A strong logo can do wonders for the image of your company, not to mention how your logo affects your brand recognition and marketing strategies. Take a look at companies like Apple, Facebook and The New York Times. You can can look at the logo for any of these companies and know what to expect. Your logo is the graphic representation of your business, so it’s important that it represents your business correctly.
Here are some tips to help you along the way when designing a logo for your business.
Do Your Research
Before you start designing your logo, take a look at what the competition is up to. See if there are any themes that they share or colors that they use. Remember that your logo should stand out and separate you from the pack. Look to your competitors for a good sense of what you should avoid.
Use Your Imagination
One way to stand out when brainstorming your logo is to think outside the box. Too many businesses and companies take the easy path when designing their logos. Flower shops have a flower in their logo, bike stores have a bicycle. While straightforward, this literal approach can come off as boring and uninventive. The more creative your logo, the easier it will be for the consumer to remember.
Color
As far as color schemes go for your logo, the simpler the better. The rule of thumb is to limit it to one or two colors, or if your image is strong enough, black and white. Not only will a one or two color logo be more cost effective when it comes time to marketing your business, different colors will get different reactions from the people who see your logo. Here again, research is key.
Fonts
If you choose to include text with your logo, it’s best to get a custom font. Remember that you want your logo to stand out. Avoid fonts that come with word processing applications like Microsoft Word or Pages. Custom fonts are always preferable to a font that can be seen on any high school student’s book report. Once you have chosen a font, stick to it. There is nothing attractive about a logo that uses four different fonts.
Avoid Stock Images
Your logo should represent your business and your brand, that’s it. It can be tempting to use a stock image from one of the countless stock image sites out there on the web as a starting point, but think of this – how many other companies had the same idea? Your logo should be as unique as your company.
Get Professional
Your best bet when it comes to designing a logo is to hire a professional graphic designer. A logo that looks like it was designed by an amateur will present your business in an amateurish light; it’s as simple as that. Once you choose a graphic designer, make sure to keep the lines of communication open. They are working for you and should follow your direction as much as you should follow their advice on what works and what doesn’t.