Someone just asked for your website and you told them “Hey, I will DM you.” That sounds familiar, right?

If that’s you, then you’re probably constantly trying to hide or feeling ashamed of some piece of your brand that you don’t want to think about. You’re just ignoring it, hoping it will go away. I have a solution for you, and it involves rebranding or maybe a brand upgrade.

Don’t worry, rebranding doesn’t mean failure. It just means you have outgrown your current brand.

The Sequined Dress Analogy That Explains Everything

Think about it: you bought some dresses 10 or 12 years ago, and they were full of sequins and turquoise that peplum dress we all had. It’s the same thing. We loved them back then. They were good for a time, and we used them enough, and they worked.

But now it just doesn’t seem right. You cannot match it with any other clothes you have. You cannot wear it anywhere because people would think “who is she?” You just don’t like it, you don’t want to think about it, and you have some emotional attachment to it that makes you too afraid to throw it away.

I’m afraid to tell you that this is the same with your brand. Sometimes we just outgrow things we’re emotionally attached to.

The Brand Elements You’re Hiding From

Maybe it’s those business cards you ordered a thousand of that are getting dusty in the back corner of your office. You want to get rid of them, but because you bought so many, you don’t want to waste them. But you also don’t want to share them because the style is too old, or maybe you’ve changed your name and address and actually can’t use them.

I also know that you haven’t posted on your Instagram page since last Easter, and every post is from like a year ago. Then you have your website which hasn’t been updated since 2011.

It’s all of these things that accumulate and make your brand feel outdated.

Why Brand Upgrades Are Normal (And Necessary)

Sometimes you just don’t know if you need a rebrand or not, and why it’s normal to do upgrades once in a while. We do upgrades for everything the most crucial thing we forget to upgrade is actually our brands.

We do outgrow our brands, not just in literal form, but actually in size. Sometimes you’ve updated your staff, you have a bigger office now, you have more clients. You just cannot fit what you have into what you made before.

Let’s face it: if you’re trying to ignore something in your brand, maybe it’s time to change it or even remove it completely. Maybe you don’t need that old landing page with a thousand questions that nobody likes to answer. Or maybe your homepage has so many texts that people just get a headache when they look at it.

Stop Making These Outdated Brand Mistakes

Can we please stop posting on social media with huge logos over our videos? Please.

Nowadays, a lot of businesses want to attract a younger type of client, but remember that younger clients require a modern interface. They require something they enjoy, something they want to feel connected with not you from 15 years ago when you started your business and everything felt good back then, but now it’s kind of nostalgic or even cringy.

That’s the reason you’re not getting what you want. It’s so funny that sometimes removing stuff is going to fix all your problems.

Small Changes Can Make a Big Impact

You don’t need to commit to a full rebrand or complete refresh. Sometimes a little tweaks here and there is all you need.

Now I suggest all of you go look at your brand—all of it. From the emails you send, to your portfolio, your proposals, everything. See if some things look like that little dress you have back in the corner, or anything you just know is too old but you can’t get rid of.

Have the courage to actually do a little rebranding today.

Ready to stop hiding your brand and start proudly sharing your website?

Contact PlanYu today to discover how a strategic brand refresh can eliminate the shame and help you confidently showcase your business to premium clients.

Want to identify which brand elements are holding you back? Schedule a brand audit to pinpoint exactly what needs updating and create a plan that fits your budget and timeline.