Rebranding your organization – whether that means updating your name, visual identity or both – can be empowering and rewarding. For many nonprofits, it’s an exciting opportunity to achieve congruence between what their organization represents and how it’s presented to key audiences. 

Rebranding can also be a daunting undertaking. You can equate it to how a new Circ du Soleil performer might feel on opening night. They can be as well-prepared as the next performer, but once the spotlight is on anything can happen. Will the crowd understand what you’re trying to convey? Will they follow the story? Should you have chosen a job that involves fewer leotards?

The truth is, rebranding is not an easy process. It requires significant work – often more than you might expect. While the exact details of how you’ll land on your new brand will vary, we’ve found that a number of things ring true for most. So we’re sharing 10 key things to keep in mind as you embark on the rebranding journey.

#1: The devil’s in the details

A rebranding is a big lift and can be an all-consuming process. There are lots of pieces to consider, elements impacted and changes to plan for.

You’ll find yourself asking questions like…

• Will this work for our elementary school program and corporate donors?
• How do we message this to partners?
• What effect will this have on our internal communications?

It requires effort, attention and input. So it’s certainly worth it to take your time and make sure all bases are covered in order to develop a brand you can be proud of.

#2: It will take longer and require more of an investment than you think

It can be hard to wrap your head around this truth, but a full rebranding – which includes your name, logo, marketing materials, website and probably more – can take 12-18 months start to finish. Patience is key, as you’ll need to take the time to make your launch as seamless as possible.

On the budget front, prices vary greatly depending on where you go and what you want. This work can easily climb into the 6-figure range depending on the size of your organization and whether you want to hire a team of freelancers or an agency. Much like every home renovation show in the history of forever, when you’re building something new, unexpected costs come up (like running into a load-bearing wall or the board wanting to see a fifth round of name options).

#3: Include key stakeholders early on and frequently

You don’t need to invite everyone to every meeting (in fact, you definitely should not do that), but you do want to avoid a situation where a lot of your important stakeholders only see the results, not the journey you took to get there. Figure out strategic moments to include them and update them as you go. This way they get to come along for the ride AND don’t derail months of work with questions or objections because they gave no input and have no clue how you arrived at the end product. 

#4: Just asking a bunch of people is a terrible idea

Trying to crowdsource a new name and/or visual identity will often land you more problems than solutions. Surveys and focus groups can be helpful when utilized correctly, but they often have more cons than pros. Trying to choose a crowd favorite will result in a brand that nobody hates and nobody loves.

People tend to choose things that feel familiar, expected and “normal,” which will get you something that’s already been seen, done and ignored many times over. You can certainly use focus groups to gain insights on things like word associations, but you want to be sure those results are part of your pool of information and NOT the deciding factor. At the end of the day, you have to be ready for a small group to take everything into account, make a decision and go with it.

#5: Be prepared for a slow burn

Sometimes your new name or look will be love at first sight…but probably not. You shouldn’t expect a “eureka!” moment. Through rounds of presentations and revisions, your new brand will likely grow on you. You’ll find yourself tweaking and adjusting until little by little you arrive at something that feels right. Even after that, others may be resistant to change, and not everyone is going to love it. That’s okay. Things will fall into place as you convey your updated brand through everyday action. If you believe in it and have a solid roll-out plan, your internal and external audiences will come around.

#6: Remain audience centered

If you’re part of the organization, your thoughts and opinions should be taken into account. But don’t make the process personal.

For example, maybe you would never use the color yellow to decorate your home. But before you write a diss track to perform at the next staff meeting, consider what feelings and ideas this hue could convey to your key audiences. Yellow just might be the color you need to bring the energy and levity your brand is missing.

#7: Think about possibilities as much as limitations

If you’re weighing whether a new name or visual identity is the one, you may find yourself defaulting to potential negative outcomes and unintended consequences. Make sure to give equal consideration to what about the concepts is working and what could go right.

Maybe that exact name or design isn’t the winner, but in thinking about everything that could be done with it (like taglines and campaigns, or custom patterns and infographics) you may discover elements you can pull out or ways to fine-tune it to get closer to what you want.

#8: Don’t get distracted by big shiny brands

We love supporting organizations that are ready to think big. We’re Believers, after all. But it’s important to not get hung up measuring your new brand against companies or organizations in different spaces with different market shares.

Sure, you can look to other successful brands as inspiration, but trying to figure out how to replicate what they’ve done will have you going in circles. The average person didn’t immediately connect a half eaten apple with computers or know how to correctly pronounce Nike. Your new branding alone won’t change the game overnight. It takes a solid marketing strategy and game-changing services to achieve continued growth as a known and trusted organization.

#9: Look to the future

Take full advantage of the opportunity to rebrand and reintroduce yourself to all of your stakeholders – both internal and external, old and new.

This is a chance to…

• Update or recommit to your purpose and values
• Reignite your team around a new mission
• Think about what your organization can become

You’ll want to land on a brand that matches your established identity, while also having the agility to evolve as your organization does the same.

#10: Imagine your new brand…with the works

Your brand is the hallmark of your organization, but it’s not just your name and visual identity. There are lots of other pieces that come into play during this process.

Thinking your name and visual identity can carry your organization’s brand is like expecting your head and neck to run a marathon by themselves. You’ll need a website, marketing materials, social media channels, core messaging and other print and digital assets – not to mention the quality of your work – to support and amplify your new brand. 

Rebranding means juggling lots of different things, but it can be an enormously rewarding process. When done thoughtfully and with a clear purpose, a rebrand can allow supporters to reconnect with what they love most about your organization.

With our tips at your disposal, we hope you’ll feel ready to dive into a rebrand, fully equipped to face the process head on and build out a new identity for your organization.