Last updated on January 6th, 2020
When starting a business of your own, there are a lot of things you need to plan for and decide upon. One of those many different decisions and creations you need to think on is that of your business’s logo. While you may think it a minor thing at first, your business’s logo is an incredibly important aspect to building your start-up into a successful business that can stand up to your competitors. So, whether you’re working on developing your business’s logo all on your own, or you’re looking to get some help from a designer, here are some critical tips you need to keep in mind.
1. Standing Apart
As you might expect, a business logo is more than just a symbol to tell consumers who you are. Your logo is a way to set your business apart from all the rest. It’s a way for you to distinguish your business from all your competitors. When designing your logo, you may be tempted to imitate pieces or sections of other business logos, but that is definitely a bad idea. As Mashable states, creating a unique logo isn’t just about avoiding imitation; it’s about making something different and out-of-the-box.
2. Multiple Meanings
How many times have you seen a company logo, or any symbol really, that says one thing, but also says another in its symbolism or otherwise? Chances are you’ve seen a few. And it’s a good idea for you to try and implement this idea in your own business to design business logo. As Design Shack calls it, you want to use visual double entendre; where you have more than one picture of meaning in your logo. Doing this will not only make your logo memorable, it’ll also make it more alluring to consumers who find it clever and imaginative.
3. Learning What’s Effective
While it may be tempting to just start drawing and sketching ideas, it’s always a good idea to get a grasp on what works and what doesn’t before you start scribbling. David Airey provides a good list of guidelines you should consider when working on a logo:
- Logo must be describable
- Logo must be memorable
- Logo needs to be effective without color
- Logo needs to be scalable
What is and isn’t effective is important to learn before you begin designing.
4. Simplicity is Key
The old acronym KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid) is definitely one you need to follow in your logo design. Some of the most effective and memorable logos in today’s world are very simple.
5. Take a Look at Your Competitors
While you don’t want to copy your competitors at all, that doesn’t mean you can’t take a look at what their logos look like. Viewing your competitor’s logos can help give you some inspiration for your own, but Entrepreneur suggests doing so for a different reason: differentiating your business. If your competitors all use a certain style or graphic technique, you can stand your business apart by avoiding those images.
6. You and Your Brand
Your logo isn’t just a symbol for your business; it’s the symbol and introduction to your brand. As such, Forbes states that you need to ensure it’s instantly recognizable and unique to your particular brand. Your brand is your business, and if consumers can see your logo and instantly connect it to your brand and business, then it’s done its job.
7. Trendy is Limited
Going with the flow and creating business logo design that use current trends may seem like a good idea, but what happens when the trend dies out? It’s all right for logos to evolve over time, but you want to create one that will be recognizable for decades. The Dallas Morning News uses Ford and Coca-Cola as perfect examples; their logos have stayed relatively the same for over a century, and everyone around the world recognizes those logos.
8. Clichés are Old Hat
Akin to using current trends, designing a logo with a cliché is not a good idea. In fact, it’s even worse than going with a trend. Clichés are old and tired and instantly recognizable in a bad way. Avoid using any clichés if at all possible.
9. Any Idea Can Turn Out Great
Once you actually get down to sketching and working out designs, don’t toss any out. Creative Blog states that all the old “failed” design ideas can still be useful as there might be the seed of a good idea for another business later on. So keep all those old sketches, they can be brought out later if you decide to update your logo. And if you’re a designer working for other clients, they can give the spark of an idea for a new logo.
Regardless of whether you’re a business owner looking for designers to make a logo for you, or you’re a designer looking for additional ideas and tools for your own work, Designhill can help you create that perfect logo.
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