The logo is possibly one of the more important elements of your business. Having a memorable logo can drive traffic to your company based on familiarity alone. And yet coming up with one can be such a pain. How is it something so simple can be so infuriating? Hopefully these tips will aid you in your quest to create that perfect company logo.
- What type of company are you trying to convey? A stylized rose is a great symbol for a florist, but it can also be a surprisingly good symbol for a garbage company as well…as long as you’re claiming that the city smells better with your services. It’s not so important to broadcast your industry or even your business. A good logo might make it clear why you’re better than the other guys without coming right out and saying it. So think about your business. If you had to some it up and say why its better in one sentence, what would it say? How does that translate to a picture?
- What makes your business unique? If you’re a restaurant owner you may want to take a look at your kitchen. Are you serving an iconic dish that is exclusive to your company, and can that be translated into a logo?
- What colors do you want to include? Be sure to pick colors that are unlikely to be seen as ‘dated’ in the near future. This is more difficult than you might imagine, because until they actually go out of style it’s difficult to tell what color combinations are timeless. The obvious black and white is always a safe choice, but can be a little boring. A bold color is always a good attention getter, but you run the risk of having your logo look out of date. Note: Unless you own some sort of chocolate shop you should avoid brown. This color goes in and out of style in many different shades. It’s reins of popularity ranges from whole decades (the 70’s for example) to mere seasons.
- Keep it simple. Tons of flourishes, and details will ensure that your logo is difficult to remember. It will also make it easy for imitators to infiltrate your customer base. You don’t want other companies riding your coat tails to success, because your logo is complicated.
- For the serious business, have it produced. Once you have your concept in mind, work with a logo developer to build out the concept and the graphical design. Creative companies like Logoworks are great resources for this type of help - you’ll be amazed at the professional quality that your logo can have!
There you have it. This will give you a good start on making that dreaded logo. Once you have a concept (or even a few concepts) you may want to ask around and find out what people think before printing up your stationary. Don’t be afraid to invest a little money into an artist. Your local arts programs may have budding artists that’d be happy to draw up a logo on the cheap, because it’ll look good in their portfolio. Good luck withyour logo, and good luck with your company!
