How to research customers before a rebrand

Understand the decision

Start with recent customers, unsuitable enquiries and lost opportunities where contact is appropriate. Ask about the events that led to a search and the information needed to decide. Avoid presenting the proposed design before hearing their account: it can turn the conversation into a preference test. Record observations separately from your interpretation and do not publish interview material without permission.

A practical approach

Write the decision before commissioning the asset. List the audience, the choice they face, the alternative they use today and the evidence you have. Separate observations from assumptions: a sales note is useful evidence of one conversation, not proof of an entire market. Compare a small number of viable directions against the same criteria. Ask a colleague who was not involved to explain the chosen direction in plain language. If they cannot, simplify the brief before refining the presentation.

• Write questions about decisions rather than visual preferences.
• Include relevant customers beyond the happiest advocates.
• Record the sample and interview context.
• Turn each finding into a decision or further question.

Illustrative example

An interiors practice might discover that visitors understand its style but cannot tell whether project management is included. A rebrand brief could then prioritise scope language and project documentation. This is a hypothetical research outcome, not evidence that any particular design or agency would increase sales.

A mistake to avoid

A few interviews can reveal useful questions but cannot establish the prevalence of a belief across the whole market. Keep that distinction in the research summary.

What to review

Judge the research by the decisions it informs and the assumptions it helps the team test, rather than the number of presentation slides.

Turn the guide into a working brief

Keep a one-page decision log containing the chosen audience, promise, proof, exclusions and unresolved questions. Assign an owner to each missing fact. Test the direction in one real touchpoint, such as a proposal introduction or service page, before rolling it across the business. Record what confused people and the changes you made. Revisit the decision when the offer or audience changes; do not change it merely because a new campaign needs a headline.

Common questions