It’s not easy to stand out. That’s why your brand is so incredibly important. Your brand is your business’s biggest asset — one whose health must be cultivated and monitored. It’s the one thing which differentiates you from everyone else in your industry and allows you to be unique amongst a saturated marketplace.
If you are starting to see a drop in sales or you are struggling to position your brand it might be time for a brand audit.
What is a Brand Audit?
A brand audit is a checkup that evaluates your brand’s position in the marketplace, its strengths and weaknesses, and how to strengthen it.
It also allows you to clearly see any problems or issues that are facing your business. Even more importantly it lets you come up with clear, defined steps to take to make sure your brand reaches its full potential.
A brand audit allows you to be objective when it comes to your brand and evaluate its effectiveness. It may include questions like:
- What are the pain points in my brand?
- What are my brand values?
- What are my competitors doing?
A brand audit provides you with fantastic opportunities for growth which is the key to any thriving business.
If you’re still not quite sure your brand is in need of a refresh, why not have a read of our when is the best time to rebrand blog?
What is involved in a Brand Audit?
The first thing to do before conducting a brand audit is to keep an open mind.
When you start encountering issues, think of possible solutions from all angles and perspectives. It’s important to be thorough and unbiased in the brand audit process to really see the results.
A brand audit will cover three essential areas:
Internal branding: Core values, company culture and mission.
External branding: Logo, visual assets and brand messaging.
Customer experience: Sales processes, customer support and user experience.
Take all these things into consideration when following the steps below as each one is important to getting solid results from your brand audit.
When you undertake a brand audit with D&CO Studio, we delve deep into these aspects of your business and other topics/areas not listed to objectively ascertain where your pain points are when it comes to your brand. Together, we can formulate a plan to address any issues or opportunities that may arise.
If you want to get a head start on a Brand Audit, take a look at our simple Brand Audit Template which shows you some of the fundamentals.
What are the benefits of a brand audit?
Sometimes you are so involved with the day-to-day running of your business that you can’t see the forest from the trees. When you are given the opportunity to step away, be objective and recognise areas which may need to be addressed, this is where the magic happens. It’s in this space that you can actively utilize a brand audit to leverage the growth and improvement of your business from multiple touch points.
At D&CO Studio, we often see clients come to us after an attempt at an internal brand audit and have struggled to facilitate any progress. When it comes to looking at something you have poured your heart and soul into, it can be hard to be objective. This is one of the many benefits of getting a professional agency to provide you a brand audit. Another perspective on a problem can help you see things differently and provide solutions that you might have never considered.
A clear brand is so incredibly important. Having a clear brand builds trust – that’s why we place confidence in brands such as Nike or Apple. It’s their brand clarity which has built a loyal following over the decades and they have achieved this not by staying the same, but continually growing.
We are here to help
Through our Brand Strategy services, we help you to identify key areas of concern as well as providing insight and realistic and appropriate actions to support your new or existing brand. We can help shape your brand’s success and give it the solid foundation to flourish and evolve.
Having a dedicated team on your side and at your disposal to help you to create a great brand will be integral to the success of your business. Our team at D&Co Studio are highly experienced in providing a full suite of graphic design and branding solutions.
To find out more about how we can bring your brand to life, chat to us today by calling 0411 261 815 or send us an email: kate@dandcostudio.com.au
