The same thing goes for brands. In order for brands to experience a more fruitful life, they need to be agile, showing a willingness to adapt and step outside of old habits that may not only be restricting their growth, but be toxic to building and maintaining external relationships. In this blog, we’ll be highlighting some of the common, toxic things that brands need to stop hoarding in order to experience meaningful growth.

Dated Messaging

The way brands speak is crucial to their success – both in the tone of their voice, and in the words that they articulate. While it is entirely possible to retain and utilise the same messages for the extended life of your brand – actually, this kind of consistency is encouraged – these messages need to reflect the evolution of your brand. It would be foolish to say that we don’t listen to our environment and adapt accordingly – the same goes for brands. They need to listen to their audience and ensure that their messaging is consistent with the audience that they want to reach – what worked 10 years ago might not be hitting the mark any more. Listen to how your audience responds to your channels of communication and if you aren’t getting the results you were hoping for – don’t hold onto language and tone that no longer fit how you want your brand to be seen; adapt.

As mentioned above, consistency is always encouraged, but trying to cling onto too many different messages can be toxic to brand growth. It’s fair to assume that the majority of us respond positively to people and brands that are authentic, retaining a common voice and face that is recognisable and ultimately trustworthy. Don’t try and be a million different things – let go of additional messages and hold onto the one that truly speaks your personality truthfully – your audience will thank you for it.

Using Tired Channels

Our tastes are constantly changing, especially when it comes to the media we like to consume. Without noticing these changes, or simply assuming that these changes aren’t happening, you run the risk of expanding the gap between where you think your audience is, and where they actually are. Stubbornly resisting new mediums particularly in the digital arena in favour of holding fast to channels that worked in the past can hurt your engagement and ultimately your pocket if not addressed. Take some time to measure and evaluate response and sentiment; if it’s ain’t broke, there may be no need to fix anything, but remember to be open to the opportunities and always stay on your toes to different marketing channels.

Old, tired look and feel

Nothing can bring confidence and recognition quite as effortlessly as updating your wardrobe. Stepping out in a new outfit is bound to make you feel good and make heads turn for all the right reasons, and the same goes for your brand’s look and feel. Take some time to reflect on your brand – have you been holding onto the same look for too long? Is it starting to wear thin? There is nothing wrong with building prestige, but only when it still gets a positive reception. Is your logo and colour palette feeling a bit stale? Treat yourself – don’t hold onto something that doesn’t fit you anymore, be agile and adapt to change.

Thinking it’s time to make a change? Don’t be afraid to say ‘out with old and in with the new’. Letting go of things that are familiar can be a real struggle, but the greatest rewards wait behind the things we fear the most – so take on the challenge, take a look at the areas where you can grow as a brand, and ask yourself what is holding you back from making that change. If you need advice, we are here to help, so get in touch with us today!