Criteria for an Effective Logo Design
Many entrepreneurs are inexperienced when it comes to getting logos designed. This is to be expected as it is not something that you would really need to know much about unless you are starting your own business.
If you are using a reputable designer to design your logo then to some extent you can sit back and relax, knowing that the future of your brand is in their capable hands. However, you can usually do so much better if you take an active interest in logo design before the design process begins. This way you will understand the importance of a business logo and you will be able to communicate clearly with your designer so they can understand exactly what your organization needs.
Below is a list of characteristics that are common in effective business logos. This will give you some ideas on what to ask for in the beginning and how to guide your designer as you proceed.
1. A Logo with a Difference
Obviously, you will want a logo that is unique as the whole point of a logo is to help people to identify your brand and to distinguish it from other players in the market. Great designers will seek inspiration from other logos but still come up with something that is totally original.
Depending on the industry that you are in there will be common images that many of your competitors have used. Dental logos often feature a smile, real estate agents go for rooftops and veterinarians go for cats, dogs or paw prints.
Should you avoid the clichéd images, even if they will do such a great job of giving you an identity that people in your market will immediately recognize? It’s hard to say really. You don’t want to be another copycat lining up to compete for the limited market share in your area. However, a truly great designer will be able to take a common image and make their version of it dramatically different from your competitors.
2. Keep it Simple
Remember that when it comes to logos, less is usually more. In other words the more a designer goes crazy adding colors, images and intricate designs to a logo the less effective it becomes and the more amateurish it looks.
If you look at the logos of some of the worlds top companies you will see that they are all very simple. Great designers exercise restraint and come up with designs that are uncluttered and professional looking. Many designers don’t know when to stop and end up producing logos with ‘too much going on’. You may be able to get away with a more visually stimulating logo if you are in certain creative industries but for most businesses ‘simplicity rules the day’.
Most great logos consist of only a few colors so you should start to worry if your designer comes out with something that is too colorful. A limited color choice will typically be more effective visually and it will be more convenient when it comes to printing. Remember that colors don’t always come across well in some formats such as a photocopied or faxed page.
White backgrounds are common so think twice before going with a logo that needs a dark background to enhance lightly colored design elements.
3. Practical Considerations
A great logo has to be practical and functional. Think of how your brand icon is going to be displayed and get something designed that will measure up to the task.
Your logo should look great in any size without losing its clarity and effectiveness. You will want small versions of it displayed on your business cards and you may need much larger versions of it displayed on vehicles or signage (or on a blimp at the Super Bowl). A great design is a scalable design.
Don’t forget about shape as well. If your logo will be predominantly displayed on vehicles or across the top of web pages then a longer rectangular shape might be best.
4. Relevancy and Appeal
It is great if a logo can go some way towards identifying the industry that a business is in. However, it shouldn’t define any aspect of a business too closely as this could place limitations on the direction of future growth. Something a little abstract can be good as it gives you a blank slate to build your brand upon.
One of the main purposes of a logo is to win the hearts and minds of people in a business’s target market. An effective design has to therefore be appealing such people. Different styles will appeal to different demographics. While some brands cover wide markets and must be appealing to everyone, some have to focus on sending out a message that resonates with certain age groups or niche markets.
Logo designers that are working under a decent budget will usually do a little market research. As the client you should have the best understanding of your market and should provide your designer with this information.
5. Built to Last
Ideally you will end up with a logo that will carry your business well into the foreseeable future. The last thing that you want to have to do is carry out a costly re-design of your logo at some point in the future. Great logos are classics that will last an organization for many decades. A slight touch up with minimal changes every few decades is the benchmark here so stay away from any design element that may end up being a short-term fad.
6. Loud and Clear
Your logo is conveying a message and therefore people have to be able to interpret that message. People should be able to read the text component of a logo clearly without any possibility of misinterpretation.
7. First and Lasting Impressions
A first class design will help an organization to make a great first impression on the viewer. A great design will be interesting and attractive and catch the eye of anyone who happens to turn their gaze in its direction. It should compel people to stop, think and take a deeper look.
Good logos are also able to grow on people over time and slowly work their way into the subconscious mind of the individual and even into the wider culture. Ideally, people will identify your business by your logo after only having seen it two or three times.
8. Good Design Sense
There are well established principles of good design that all decent designers will adhere to. Ideas like symmetry, balance and purpose come into play to create something that makes good sense when people look at it. Each element of a logo should compliment the other elements in a way that creates a certain synergy. Many designers believe that a logo is a work of art.
While most people have been taught not to judge a book by its cover, many still do so, even if they don’t always realize it. People assume that great companies will have great logos so don’t fail to miss this chance to impress them.
To compare some of the best options for getting a logo designed online check out http://www.logo-reviews.com
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Why You May NOT Need a Logo After All
You may have heard that every business needs one, but that’s just not true. Whether or not you need a logo depends on the size of your business, the industry you’re in, your competition, and many other factors. The following guidelines will help you decide if a logo is necessary for your company.
DO get a logo if:
- You’ve built up your business beforehand, marketing and stocking up on product, and are aiming to go from 0 to 100% as soon as you open your doors.
- There is fierce competition in your industry, so that you need a strong image to set your company apart.
- You’re starting a more unique business (for example, a film company that produces custom short films that can be given as wedding, birthday, or anniversary gifts) that needs a strong brand and logo to draw in people who have never heard of such a service.
PUT OFF getting a logo until later if:
- You’re still in the planning stage, and are unsure if or when your business will take shape.
- You’re growing your business little by little in your free time while continuing to work at your day job.
- Your business is not yet profitable, and/or you’re not certain if it will work out.
You probably do NOT need a logo if:
- Your business is local-only, and the vast majority of your customers come to you through word-of-mouth.
