Create a New Corporate Image Ten Reasons to Do It
May 17th, 2010
The corporate image of a company is not eternal: fashions change, the competition squeezes, the market evolves, and the companies expand services and products.
If the company switches, the image with which is presented to their customers and the society must also change, or will be representing something that no longer is real. In this article, we will see the main reasons that have the small and medium enterprises to create a new corporate image, or upgrade the who already have. In general, the reasons that we presented to renew the self-image can be grouped into two categories: strategic reasons, planned, to seize opportunities.
Reaction to existing problems: while you read the list of reasons, ask yourself if you may be the case of your company, and whether it should renew its image.
1. The company is new
This is the most obvious reason: a new company usually has no image established with the submitted to its customers, so it should be a. It is a mistake to think that do not need to create an image: always has, although it is the “company which has not concerned about its image”.
The perfect time to create the new image is during the process of building the company, before leaving to search for customers, but when it has already been defined the strategy. No need to be perfect, you can improve later; but it must be professional and appropriate to the company.
2. The company has stabilized
When you create, a new company there is always to adjust the plans to the reality of the market. It is not always possible to know in advance, what will be the activity that will be carried out at the end of a time. When this happens, it must renew the image as soon as the company has stabilized and knows what really do it. For example, a company initially management of consumer credit may end specializing in mortgages. Alternatively, a company prepared foods may end specializing in caterings.
3. Bad design
In many companies, the logo is simply wrong. It has designed someone who is not professional, someone with whom it is commitment (for example, a nephew that has “good hand with the Photoshop”), or even what has drawn the same employer. The bad design is the worst of all cases: a bad image leaps out much more than a normal; customers doubt their professionalism (who trusts a company that does not care its image?), and possibly have to give a better price to get the orders.
A good image gives confidence to customers, distinguishes the company of the competition, makes you remember better, and may allow you to charge more for its products and services. As soon as possible, renew its image, the better.
4. Change of name
There are names that are not working and should be changed, although the company did not change activity. Names bored, difficult to remember, too long, too generic, initials that nobody understands… or can be that customers confuse you with another company, or that did not identify what is dedicated. When this happens, the only solution is to change of name.
If you change the name of the company, the image must, at least, adjust to accommodate the new name. On the other hand, you can take the opportunity to make a re-branding complete and re-launch the company.
5. To change the perception of customers
Many companies renew their logo and its corporate image, not because it is bad or does not conform to the company, but to renew the perception of the company customers, suppliers, investors, and society in general. The companies want to face friendlier, innovative, technological, modern, etc.
6. Change in strategy
Companies evolve with the market, and it can happen to change their product, canal, technology, or even for the sector. When the company switches enough so that its image no longer the represents, it should renew. There are two possible ways to make this change: In a planned, as soon as the new strategy is clear, preferably before implementing it. The development of the new image should be part of the process of strategic change.
7. To create new lines of business
The companies create new lines of business and new brands for many reasons: to introduce a new line of products, to exploit a niche market, to create a second mark to compete with the main, to attack other bands of price (more expensive or cheaper), or to enter new markets. The new business unit can use the image of the matrix, you can adapt, or you can create a completely new.
8. Expansion
A company can expand its field of action in many ways: introducing new product lines, accessing new markets or to new channels, attacking new customer segments, etc. If the logo and image are linked to a product, geographic region, market, canal or segment, the expansion is hampered. Will be necessary to adjust the image to remove this limitation, redefine completely, or risk continuing with an image represents only a part of the activity.
When to make the change: When it is expected significant expansion and planning strategy. For example, when a company of professional services decides to expand and give direct service to consumers. Alternatively, when a company of direct sale decides to expand and sell through distributors.
As soon as the new activity acquires sufficient importance in the whole of the company. For example, when a company exporting occasionally increases the volume of its exports.
9. Concentrate business lines
Many companies create business units or independent brands, for example, to commercialize different products, or in different channels, or segments of price. It may be that the diversification go too far, no longer serve, or that any line of business is entered, so that the company chooses reinstate a mark secondary to the main trademark. When this happens, we have to adapt two images: that of the mark secondary, during a time of transition until that customers have accepted the change of brand, and the main trademark, to accept the new line.
10. Expertise
When a company has diversified too, can decide focus on a part of your business and detached from the rest. For example, you can leave channel distributor and focus on direct sales. Alternatively, retain a single line of products. Alternatively, focus on a niche market.
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