If you are a startup looking to rebrand in-house, here are five key learnings from our process:

Plan Plan Plan: Having a plan gives you a clear structure to follow, which is so important. Before you start, try to work out your aims & objectives, then plan with these in considerations. It is important to note that 9/10 things never go according to the plan, especially if you set deadlines! This is okay. Do not sweat the small stuff, but make sure you get back on track and set a new realistic time frame to complete the task.

Depending on the size of your startup, it is advised to keep everybody in the loop of what the plans are! Communication is key. You all play an essential role in getting the branding done, so make sure everyone feels included.

Extra tip: Have a weekly deep debrief, where each department presents what they have done and how far along they are on the timeline. This is a great way to sync up.

Understand who you are FIRST: Many businesses don’t have a fixed understanding of their identity as a brand. This goes beyond the visual elements. It is very important to know what you stand for, what your tone of voice is & how you want people to feel when they come in contact with you. Make sure you iron this out before you start on the visual side — this will form the pillars for how you approach design, the colours you select, how you plan to communicate etc.

Extra TIP: You don’t have to be ridged; remember, your brand is like a personality. Understand the core but remember it has layers to it.

Always keep your audience in mind: Remember who you are doing this for. It can be so easy to run away with ideas & come up with things that sound good but may not be as effective in practice. You must toe the line between being innovative & being mindful. Will your audience like what you have in-store?

Extra tip: User feedback sessions are extremely handy and can give you all the insight you need. If you have established an interactive community, tap into it for some feedback. Use your most active members as they are always keen to help.

Don’t be too fixated on competitors: It is so easy to focus on what others are doing. This rebranding process is an opportunity for you to get better. You can look at what they have done, note great examples, and learn what not to do. The important thing is to not dwell on it. Your brand is yours; this is your opportunity to prove why you are a key contender in your space; this is the time to make your mark.

Extra Tip: Think way outside the box. Often, it is about angle and messaging — are you communicating strikingly and are you where your audience is.

Work as a unit: This is a very important one. You are a team. Most of the time, startups don’t have the people-power to give everyone a fixed task to concentrate on — you may find that everyone will need to wear multiple hats. Helping each other is integral in getting the job done. If you are good with words and can help with copy — do it! If you are good with video editing — lend yourself to help with marketing content.

Extra tip: Take breaks where you can, rebranding isn’t an easy process & you’ll have days where you’re working a bit harder than usual. See it through — believe me, the results are usually worth it.

There are so many other things that we could list, but these are the key ones.

Keep them in mind and most importantly — have fun!

Check out our rebrand — www.yayzy.com