Mergers & Acquisitions Advisory

A Neumann & Associates, LLC

October 22, 2016

Signs it’s time to re-brand a business

By Achim Neumann

GRCC_

Though it may appear to be a rash thing to do, re-branding a business at regular intervals is essential to keep up with the shifting needs of consumers. When is the right time to re-brand a company? Below, we will share a few examples of when a shift in marketing strategy is warranted.

rebranding-image-from-gawker-dot-com

1) Its product isn’t meeting the needs of a new generation

When a company has been around for many decades, it risks falling out of favor with consumers with the dawning of each new generation. A strong brand can lull a dominant corporation into complacency, in the same way that Microsoft rested on its laurels with respect to web browsers.

People had begun to grow tired of Internet Explorer’s slow load speeds and user-unfriendly design, until Google launched Chrome. This browser solved many of these problems, which allowed it to lay waste to Microsoft’s share of the market for many years afterward.

Windows has begun to reclaim its market share with Edge, which launched around the same time as Windows 10. Boasting a logo that closely resembles Explorer’s, Edge has risen quickly since its release, and has begun to wipe away the bad memories of its predecessor.

Load speeds have improved dramatically, and its user interface have led some to favor it over Chrome, which has begun to suffer feature creep in recent years.

2) The competition has successfully attached a negative connotation to it

Marketing can have a dark side to it, as it often seeks to promote products and services at the expense of their competitors. Often, an established brand can shake off these attacks, but sometimes, a catchy campaign takes root. It has the effect of catapulting the challenging company to success, while damaging the reputation of other market players.

A classic example: the Mac vs. PC commercials that aired between 2006 and 2009. These spots portrayed Mac as hip and cool, while casting PC’s as square and nerdy. They added fuel to the rising fire that propelled Apple during that time, but it also resulted in a noticeable reduction in profits for many PC producers.

Since that time, many PC makers have worked hard to add features and cast their products as hip and stylish, which has had the effect of improving their results in the 2010’s.

3) A new untapped market has emerged

Over the past couple of decades, some of the best opportunities for companies to reinvent themselves has emerged on the other side of the globe.

The rise of the middle class in East Asia has given enterprising businesses a chance to meet the needs of a consumer base that has access to expendable income for the first time in their lives.

In the United States, Pabst Blue Ribbon is a bargain basement beer that is typically drunk by broke college students, but in China, it has been re-cast as a luxury brand. Marketed as an exclusive craft beer, Pabst Blue Ribbon 1844 can sell for as much as $44 USD in the convenience stores of Shanghai.

About A Neumann & Associates, LLC

A Neumann & Associates, LLC is a professional mergers & acquisitions and business brokerage firm having assisted business owners and buyers in the business valuation and business transfer process through its affiliations for the past 30 years. With an A+ Better Business Bureau rating, the company has senior trusted professionals with a deep knowledge based in multiple field offices along the East Coast and has performed hundreds of business valuations in its history. The firm’s competitive transaction fees are based on successfully completing transactions. For more information, please contact A Neumann & Associates at 732-872-6777 or info@neumannassociates.com

Comments are closed.

Any questions? Please contact us at 732-872-6777
Call Now

Client Testimonials

“Your vetting is simply outstanding, among the best I've seen from a broker.”

Eric H., Investor

“I recently contacted A. Neumann and Associates about getting a valuation of my business done. I spoke with Marc, who explained the process in detail. After meeting with Marc in order to get a clear understanding of my business, and what I was hoping to accomplish. His patience in answering all my questions and his knowledge of the proper way to market my business gave me great confidence that this is the firm I will be using to sell my business for max value. Working with Marc at A Neumann & Associates was very easy and professional. I did not know all that was going to be involved in selling my business but they helped me through the process. What I thought was going to be a just another one of those pushy sales companies was just the opposite. Polite, knowledgeable, and a pleasure to talk to and deal with. I highly recommend this firm to anybody who wants to sell now or down the road. Marc not only knows his stuff, but actually is a real nice guy.”

Double Diamond

“Used A Neumann & Associates to sale my business. could not imagine having done it with out the patience and experience Gary provided. Thanks Gary,”

Dennis Frazier

“Working with Marc and his company was a pleasure. What I thought was going to be a just another one of those pushy sales companies was just the opposite. Polite, knowledgeable, and a pleasure to talk to and deal with. Marc handled most of the interaction and he has one of the greatest demeanors. Again, it was a pleasure working with him and his firm.”

Douglas DiCeglio

“I recently completed an acquisition using A Neumann & Associates. Tony Valentino was very helpful and accessible during the entire process. They do a thorough job vetting both parties and got us to the finish line.”

Srini Mudambi

“Claus out of Florida helped us with the sale of our business. We had never done anything like this and him and his team walked us through the process from start to finish. We had some challenges through the process and Claus continued to show up even in the difficult conversations.”

Colby Harris, Co-Owner, Del Mar Designs

“Claus Madsen thoroughly helped us with selling our company. From the 1st introductory meeting explaining to us what was possible, to providing us with resources to assist with the sale. Claus was invaluable throughout the whole sales process. Claus was with us every step of the journey and always made himself available for any questions or issues that came up along the way. If you are interested in selling your business, I encourage you to reach out to Claus and the ANA team so that they can let you know what’s achievable. These guys will make it happen!”

Ron Harris, Co-Owner and Vice President, Del Mar Designs

“A Neumann & Associates is the only business broker I would use or consult with. They have assisted with 3 business sales over the past 15 years with me. They are honest and sincere and have always performed better than my expectations. They are the only one i would use for the sales of my businesses.”

James Belanger, Business Owner

“I wanted to take a second to commend the exemplary customer service from both you [Karin Neumann] and Mr. Valentino. It’s both a rarity in the industry, and very much appreciated.”

Andrew G., Investor

“We worked with Neumann & Associates to investigate the purchase of a research company in 2010 and found Achim to be capable, forthright and realistic. His depth of experience enabled us to fully understand our options, offering creative options that might enable the acquisition. While we didn’t acquire that particular company at that time, we know exactly who to call whenever we’re looking to buy or sell a business.”

Daniel Coates, Buyer
view all testimonials

Contact A Neumann & Associates, LLC

If you are considering selling your business, please contact us to learn more about our comprehensive service spectrum. Our experienced professionals will answer all your questions about selling a privately held business in complete confidentiality. Please fill out our contact form, or call us at 732-872-6777. We will contact you directly and will never identify ourselves to your employees.

call us now
Contact Us for a Free, Confidential Consultation

Experienced M&A Advisors available

Full Name
Email Address
Phone Number
Message