Growth is so important, in all areas of our lives. We always want to keep moving forward, becoming more comfortable in our own skin, getting better at what we do and being who we are. But a part of that constant evolution is outgrowing past versions of ourselves.

You’re not the same person you were when you were ten years old, or the person you were ten years ago. Hell, you might not even be the same person you were last month! And that’s awesome — each version of you is more authentic and beautiful than the last.

But if you’re constantly changing, evolving, and outgrowing things, shouldn’t your business be able to do the same?

If you’re still relying on the same look, the same message, the same visual style that you started your business with all those years ago, it’s the equivalent of forcing yourself into your favorite childhood shirt! It doesn’t fit, it doesn’t look good, and it doesn’t convey the message you want to send out into the world.

So, how do you know when you’ve outgrown your current branding? And even more important — what do you do about it?

There are a few key indicators that you might need a refresh:

· If your social media is stagnant — meaning your engagement is dropping and you’re not getting new followers, or even worse — losing lots of followers, something is off in your content strategy.

· If you’re getting plenty of website traffic, but not seeing an increase in your conversions, it’s time to take a close look at your website and find the weak spots that are letting potential sales slip through.

· If you’ve got enough customers to pay the bills, but they’re not really the kind of customers you WANT to work with, you need to reassess your ideal customer profile and update your messaging accordingly.

When you think it’s time to update your look, start with your website.

Chances are, you built it on a budget back in the early days of your business. It worked for a while — after all, you’ve made it this far! But now you might be ready for a sleeker, more professional look, or maybe you just need a more unique look that makes you stand out from your competition. Work with a professional website or graphic designer to get the look that reflects who you are now.

Once you’ve brought your website up to date, focus on your content. Evergreen content is a good place to start. Since we use it for an extended period of time, it’s easy to miss the signs that our evergreen content is past its prime. Comb through your content archives on an annual basis. Cull the things that are too outdated and refresh the things that need it.

Make sure that the new content you’re creating speaks to your ideal client. In the early days of your business, you just wanted customers — any customers! You would take what you could get because you were trying to build a solid customer base and, you know, pay the bills… But now that your business has grown, you can afford to be a little more picky.

Pinpoint the qualities that your favorite clients share and apply that to your ideal client profile. (If you don’t have one of those, it’s DEFINITELY time to make one!!) Once you have a very clear picture of the clientele you want to attract, you can tailor your content accordingly.

Don’t hesitate to update any parts of your business that you’ve outgrown. It’s a lot of work, and it’s not easy, but it’s absolutely worth it to have a website, content strategy, and client base that fits you perfectly!

If you want more tips on letting go of branding you’ve outgrown, check out the latest episode of Building Your Empire with SophieZo.