benchmarks.

A fresh start
The new year is a perfect time to reflect on your brand and plan for a refresh if needed. Think about your brand messaging, business goals and workplace environment. By reviewing these three areas and adjusting where needed, you’ll have a strong 2021 even with the pandemic in the mix. A full marketing material overhaul might not be necessary but making some small changes can start the New Year off right! Now, watch as your marketing materials open new business opportunities! 

Need Help? Let Calliope Concepts help you put your Brand back on track for the New Year.