The New-Year Brand Checkup: A One-Hour Self-Audit

The last week of the year is usually quiet. That makes it a good time to look at your brand the way a new customer would, before January gets busy again.

You do not need a consultant or a full rebrand for this. You need one hour, a timer and a notepad. Split the hour into three 20-minute blocks: print, web and social. Write down every problem you find, but do not fix anything yet. The goal is a clear list, not a perfect afternoon.

Block One: Print (20 Minutes)

Pull out one of everything you hand to customers or mail out. Business cards, letterhead, envelopes, flyers, menus, rack cards, folders and stickers. Lay them side by side on a table.

• Is the information current? Check phone numbers, email addresses, street address, hours, staff names and titles.
• Is it the same logo everywhere? Old versions have a way of hanging around on one piece.
• Do the colors match? If the card and the folder look like two different companies, note it.
• Do you still say what you do? If your services changed this year, your print may not know it yet.
• How much is left? Count what you have, so you are not reordering in a rush the week you run out.

Block Two: Website (20 Minutes)

Open your site on your phone first, since that is where many visitors will meet it.

• Does the homepage say what you do and who you serve in the first screen?
• Are your hours, address and phone number correct and easy to find?
• Does the contact form work? Send yourself a test message.
• Click through the main menu. Note any broken links, missing images or slow pages.
• Is the copyright year in the footer current, and is any page still promoting an old offer or event?
• Does your business listing on maps and search match what your site says?

Block Three: Social (20 Minutes)

Look at each profile as if you had never heard of your business.

• Bios: Do they say what you do, where you are and how to reach you?
• Profile images: Is it the same logo or photo on every platform?
• Links: Does the link in each bio go somewhere that still works?
• Last post: When was it? An abandoned profile can make people wonder if you are still open.
• Pinned posts: Are they current, or still showing something from last spring?

Sort Your List Into Three Piles

When the timer goes off, sort what you found:

1. Fix this week. Wrong phone numbers, broken contact forms, dead links. These cost you customers right now.
2. Fix this quarter. Outdated photos, inconsistent colors, bios that need a rewrite.
3. Reprint or redesign. Print pieces with old information or a logo that no longer matches.

Often the first pile is shorter than you expect, and the fixes are small. Small fixes done now beat a big project that never starts.

Getting the Fixes Done

If your website list is a handful of small items, a Website Service Ticket ($45) covers one prepaid hour of work on one website, with a first response in 48 to 72 business hours. If you are not sure where to start, the $95, 45-minute paid consultation on our website support page is a good way to sort it out.

For print, start with the pieces you hand out most. Business cards from $25.99, letterhead ($45.99), envelopes ($75.99), notepads ($47.99) and presentation folders ($249.99) are the core of a new-year brand kit. Every print order includes a free artwork review, and local pickup in Cleveland is available.

Dec 21 to 27: 10% Off Business Essentials

From Monday, December 21 through Sunday, December 27, business essentials are 10% off, including business cards, letterhead, envelopes, note cards, notepads and presentation folders. The discount applies automatically at checkout, and the code NEWYEAR10 also works. Shop the full kit in our business essentials section.

Found more than you want to tackle alone? Start a project brief and send us your list. We will help you head into the new year with everything matching.

— Alan