Ep 159: Ways to Rebrand Yourself as a Writer Slow Transition
If you\u2019ve concluded you really need to leave behind who you are and the writer you\u2019ve been, and transition to a completely new look, feel, tone, and type of writing, you\u2019re going to rebrand yourself.\n\nYou have options for how to go about it.\nWays to Rebrand: Trial Run\nWe\u2019ve already discussed starting with a trial run, which often leads to integrating the new brand with the existing brand.\n\nDuring the trial run, you have time to experiment before fully committing yourself\u2014in fact, you could still back out and return to your existing brand if you don\u2019t like how it sounds and feels, and you can\u2019t imagine this focus for the next few years.\nWays to Rebrand: Integrate\nBut at some point, let\u2019s say you decide to move forward and follow through. When you decide to keep the old and add in the new, that\u2019s a way to rebrand by integration. Instead of completely changing, you actually absorb and expand.\nWays to Rebrand: Slow Transition\nNow we\u2019re diving into total change\u2014the true pivot. When you leave it all behind, you can do it right away\u2014suddenly\u2014or you can transition over time. When you take your time rebranding, I think of that as a slow transition.\n\nIf you\u2019re the type to pull a Band-Aid off in millimeter increments, stretching out the process over several minutes of tiny tugs instead of ripping it off all at once, this might be a good fit for you.\n\nIt might also be for you if you know your readers hate surprises\u2014and you hate pulling the rug out from under them.\nTime to Adjust\nThe slow transition eases your readers into this new you. And it gives them time to adjust to the idea that you\u2019re changing\u2014that eventually you\u2019ll discontinue their favorite articles, posts, and tweets (or whatever) that you\u2019re known for. They get a taste of what\u2019s coming before the full shift takes place.\n\nWith the slow transition, readers have time to prepare, to find other writers offering similar content or styles, to adjust to the idea of life without your signature words and tone. As you slowly shift from the old brand to the new\u2014when it\u2019s clear what\u2019s happening\u2014you might even recommend to your readers other writers and authors who are similar to you and your style.\nPersonal Rebranding: First, Integrate, Then...\nI\u2019ve mentioned before that my website content was much less focused in the past. I wrote random stories about family and faith and eventually food. When I added food, those articles integrated with the existing brand, so readers never really felt a shocking jolt.\n\nI continued with that kind of content for years on my personal website. In addition, I served on the editorial team of two online organizations.\n\nI taught composition and creative writing and coached speech once a week to high school students.\n\nI led writing workshops.\n\nI wrote another book.\n\nI became a writing coach.\n\nA friend and mentor nudged me to focus my website on that and that alone. If I did that, it meant my core me\u2014my core brand\u2014would have to change. It meant I\u2019d have to rebrand.\n\nI was nervous. I hate making people upset. And I definitely hate pulling the rug out from under someone.\nShifting to Slow Transition\nSo I did it in stages, in a slow transition.\n\nMy tagline \u201cAnn Kroeker, Writer\u201d shifted first to \u201cAnn Kroeker: Writing Coach, Editor, Friend.\u201d About a year later, I dropped \u201cEditor\u201d and \u201cFriend,\u201d which my son thought was hysterical because it implied I wasn\u2019t a friend anymore.\n\nMy brand became, simply: Ann Kroeker, Writing Coach.\n\nIt was a slow process, but I rebranded.\nRebranding Aftermath: Readers Decide to Stay, Linger, or Leave\nAnd all those readers who followed me because I posted recipes on Friday witnessed the slow change.\n\nInstead of waking up one Friday and finding me basically gone\u2014suddenly become a writing coach\u2014wondering what in the world happened, they could see the content shifting. I even said as much at one point\u2014I let them know I was stepping into my role of writing coach not just on the side but online.