A great logo is more than a symbol and a few words. A good logo embodies your company: who you are, what you do and what you stand for. That’s a lot to ask of one small piece of art, which is why it’s important that you take the time to do it right. The following ten step guide will take you through the essentials as you start the design process.
1. Decide the primary function of your logo – Is your logo going to be used to boost company recognition in a competitive field? Is it to enhance the characteristics of your company, such as intelligence or effective simplicity?
2. Think about your target market – If you’re designing a logo for a florist, a brightly coloured, whimsical logo may be suitable. For something more business-like, such as a law firm, for example, the same fonts and colours won’t carry the desired message. Make sure you choose a style that portrays the right feeling.
3. Do I put my company name in my logo? – If your company name is long or is similar to a commonly used, household word, it’s a good idea to leave it out of the logo. If your logo were printed on something small, would the text still be legible? If your main aim is to boost the recognition of your company name, it might be beneficial to incorporate your company name, it’s up to you.
4. Follow your company’s colour scheme – Using the same colours as letterheads or merchandise will help your customers build familiarity with your brand. Have a think too, though, about the psychology of colours. Red, for example, embodies power, ambition and passion, but also danger or heat. It’s best to choose colours that will fortify your message.
5. Try not to copy successful logos too closely – Be original. It’s great to take inspiration from successful logos but copying them too closely will suggest a lack of originality and may cause confusion between brands.
6. Simplicity is key – Designing a logo is an exercise in restraint! Try to avoid using too many colours, layered images or multiple different fonts. The simpler the logo, the easier it is to reproduce (which will save you money) and the easier it will be for your customers to remember.
7. Keep your options open – Have a few designs, commit them to paper and see what works best. Perhaps approach your target market and ask for feedback. Do they find it memorable or generic? Does the colour scheme suit your type of business? Once you get started, set up a social media account and continue to respond to feedback to make sure your logo keeps up with the progression of your company and the market you’re in.
8. Test its memorability – Ask a few friends to look at your logo and then try to draw it. If they can remember it, that’s a good sign!
9. Make sure your design is scalable – It might look great at a standard size, but will it look too chunky when printed on something large? Will it be lost or blurry if printed on something small, like a business card or a badge?
10.Create a final draft and have it digitised – So much marketing and advertisement goes on online nowadays, so it’s a good idea to digitise your logo. You can do this yourself, using Adobe Illustrator or Inkscape, for example, or have a professional do it for you. It’s also much easier to adapt and change your logo online, whereas you’ll have to reprint everything if you want to make changes to your logo on paper or card products.
Enjoy the process and the finished product! It’s essentially going to represent you and your company to the whole world, so make sure it’s something you’re proud of before you put it out there!If you’re interested in having a high quality, professional logo digitised, have a look at our Graphic Design page.