- You’re in a high-demand industry, such as accounting or health care, where customers choose your business mostly out of convenience, location, necessity, or because someone referred them to you.
Keep in mind that these are only guidelines, and not hard-and-fast rules. Every situation is different, and only you can decide what is best for your business.
About the Author: As owner of CreativeGem Designs, Barbara Austin creates sparkling print, web, and identity designs to help passion-driven entrepreneurs capture the attention of their target audiences. You’ll find a treasure trove of marketing tips, design advice, and freebies, in her weekly newsletter The Diamond Mine.
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Logo Design for Entrepreneurs: 17 Ways Your Logo Impacts Your Business
A logo may seem like a small part of your business but in reality, it can impact it in a BIG way. It influences how customers view your brand, it shows your values, how you stand out from the competition, and more. Read more
Your Logo is the Doorway to Your Small Biz Brand
While your logo is NOT your brand, it IS the doorway to your brand. It’s often the entry point for new clients or customers and a your mark of guaranteed authenticity. Read more
The Importance of a Good Logo in Marketing Your Company
There are few things which are more important to a company than their reputation and their ability to reach new clients. There are certain elements which go into each of these which you might not realize. One of the elements which is highly important, yet does not get a lot of attention is the need to have a great looking logo. The logo for your company is the first thing that people will see when they are learning about your company and it is the one thing which will stick in their minds as they are trying to remember your company. A good logo can be included on your point of sale systems, business cards and advertisements. Read more
Your Logo, A Sign of success?
The purpose of a logo is to create a memorable impression in the mind of prospective and existing clients. It’s the very heart of a company’s corporate identity and an essential method to establish a business as unique in a marketplace. When it comes to getting an edge over competitors, a good logo plays an integral part in advertising and marketing a business. Logos are wrapped up in branding and often logos can represent the entire brand image in themselves – just think the golden arches of MacDonald’s.
What Makes A Logo Stand Out?
A memorable image should be attractive and printed to a high standard. A logo speaks volumes about a business. Presenting a new company logo to the general public provides an opportunity to represent a business in a concise and professional manner. In any marketing campaign, it’s important to establish demographics, before the design process begins. Consistancy is key; a company logo should appropriately embody a company’s values, product and service.
How to Print a Logo?
The most commonly used printing techniques are flexography, offset lithography and rotogravure printing. Flexography is achieved when a mirrored image as a 3D relief on a rubber material. Flexo was once low quality but in recent years it has improved drastically with new techniques like colour laser printing, laser engraving and simply overall better printing quality. Rotogravure is also uses an engraving process where an image is engraved on a metal cylinder in a rotary printing press. Lithography uses lighter more flexible sheets of metal to print items such as posters, newspapers and books.
If a range of printing is required, mail room services are suitable for businesses that require a range of services from stock printing, direct marketing letters and invoices. Some printers may take on a project that they’re not equipped for to keep businesses from their rivals. You can get an idea of what company to go with by looking at their portfolio and previous projects. What is certain, whichever printers you choose it’s always good to build up a relationship them. Good communication will ensure your business is astutely advised on aspects such as ink types and paper sizes.
Don’t Underestimate the Importance of a Good Logo
Logos can increase consumer understanding of the efforts made by the company in ethical sourcing, sustainability or recycling packaging. Logos to identify green products and packaging are becoming increasingly common and commercially essential as more consumers demand evidence that a product is manufactured in an environmentally friendly way. Green concepts must be explained in very clear terms, clearly showing what that symbol means and what it represents.
About the Author: Aidan Donovan is a copywriter for a leading electrical company that provide great deals in anything from cheap LCD TVs to bagless cylinder vacuum cleaners.
Photo Credit: jonas_therkildsen
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The Importance of Brand Identity and Logo Design for Small Businesses
Below is a guest post from Jeremy Schafer of MyCorporateLogo, who reminds us of the impact a good logo can have on our business and brand identity.
A logo represents a company – it defines its identity – its purpose. It is an integral part of a company’s brand strategy.
Without a logo or brand identity it would be impossible for a consumer to identify one product or service from the next.
Brand Connection
Most consumers have very strong opinions regarding their favorite brand. These opinions are more emotional than rational. Some brands (e.g. Nike, Coca-Cola etc.) resonate with customers more than others. They form an emotional attachment to these brands, often disregarding better products and services for ones with higher visibility and brand recognition.
Some brands even become synonymous with the product and the consumer starts recognizing the product by its brand name (e.g. Xerox).
It is therefore of the utmost importance that every company – especially the small business, has a sound brand strategy and a strong brand identity with a unique identifiable logo.
Logo Design & Brand Identity
Brand Identity and Small Business Logo Design helps small businesses in many ways. A few of the more important ones are listed below.
- It helps give the company an established and professional feel. This increases the customers trust in the products or services the company offers.
- A powerful brand identity is important as in general, people find it easier to recall images than text. There is an old saying “A picture is worth a thousand words”. The logo represents that picture and can be remembered and identified with greater ease than a thousand words describing the company.
- Logo graphics can bring about awareness of the products or services that you offer in cases where the company name is not self-explanatory.
- As the company grows, the consumer base stays loyal to the brand.
- The brand value generated can also be leveraged when selling stock in the company or the company itself for a higher perceived value than the actual value.
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Since 2005, MyCorporateLogo.com has been offering affordable logo design and corporate identity design services to start ups, small and mid-sized organizations. Our creative team can effectively deliver any message across a wide variety of media. We have successfully designed thousands of logos catering to the needs of almost every industry imaginable. Additionally, we have designed hundreds of websites, brochures, letterhead, business cards, and stationary.
Photo Credit: kyz
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