How do you know if your brand is out of date?

Every business has the odd piece of collateral that isn’t quite current—maybe it doesn’t reflect your full service offering or your latest staffing changes. 

It’s difficult to avoid this completely because your operation is evolving all the time, but there comes a point where your outward brand is dated to such a degree that it’s actually working against you. How do you know if you’ve reached that point?

Does it capture your business today?

Consider your business today and the accuracy with which it is conveyed in your brand. Your services, client focus, process and capabilities—can you learn everything you need to know about them through the materials presented to clients and prospects?

What about your growing team, recent awards or new client testimonials? These are all differentiating attributes, but they can’t help you win business until they’re made visible. 

Does it capture your business tomorrow?

A truly up-to-date brand is actually somewhat aspirational. It’s descriptive, but it should also help propel you forward, and it does that by presenting you the way you want to be seen. 

Even if your brand collateral reflects the present state of your operations, ask yourself if it projects an image of the advisory you’re working toward and the kinds of clients you most want to attract. Consider your competitors, their known clientele and the perceptions they’re able to create. 

Because if your brand reflects the goals you have for your practice, it’s more likely to help you reach them.