While it may be tempting to think that a logo won’t make much difference to your bottom line, if you pick the right design, your business will reap the benefits.
Just think about the world’s best known, and best loved, logos and you can see why they are so important. From Nike’s famous swoosh to McDonald’s golden arches and from Starbucks’ mermaid to Coca Cola’s swirly writing, a logo can help you to build a relationship with existing and potential customers.
So, how do you make sure your business ends up with a logo which perfectly hits the mark? Here are some of the most important factors to consider…
- Appropriateness
Think about whether the imagery you’re using is appropriate to your firm. It could be that certain images have connotations of another industry, which could be confusing for your customers. Trees and leaves, for instance, might be associated with environmental businesses, while a heart is often connected with the healthcare industry.
- Minimalist
You’ve probably got lots of ideas, but trying to fit too much into your logo will lead to it looking cluttered, particularly if it’s being used in smaller sizes, such as for your business cards. Keep it simple and your logo is more likely to give a clear, consistent and long-term message.
- Special effects
It is understandable that you want to use the latest effects available to a graphic designer, but applying too many special effects can mean detail is lost or appears distorted in your logo.
- Colour
The colour you choose will immediately convey a meaning. Yellow is sunny, warm and friendly and is said to increase appetite. No wonder then that it is the colour of choice for McDonald’s. Blue, meanwhile is often used in corporate logos because it denotes professionalism while red is dynamic and is the hue chosen by Richard Branson for Virgin. Choosing flat blocks of colour, rather than subtle shading, will generally work best.
- Multi-dimensional
It’s important to think about what your logo will be used for. Chances are it will be included on your website, your letterhead, your business cards and any shop or office space. So, it needs to work no matter what size it is.
- Words or pictures?
Whether you want words, a picture, or both is something to think about. Starbucks recently removed the words from its logo in favour of just an image. Apple, or course is instantly recognisable to most people in the world without the use of words, but eBay makes a play of using lower case letters in different colours.
- Don’t follow the crowd
Your logo needs to be uniquely you. Following trends will not necessarily win you followers. Gap, for example, recently changed its logo, going for rounded lower case letters. But, its customers loved its old upper case logo so much it soon changed it back.
- Custom type
Yes, there are hundreds of fonts available already, but if your designer creates a type that is just for you, you’ll immediately feel ownership of your logo. Would Coca-Cola still be as successful if it used a font available to everyone else?
- Action
It’s likely you want your customers and potential users to think of your company as modern and dynamic. To do so, think about the action happening in your logo. When Twitter was first designing its logo, the bird was perched. Now, it’s taking flight.
- Your opinion matters
Last but not least, you need to love it. While these are all important considerations, try not to overthink it. First reactions matter too. If you love it, chances are your customers will.
Things to consider in Company Logo Design