Key Principles for a Great Logo and Why You Need One for Your Business
You’ve decided to start your own business. I highly recommend it! It is challenging, but totally worth the time and effort! Imaging is everything in communication. Your logo is a key piece in your arsenal of tools when it comes to engaging your audience and capturing their attention. After all, you have limited opportunities to make your company stand out in the crowd.
Engaging with potential clients is sort of like a job interview; you wouldn’t show up to an interview in crappy clothes, dirty shoes and ungroomed hair. So, don’t let your business show up to your customers looking any old kind of way!
There are a few principles you should keep in mind to guide you in choosing a logo for your business:
Your logo should be:
- Simple - keep it clean and uncluttered for greater impact. Less is more
- Memorable – Its basic elements should be able to be recalled after a single glance. And a glance is usually all your logo will get.
- Original – Search logos in your industry and avoid mimicking them
- Timeless – It should be modern but not trendy to keep its relevance over time and its ability to be updated with tweaks
- Balanced – Consider proportion and symmetry to create a pleasing aesthetic.
- Versatile – your log should maintain its visual integrity and readability no matter what the use
You should ask yourself questions such as:
- What do I want my logo to say about my business?
Your logo may seem to be a small consideration in the grand scheme of planning and starting a business. However, your logo is the first thing customers see when you hand them your card or when they see and advertisement or visit your website, so designing your logo should be given critical thought.
- Who is my audience or target market?
Your target market or audience is an important consideration when designing your logo. A logo should reflect the audience you are trying to reach. If your ideal customers are middle aged wealthy males, your logo should appeal to them, with characteristics that suggest refinement, masculinity and sophistication.
- What do my competitors’ logos look like?
In general, it is always a good idea to research your competition. This includes looking at their logos. Not that you will copy their logos, but to check out their design, layout and the color scheme they are using. This will enable you to make sure your logo is unique and different.
- What is the right color and font for my logo?
You should pick colors that suit your business and remember that colors trigger human emotion. For example, blue is associated with trust, knowledge and security. Red is associated with love, passion, power and strength. The typeface or font you choose should be easy to read with proper spacing and should lend itself to use in both print and electronic mediums.
- How do I make my logo different, unique and recognizable?
First, keep it simple. Choose simple fonts and shapes. Avoid using too many special effects adding these only after you’ve gotten the design created in black and white. Strong logos look great without needing special effects or treatments. Stay away from overused symbols and typefaces. Strive for something different or with a new take on something old.
Final thought: if you’re tempted to use clip art or photos for your logo don’t! Your logo has to go EVERYWHERE! It will be resized for printing on stationary, apparel, billboards, pens as well as digital screens like phones, tablets and television. Using vector graphic software to create your logo is very important because this will ensure your image stays constant when resized. Using clip art conveys cheapness and unprofessionalism. If you are not adept at using this type of software, no worries, contact us here at Millennium Technology to get started today! Engaging a professional to create your logo is not as expensive as you might think and it is worth every penny.
Last Updated: Thursday, June 16, 2022 at 5:56 PM