All the money in the world can’t buy love or trust. And as much as we believe in branding, If you lack some of the basic building blocks of a great company, you’re wasting your money on branding. Before you spend the money, make sure you’re ready for a relationship you can invest in as much as you take out. Here are some ways to tell if your company is ready to back the promises a strong rebrand can make for you.

“No amount of money can buy love or trust.” -Scott Bedbury

Here are some of the motives, emotions and personalities that may demonstrate that you’re not ready for a relationship, and what’s really going on on the inside.

Your Marketing Director Wants to Make a Big Splash

So you have a new marketing director, and he or she is just itching to rebrand.

What’s really going on? Either the brand is old and tired, and it takes a new person to see it, or the new guy/gal is impatient to grow their career.

The latter is bad because it spends money on something that’s not strategic. And you don’t want to throw money at your brand. Even if you marketing director has mainly good motives, the career motive may cloud their judgment, causing them to spend money too soon or at the wrong time. Heck, maybe the brand needs to do a few internal things first.

And the first scenario is bad because you’ve left money you would have made through reputation on the table for as long as you’ve needed the rebrand and didn’t have it.

So how do you avoid this? After all, if a brand has been neglected, maybe a new marketing director is just trying to get you caught up. Be patient enough to ask the right questions. We happen to know a guy who can help.

Your CEO Seems Unsure

Everyone’s talking about a rebrand, and the CEO is saying all the right things, but it doesn’t seem like they’re that into it.

What’s really going on? The CEO either doesn’t trust the process or doesn’t know how to run it. And what if things spin out of control?

This is bad because he’s likely to stall and eventually kill a rebrand, even if the company needs it.

So how do you avoid this? First, understand the problem. Although some CEOs just shouldn’t be CEOs, this isn’t necessarily the case. In some situations, their concern can be totally valid. I know one CEO who is the founder and hardest worker. But he since he can’t see very far into the future, and he needs to be responsible for what’s going on, it’s probably best for him to stop doing what he doesn’t understand. But this doesn’t mean the company can continue with the outdated look, feel and culture.

The smart thing to do is ease him into it. You get someone who can help you organize your company, like our friend Kyle at MAC6. The EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System) and other business models simplify and focus business management, so leaders can look side-to-side a little less, and look forward a little farther.

Your Company Isn’t Excited

Nobody seems convinced that you really need a rebrand. Things are fine the way they are.

What’s really going on? People hate change. If you’re about to rebrand stuff, that means you’re changing things. And that’s a sign of more changes to come. And for people who hold power, this can be disconcerting.

This is bad because they can sometimes sabotage the excitement in a rebrand. Worst case, they end up being at odds with the management team about the rebrand (the management team is usually bought-in by now) and end up hurting their career. Nobody wants that.

Don’t be surprised if you get objections that sound very wise, but ultimately are just a ruse to undercut progress that they’re afraid will make them uncomfortable.

So how do you avoid this? You have to involve people in the process–influencers–and hear from them. If people feel listened to, and like you heard their side of the issue, this often removes tension and brings people together. And if your culture lacks trust and needs someone to bring the group together, consider our friend, Jen Burwell.

Put First Things First

It doesn’t make sense to hit the streets looking for love if you’re not ready on the inside. People can tell. But don’t be discouraged. Although money can’t buy the love and trust of your customers, if you can exercise a little patience, commitment and tolerate a little change, you might be ready before you know it.

And you might find that maturity comes naturally. And almost without trying you land in a place where your customers love you and trust you. Not because you told them to, and not because you spend a bunch of money on it, but because you put your path to success a little straighter than your competition.

After all that, you might not be sure where you stand. Let me suggest our group workshop, where you can think through your brand a little and see how you feel. And if you think you’re really ready for a rebrand, we’ll talk.