Brand Alignment is crucial to the success of any business, both initially and on an ongoing basis. If your brand doesn’t live up to its mission and value proposition, or doesn’t communicate this information in a way that resonates with its target audience, you may find yourself with lower engagement, fewer sales, and a lack of clarity about how to move forward. But how do you know if your brand is misaligned and what can you do to fix the problem?

Here, members of Rolling Stone Cultural Council Share some warning signs that your brand needs a realignment, along with practical steps to get things back on track.

You cannot articulate your speech concisely

Twisted Sister articulated their brand and mission in three words: “I Wanna Rock.” Could you do that if necessary? The truth is, most people can’t or won’t remember more than a few simple things about your brand or business. Therefore, sharpen your fundamental tone toward the world and do so by learning to express it in fewer words. Three or less would be… great. – Jed Brewer, Good loud mids

Your Brand Doesn’t Meet Your Customers Where They Are

Ask the consumer. Listen to comments in social media modes or include a QR code linking to comments. I trust the person who buys and interacts with the product more than anyone. Listen to them and try to meet them where they are; That’s how you get back to normal. – Lindsey Bartlett, Fast buds

Your goals and mission are not at the forefront

Difficulty summarizing what a brand is and what it does is the number one symptom we see among clients with misaligned brands. An inspiring mission statement or perfect brand aesthetic is great, but you need to get closer to keeping your goals, mission, and overall operations at the forefront of everything you do, especially if you partner with other agencies. – Evan Nison, nisonco

You are sharing too much at once

Doing and saying too much at once can confuse your audience and be the first sign of misaligned messages. Balance your enthusiasm for sharing details by telling a simple story with a timeline people can easily follow. Avoid posting random information simply to generate content, but reestablish your narrative with continuity and relevance. – Cynthia Johnson, Bell + Ivy

The Rolling Stone Cultural Council is an invitation-only community for influencers, innovators and creatives. Do I qualify?

Customer feedback has decreased

A major red flag that your brand may need to be more aligned is if you notice a decline in customer feedback or engagement, indicating a potential disconnect between your message and how your audience perceives it. To realign your brand, review your messaging, imagery, and overall positioning to make sure everything is consistent with your core values ​​and resonates with your audience. – Kristin Marquet, Marquet Media, LLC

Messaging between channels feels scattered

A key red flag that your brand may be misaligned is inconsistency in messaging across channels. If your brand voice or values ​​feel scattered, it’s time to refocus. To get back on track, start by reevaluating your core mission and audience, then align every touchpoint (social, marketing, and customer service) around that core message. Consistency creates clarity and confidence. – francis heller, tick

People are not resonating with your offers

A major red flag is when your target audience isn’t engaging with your content or products like they used to. If people don’t resonate with you, it’s a sign that your messages could be wrong. To realign, review your core values, solicit customer feedback, and adjust your brand to reflect both your mission and the changing needs of your audience. Authenticity is key to regaining trust. – Rojo Rodríguez, GRAV

Prospects aren’t willing to pay what you’re worth.

It’s about money. Your brand may be misaligned if you attract customers who are not willing to pay what you are worth. This indicates a disconnect between your value proposition and your target audience. To get back on track, refine your messaging to clearly communicate the value and results you deliver, and focus on marketing to an audience that recognizes it and is willing to pay for it. – Jessica BillingsleySoná Capital

Visuals, messaging, and value propositions don’t match

Inconsistent messaging across multiple touchpoints (website, social media, point of purchase, etc.) confuses customers and dilutes brand identity. This can manifest as unclear value propositions, conflicting images, or conflicting messages. Some good strategies to solve this problem are to conduct a brand audit and realign internal teams. – Matthew Forster, CMS Nashville

Sales have plummeted

A significant drop in sales is a sign that your brand may need a refresh. Either a new competitor has arrived to steal market share, or people are simply tired of the brand in relation to their lives. Sometimes all it takes is a new advertising campaign, but if a rebrand is necessary, be careful. The lessons of “Old Coca” and “New Coca” are a particularly illustrative example. – Zain Jaffer, Zain Jaffer Foundation