For any company transitioning to managed services, keeping your identity can be worrisome. Whether you are currently Break-Fix or managed print services, your business has been around long enough to have a reputation. Ideally, that comes along with credibility and longtime customers. So re-branding or adding services can undermine everything you’ve built in your business. It doesn’t have to be daunting though. There are several strategies and tactics that will allow your business to grow and maintain the identity has always had.

All of this revolves around one word: people. Perhaps it’s your current employees, outsourcing help from a pro, or even from your current clients. Either way, your focus during re-branding or adding services should be on the people surrounding you and your business. The power of people is immense and could make or break your business. So before you start asking for opinions or input, work on a plan yourself. Take some time to carefully plan what you’d like to see happen in your company. Once you have an outline of your goals, needs, and wants you can start bringing in some additional help.

Start with your current employees. Let them know your plans to rebrand and what that will look like. You want to get your existing employees on the re-brand wagon with you. Not only do they feel like they are a part of it, but they’ll also be less stressed out once the ball gets rolling. You’ll also want them to be excited about it. After all, they will be your ambassadors for your rebrand or new product launch.

Next, you’ll want to publicize your rebrand, both locally and in service areas. It is important to push the information toward the community to ensure everyone is aware of your brand’s changes, especially if you are changing your name. Social media is a great start! You can create a small video that will inform current and future clients about new product offerings, or how the rebrand is for scalability purposes. Don’t be afraid to reach out to your local news or chamber group. The more people who know, the less confusion there will be in the future. With that being said, make sure you are ready to answer questions to the best of your ability. You will receive a lot from people invested in your business and community members alike.

Finally, you want to keep your current customers in mind. Don’t push them away for new business. It will backfire on you. The best bet is to be as transparent as possible about the changes your business is making. Continue your excellent customer service, even if that takes time away from your rebrand venture. It will ultimately benefit you greatly when you have both happy new and old clients.