By separating a company from its product, keeping it simple, and thinking of its audience, a business can design a great logo
When starting a small business, one of the first things an entrepreneur should consider is designing a logo. A well-designed company logo can say a lot to the customer. A logo can convey the personality of a company and tell the customer what the business' specialty is. That being said, a poorly designed logo can do the opposite and turn a customer away. Taking the time to create a unique logo will save a company time and money, so it's important that when an entrepreneur is designing a logo, they keeps several aspects in mind.
Separating company from product
A big mistake that many companies make is thinking that a logo has to be related to their products or services. While that certainly is an option, it is not a necessity. The Logo Factory points out examples such as the Nike swoosh or McDonald's golden arches - neither of these logos represent shoes or hamburgers. Instead, they are simply attractive designs that are easy for consumers to recognize.
Another reason a company may not want to incorporate specific images of products or services is because that will limit what their company can sell. For example, if Nike's logo was a shoe, that logo might look out of place on a shirt or jacket. Expansion into new markets should be the overall goal of any company, so it shouldn't let a logo pigeonhole them into a specific market.
Keep it simple
Frog Body, an internet marketing and web development company, advises on its blog "if you're not a designer, and you're creating a logo - the best approach is to keep it super simple." Sometimes a company will design an intricate logo that looks great when it's on a sheet of paper or on a sign. However, if the same logo is placed on a pen or other small object, it will end up looking like an unintelligible mess.
By creating a simple logo, a company can ensure it is reproducible at all levels. If a company wants a complex logo, then it may be best that they design two logos: one that can be printed on smaller objects and one that can be printed elsewhere.
The same concept applies to colors as well. Keep in mind that not all colors reproduce well. A specific hue of blue that looks good on a computer screen might not show well on a black and white printed sheet of paper.
Text and imagery
Ideally, the graphic used for a logo design should be enough to identify a company on its own, as the Apple or Nike logos do. However, before a company is well-known, it may want to incorporate both its logo and its name in its logo, so the consumer can learn to associate the logo with the company name. To expedite this learning process, the Logo Factory recommends that businesses separate their images and text. Then, when the logo stands alone, it doesn't radically change the look of the logo.
This also works into the notion of keeping a logo simple. If the text is incorporated into the logo, then it may be heard to read when its reproduced at smaller sizes.
Think of the audience
Finally, when designing a logo, a company should also think of the audience that it is trying to serve. The logo for a a company that provides financial services for corporations should be designed differently from a plumbing company. If a company is trying to convey that it is fun, then a cartoon character could make a good logo. Conversely, if a business is trying to indicate it is professional, plain text may work better.
Logo creation is a long-term design strategy that should be handled with care. Though creating a logo may be a complex and time-consuming project, a good logo can go a long way when trying to establish a brand.
