I’m up early again writing this. Seems like 6 am is optimum writing time for me at the moment. It feels a little bit like working out… If I don’t do it first thing in the morning, it’s never going to happen haha.
I’m excited this morning because I’m one step closer to a pretty significant change in my business. A change that I’ve been working on in the background for the last 4–6 months. Mapping stuff out, playing with new ideas and visioning a new direction.
And then, just now, it hit me. I’ve got to write about this.
Because change can feel like a scary thing in business. And in branding, it can almost feel like a bad idea. We talk a lot about consistency in branding, in becoming known for one thing, and so the idea of switching things up and moving in a different direction can feel totally counter-intuitive.
But here’s the thing: Brands evolve. People change. Industries shift.
So I wanted to write to you about this today to help you understand two things: How to make changes in your branding (the right way) and why evolution is good for business.
I mentioned before that I’d been working on this shift for the last 4–6 months, and that’s an important thing to note. Change is business needs to be well thought out. Change is totally ok, so long as you’re not re-inventing yourself every few months (then we just assume you don’t know what you’re doing).
In the last 4 years of my branding work, things have changed a LOT. But on the outside, client facing, they’ve only changed twice. I’ve had two websites (building my third now) and 2 distinct shifts in business direction. Each shift was well planned out (haha I’m a perfectionist and a control freak, so this is the understatement of the year) and was really just opportunity to refine my niche.
Note: The important word in that last sentence was refine. If my next move was to go from branding to selling tacos (which, let’s be honest, would be a pretty rad thing to spend your days doing), then it probably wouldn’t be smart to try and squish that idea into this brand. Sometimes change requires quitting something altogether and starting fresh. But if you can connect the dots, and the change feels more like evolution than a completely new direction, then it’s totally ok to just make some tweaks.
You’ll also need a strategy mapped out to ensure you have a smooth transition through the change. This means being mindful of all your brand’s touch points and implementing the changes across the board. It also means keeping your customers/clients in the loop. There’s nothing worse than big changes happening in your business that leave your audience feeling confused. Plus, there’s a great marketing opportunity in your evolution. It’s the perfect time to share your story, give people some insight into the reasons why your brand is shifting direction.
I said I would talk about why evolution can be good for business…. and here’s my take on it: Evolution means you are growing. It means things are moving. For most businesses, it means you are paying attention — to your customers/clients’ needs, to the times, to the industry and to your own gut instincts.
It also means your business remains relevant. Things stay fresh (which means you stay excited about your work). For me, change in my business has almost always been a good thing. Keeping a clear vision of where you want to go, but remaining flexible on how you get there is super important. Too much rigidity will kill your business.
There are changes that will happen in your business that you couldn’t imagine right now. Steve Jobs once said ‘You can only connect the dots looking backwards’ and I think he’s right. There is no way you’ll foresee all the changes in your future. But if you stay committed to your values and open to new ideas, then change won’t feel like such a scary thing.