Let’s be real: When you first open a photography business, you don’t have things figured out. You jump in with passion and excitement, give your business a name, a voice, a brand. You choose your niche and plan your marketing. You join an association like PPA to learn more technical and business skills. Years pass and your business matures. You mature. With maturity comes change, and then you determine it’s time to rebrand, so your business reflects this new stage.

That’s what happened to me last year. I started my photography business, Lemonshoots, in 2015, specializing in maternity and newborn portraits. After years on an unsuccessful fertility journey, I had a deep appreciation for the pregnant body and I saw babies as miracles. Like many of us during the COVID-19 pandemic, I was forced to pivot, and started offering 6-month and one-year baby portrait sessions. Time went by and my clients were done building their families. I had photographed their first, second, and sometimes third children, and we would say goodbye with tears in our eyes knowing that I was no longer their portrait artist. Why was I allowing that to happen?

Last spring, as my business’s 10th anniversary approached, I knew something had to change. My clients were evolving and so was I. Maternity and baby photography was still my passion, but that didn’t mean I could not offer children and family portraits to the people I already loved and who loved me. After considering for a few months the idea of expanding my niche, I decided to take the leap, retire Lemonshoots, and use my name to reflect my rebrand as a portrait artist. This change required more than a new business and adding a couple more photography genres. I also doubled down on printed artwork and bid farewell to digital files. I decided to explore other artistic avenues by incorporating oil painting into my photographs. This was huge. Would my clients embrace these new offerings? Would they complain about not getting digital files? Would they still like me?

A rebrand is an opportunity to redefine who you are, what you do, and why you do it. Take full advantage of the growth it will provide for you. In my rebranding process, I learned a lot. I wish I knew some of these tips before, and I’m glad to share them with you now.

WORK FROM THE INSIDE OUT

Before you jump into new designs, logos, branding, look within yourself to redefine your business.

Ask yourself hard questions. Why do I want to do this? What in my business doesn’t serve me anymore? What do I want to add, change, or remove? Who is my ideal client and what kind of experience do I want them to have working with me? Most importantly, what do I want my signature product to be? Where do I see my business in five years? What does success look and feel like?

Answering these questions will determine the direction of your rebrand. For example, your process will be different if you’re building a bubbly business to attract teenagers for senior portraits versus a luxurious brand specializing in high-end destination weddings. Your answers to those crucial questions serve as the foundation of your brand’s identity, and your logo, fonts, colors, language, services, and products will reflect that.

Consider your systems and processes. You might have to update everything from workflows to price lists to product lines. This takes time and can feel daunting. If you have a CRM in place, review every workflow step to make sure there’s no trace of your old brand. I kept a list of things I needed to update, including email signatures, and links to social media and websites. Every time I found something with my old logo, either in digital or print, I added it to that list.

Analyze your current product offerings. Are there items that don’t fit anymore? Do you need to change vendors? Run your COGS (cost of goods sold) and CODB (cost of doing business) analysis so you can price everything according to your income goals. Depending on your business and brand, you might need business cards, brochures, forms, stickers, envelopes, ribbons, and branded packaging. Since I was introducing mixed-media portraits, I needed items I hadn’t even considered before, such as a wax seal with my logo and a more professional certificate of authenticity.

Address digital marketing. Once you change your domain name, make sure you update social media handles and ensure all redirects and links work properly. And about that domain name change: Before you settle on your new business name, make sure the domain and social media handles are available. If they are, secure them right away. You can keep both while you work on being ready for the change.

FIND A MENTOR

This is crucial, at least for someone like me who works well when being held accountable. Rebranding is a tough journey to make alone. There are easy and exciting tasks, like choosing your new name and logo, but there are many not-so-fun things to focus on, like analyzing financials. I am certain I would have called it quits at different stages if I hadn’t had mentors to keep me going.

Finding someone you admire and who aligns with your values and principles makes a big difference in your rebranding journey. For me, that meant I needed someone who was already doing what I wanted to do—family portraits, no digitals, mixed-media art, wall-portrait focus—with success. Interview a few candidates and select the person or people who fit best. A rebrand takes time, and you’ll be sharing a lot with this person: not only numbers and data, but personal things, too. A rebranding mentorship can last anywhere from three months to over a year. Once you find your mentor or mentors, remember that just because your mentor offers advice doesn’t mean it’s the only path to success. They are there to guide you, but you make the decisions for yourself and your business.

PREPARE TO INVEST

Rebranding can be expensive, including paying for new signage, new studio samples, a studio remodel, and reprinting everything with a new logo. You may decide you need to invest in new equipment as well. It’s also a time investment. Your day will often be split between client work and the rebrand. You might have to cut back on the number of clients you serve to work on your business, which could mean less revenue.

Last year was one of my slowest years. That was a blessing in disguise, since I could focus on the rebrand. It was scary not to have the steady income, but I’d reviewed my accounts and knew I could handle it. Business may be slow as well when you start up your new business, especially if your rebrand requires changing your domain name. It can take weeks or even months for a newly named business to show up in search engines, so plan for a slower-than-normal season once you launch. I worked with an SEO expert (another rebrand expense) a few months before the domain change, which helped me with the transition.

LET GO OF THE OLD

If you’ve been in business for a long time, you might feel comfortable doing things a certain way. Some of those practices can stay after the rebrand, but others will need to change.

Years ago, I heard something that has stuck with me: “What got you here won’t take you there.” It’s true. I built a thriving business by offering portrait packages that included both digitals and albums, but those products were not going to help me sell more mixed-media wall portraits in my rebranded business. I had to let them go. You’re allowed to let go of what doesn’t work anymore, because today you’re a different person, a different artist, and a different business owner. Your new mindset, concepts, tools, and drive will take you and your business to new heights.

GROW WITH THE CHANGE

Rebranding is transformational as an artist and a businessperson. Many changes will be visible, but the most important ones will be inside your mind. When I was still considering what to do, I looked at everything I needed to change and was overwhelmed. I remember sitting in my office after a Zoom meeting with my mentor, where we had been discussing why I wanted to rebrand. My eyes rested on a postcard my grandmother gave me 20 years ago when she went to Paris, which hangs on the wall behind my computer. It shows a giraffe transforming into the Eiffel Tower. At the bottom, it says: “Paris – Metamorphoses.” Suddenly, I noticed that postcard in a new way. The definition of metamorphosis is “the process of transformation from an immature form to an adult form, through growth and differentiation.”

That postcard became the spark I needed. Recreating my business was scary and uncomfortable, but I wanted to evolve. I wanted to serve my clients better and feel more fulfilled with the art I created. After the rebrand, I feel more joy every day I’m in my studio. When I’m painting my portraits, I feel so happy compared to uploading files to a flash drive. It’s been less than a year since I launched my new brand. I’ve been networking, reaching out to schools and nonprofit organizations with auctions that benefit children, and getting the message out about what I do. The response has been amazing. There’s still much to do to fill up my calendar, but I know I’ll get there. Through the process of rebranding, I grew so much as an artist and a person. I rediscovered myself and found new passions. If I was able to do it, so are you.  

Marcela Limon, M.Photog.Cr., CPP, is a PPA board member who owns a studio in Almeda, California, called Marcela Limon Portrait Artist.