7 Questions To Determine If Your Business Needs a Rebrand

Business tips for physical therapists, strength coaches, personal trainers, & more


Lately I’ve had a handful of consultations where I get asked the same question: Do I need to completely rebrand my business or can I get away with just refreshing it a bit? The physical therapist in me is shouting IT DEPENDS but that’s probably not very helpful if you’re reading this. So I’ve come up with 7 questions to ask yourself to decide if your business would benefit from a rebrand vs a refresh. 

Question #1: Does your logo look archaic compared to your competitors?

If your logo stands out in a bad way, it’s probably time for a total rebrand. A dated logo can make your business actually look unprofessional and make people question whether they should trust you with their injury. If your competitor has a clean, professional logo and visual appearance there’s a chance you’re missing out on patients because they chose the business that looks more put together. $1,000 might seem like a lot to fork over for a rebrand, but even missing out on one or two patients could be costing you more. 

Question #2: Do you feel limited by your current branding? 

Sometimes you just need more options. If you have one logo that you love but it’s a stupid rectangle, you might find that you need a square logo. Or maybe you only have your logo in two colors and need more color variations. Or you have a unique niche audience and want a logo that’s geared more towards them. Oftentimes you can get away with simply adding to your existing brand. A brand refresh is a great way to audit your current branding and determine exactly what you need. 

Question #3: When was the last time you rebranded? 

This is the trickiest one where I really hate giving any firm dates because that’s not how life works. Let’s say it’s been 10 or 15 years since you’ve updated your brand: it’s probably safe to say it’s time for a rebrand. It might actually really work out for you because it gives your audience a fun new thing to look forward to. But if you’ve only been around for a year, a full new brand might be confusing to your audience who already isn’t super familiar with you. A smaller brand refresh might be the better option. 

Question #4: Do you cringe when you see your brand?

If you absolutely hate your brand and can’t stand doing anything that involves your visual identity you probably need to rebrand. Your brand is a direct reflection of you and your business so if you’re not proud of how it looks, your audience probably feels that. Put in the time and effort to come up with something that you’re in love with. 

Question #5: Are you bored with your brand?

Bored we can work with. You’d be surprised how much a simple change to your color palette or switch in fonts can make, both in your visual appearance and your love for your brand. I’ve worked with clients where we just change up two colors and add a submark and suddenly we have a fresh, exciting brand. Plus small changes can get your audience excited about your brand and help build your relationship with them. 

Question #6: Have your services changed?

Honestly this one could go both ways: if your new service is completely different then you might want your brand to reflect these changes and go for a complete rebrand. If it’s not too different and you just want to get your audience on board with the changes, a little refresh in your brand could garner their attention. Sorry for the gray but this one really does depend. 

Question #7: Does your current branding align with your personal and business values?

If I asked you to describe what it’s like for a patient or client to come into your business and you say things like “fun, vibrant, exciting, motivating” but then I see a boring, sterile, medical logo then your values probably don’t align. You want your branding to be a reflection of you and your business while also hitting what your audience values. If yours is totally different, I definitely recommend starting from the ground up with your brand. Start with values, target audience, brand descriptors, and tone of voice and then make sure that your visual branding aligns with your non-visual branding. 

Hopefully this has helped you decide if you need to do a complete rebrand, just refresh things a little, or stick with what you’ve got. If you find yourself in the first two categories I recommend submitting an inquiry at the button below so I can help you take the next steps in your brand. 


ABOUT THE AUTHOR: ERIN KELLY-SULLIVAN

When you bring someone in to help with your business you really want them to understand your needs. My time as a PT gives me that background to truly understand your business, your target audience, and the field. If you want to work with someone who gets you, my speciality is helping fellow physical therapists, strength coaches, and anyone in the health and performance field reach their branding goals. 


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