Here we are again! Happy new year to all of you, and may it be a good one! After a tumultuous 2020, and a 2021 that has already been very eventful, we here at The Mood Lab would like to share some wisdom (yet again!).

As part of our Branding 101 series, we’d like to bring you the latest: future proof your brand. One of the things we can always be sure of is that nobody knows what the future holds. Styles change, trends change, what’s hip & happening changes, change change change is all around. As change is the only constant, it should be easy to plan for it, right? Well, hopefully, the tips we’re about to share here will help you prepare just a little bit for the future.

 

What does future proof your brand mean?

Simply put it means building a longer-lasting brand, a brand that can withstand change, but also easily adapt to it. It means creating and building a more comprehensive, strategic brand personality and message. It also includes building integrative brand behaviour within you and your team. It’s important to constantly assess the stages of your business’ growth to help you maintain momentum and anticipate the next big change or trend or style. 

To do this, you can start by creating what we call “Big Picture Goals”. You then take those goals and break them into small, actionable steps. These steps can then be implemented into your weekly or monthly activities, check-ups, and any tweaks you bring in. As change is always lurking behind the next corner, we can somewhat prepare for it by making sure our “Big Picture Goals” leave a little room for anticipating changes in the market.

Why is it important to future proof your brand?

Making sure that your brand is future proof comes in handy when you need to pitch your products and services to a potential client because they’ll see how professional and well-prepared you are for any hurdles you might hit. 

These hurdles may cause you to have to pivot, whether it’s because you’re targeting a whole new market, launching a brand new product or launching a new service line. You might then decide to totally rebrand or keep going with your current brand, but it’s important to remember to make strategic decisions, not decisions based on personal preference. Even though it’s important to like what you create, it’s also important to make sure that that aligns with what the market wants to see. We don’t mean that you should sell out, we just mean keep it all in mind and decide what to do forward.

What is an integrative brand?

Thank goodness for an easy question! It’s important to remember that your brand is not just your logo. Your brand is alive, breathing, changing, developing and has its own personality. Remember to stay true to your brand, no matter what changes you bring to it, always keep the core of what it is and make sure it’s reflected throughout your messaging, visuals and work ethic.

Remember: branding never stops!

We know it sounds exhausting, but it’s true! Don’t allow your brand to get stale. Reevaluate, assess your metrics and always adjust your goals. You need a structure, but you also need to be able to adapt to the ever-changing market. The only constant is change, after all. 

Find this useful? Then you might find value on our other post: how to choose your brand’s fonts

Until next time!