Think your logo is simply another visual your company uses for promotional materials? Don’t really think your logo design has any impact on how clients perceive of your brand identity?
Here are a few things from Entrepreneur.com that may change your mind:
First impressions
Your logo is a visual version of what your company stands for. A good one can encourage new customers to give your products or services a chance. That’s the kind of first impression you always want new customers to have about your brand. However, a bad logo can reverse that. Instead of attracting clients, an inferior logo will drive them away. Since most people stick to their first impressions, it’s crucial that you leave your customers with only the best ones right from the start.
Client trust
When you’ve got a logo design that’s a cut above the rest, it tends to persuade clients to trust you against all the other brands competing against you for the same slice of the consumer pie. Why is that? A good logo means you paid attention the details, that you are careful about your work and that you know and value excellence. That’s all reflected in the quality of your logo design. So when clients are confronted with a badly-designed logo, it makes them question your ability to manage a business. It also puts the spotlight on how much value you put on quality. By using an inferior logo, you are subtly advertising the fact that you tolerate that kind of substandard work in your business. That’s another kind of behavior that’ll drive your customers away forever.
Consumer loyalty
When you start to earn your client’s trust, you start earning their loyalty as well. This can be the start of a professional relationship that could span years. A bad logo can get in the way of that, though. Most clients are picky. They want quality. They demand the best in everything. So if you put out a bad logo, they’re going to take that as an extension of your brand identity. A shoddy logo means shoddy standards. That’s not going to inspire them to stay any longer than necessary, much less to support your services or products for years. So if you don’t want your professional relationships with your clients to go down the drain, fix your logo or toss it aside for a better one.
Design or Hire
There are plenty of resources online if you want to try your hand at designing your own business logo. This is ideal if you want to save up on costs and not have to shell out so much just to have your graphic design needs met. If you already have an eye for design, and you have time on your hands, then go for it.
However, if you don’t have the time, talent or inclination for design work, it may be better if you hire a designer instead. Not a fan of the huge fees? No worries. Try crowdsourcing your logo needs. Designhill, like plenty of crowdsourcing sites out there, offers you a network of visual freelance artists who’ll love to work with you at incredibly affordable rates. With logo design by Designhill artists, you get the professional-looking logo you want for your business at a cost-efficient solution. It’s perfect if your company is a startup or small business.
Logo design basics
How do you know what design works then? Here’s a short checklist of qualities compiled from Designshack.net and Creativeblog.com. Check for these when you start looking for a logo to match your brand.
- No clichés. If that’s the first thing you see, turn around and look for another designer elsewhere.
- Originality. Is the logo design completely spot-on? Does it capture the brand identity of your business? Or does it make you think of another design, of another company in another field? Toss that over for a new one.
- Simplicity. Don’t go for clutter in your logos. Too many elements, colors, fonts or styles can complicate your brand message. A simple design emphasizes your brand message in the best way.
- Proportion and symmetry. Make sure the design is balanced. While going for skewed dimensions can net you some interest, the human eye is naturally drawn to balance. Don’t risk getting your brand rejected all because you wanted an edgy logo.
- Audience appeal. When you say a logo is remarkable, what that actually means is: your audience finds it remarkable. It’s not what you find great. It’s basically finding out what your target market thinks is great. If you’re in the automotive industry, that means asking car enthusiasts about what makes and models they love or parts they always have problems with.
- Negative space magic. A fine example of this is the Fedex logo, with the arrow so subtly integrated into the design that most people miss it. Simple and clever. That’s genius.