Your Business Needs a Great Logo
That old saying ” Don’t judge a book by its cover” applies to some aspects of life, but when it comes to your overall brand appeal and logo, people realistically tend to judge. For example,it’s difficult to admire a logo that is dated and dull.
Having the right logo is everything for your business, and will be what your customers continually recognize when looking for your products or services.
Your logo needs to stand out to attract new consumers. Whether you’re thinking of redesigning your current logo to something that POPS, or you are thinking of starting up your own business, following these tips to get a great first start!
Characteristics of a Great Logo
Great logos come in all shapes and sizes. Here are a few characteristics they all share:
- Eye-catching
- Unique
- Universal
- Represents Your Brand and Target Audience
- Easily Memorable
- Works On all Platform sizes
Let your Brand Guidelines be your “Guide”
If you are looking to redesign your already existing logo, take some time to review your Brand Guidelines ahead of time. They are, after all, called ” Brand Guides” for a reason, and can help
“guide” you in the right direction.
If you’re a new business or a start-up and don’t have a brand guideline, begin by doing some research on your main competitors and examining how they choose to market themselves to the target audience you are aiming to attract. This will help you to associate any similarities and differences between your new business and your competitors currently in the playing field so you have a better idea of where to start.
Here’s a great video to start you off with everything you need to know.
Show Through Graphics; Don’t Tell
Sometimes all you need to do is show people what your brand is all about through a simple picture or design and the right design can accurately convey, and this alone has the power and ability to explain that for you, so you don’t have to.
First Steps to Great Logo Design
:
1. Image Experimentation
Start off with finding a few key images online that encompass what your business is as a whole, then begin to play around with these few key images or objects to see how you can incorporate them into a professional logo.
For example, if you are wanting a logo for your new coffee shop business, consider grabbing a few key elements of what represents coffee (for example, beans, a coffee cup, steam) and play around with these concepts.
2. Incorporate your Brand Colours Into Your Logo
Always keep in mind that when bringing together these images, applying your brand colours help you understand where they can best look on your design. If you have not yet experimented with colours, think about how you want your consumer to feel when looking at your logo. Do you want them to feel hungry, excited, calm? Believe it or not, certain colours help to evoke specific emotions in all of us, which is why major brands all over the world utilize similar colours based on the product they serve.
Here is a great article that helps explain what emotions these colours evoke. Also, here is an online colour picker you can use also if you are looking to find your brand colour theme!
3. Concise and Effective Messaging From First Glance
You want your business to be portrayed quickly and effectively to potential consumers, and that not only means coming up with great imagery and colours; but being strategic about the wording and slogans you choose.
4. Brainstorm Your Keywords
If you are unsure of where to start, take some time to come up with 5 primary keywords you like that describe your business well or certain ways you want your consumers to feel. Think of words that summarize your brand simplistically and effectively. Sometimes, it may be a matter of digging into your thesaurus.
5. Make Sure Your Logo Stays Universal
It is important to keep in mind that universal messaging works best if you want to reach a broader audience. If you maintain messaging that is too specific, it may narrow your consumer reach overall.
6. Test your Logo on Many Different Platforms
Our world is full of small digital devices, wide screens, and much more beyond traditional print marketing. Before you start using your logo, you want to be sure it looks great on all mediums. For example, a cell phone is so small that if your logo isn’t properly visible, your audience might miss it!
7.Design a Few Different Versions of Your Logo
Think of your logo as your handwritten signature. You usually have a full version of your entire name, as well as a shorter version with just your initials. When it comes to utilizing it on many different platforms, create a few different versions. For example, a more simple version is great to utilize as a profile photo through social media platforms, as long as it maintains the most important elements and colour of your initial version.
Get To the Graphics and Have Fun!
Overall, designing a logo is one of the most important aspects of gravitating more attention and professionalism to your brand. Take the time to think about what imagery you want to see, wording, key messages, and overall colour usage that best suits your customer target. You may even find you learn things about your competitors and your business market more than you ever knew before!
To stay up to date with more marketing content and tips, follow us on Instagram or LinkedIn. We look forward to hearing from you with all questions media-related and hope this helps you begin brainstorming some great ideas for your business! We are located in Burlington, Ontario, serving businesses big and small. Contact us today!