Having the right logo is a vitally important part of business.  Your logo is what people see to identify your brand.  You want it to be symbol of trust between the customer and your product and service. Here are five tips to bear in mind if you’re trying to come up with that perfect logo for your business:
 
SIMPLICITY
This is probably the most important tip.  A logo that is crisp, clear and simple will work much better than one that is cluttered and overcomplicated. For example a construction company has many facets to its business, it would be impossible to show all of these in a simple logo, so what needed is a design which is an overview of the company, an association with all departments without being too complicated. Here’s an example of a very over complicated logo, made simple.
 

 
Some of the most successful logos were actually very simple but very unique as well, for example Apple’s very iconic logo has stood the test of time. Its evolved from a colour striped version of the 70’s to a moody black version in the 80’s its now sleek silver shadow embossed finish, but the actual outline iconic image has remained the same since the beginning. IBM is another multinational company who has kept the very plain bold font its always had, converting this outline to horizontal lines has been the only development in over 60 years.
 
        
 
MEMORABILITY
Your logo is your identity so it’s important that people will remember it as well as recognise it.  A logo doesn’t have to explain all of what your company does, as long as its representative of the industry or market you are involved in. So what’s important is that is that it has to be distinctive and be remembered.
The best logos stand the test of time because people instantly see them and associate them with that company because they are the visual face of the brand.
 
STANDING OUT
Although you want to keep your logo simple, you don’t want it to look like thousands of others, especially if some of them are your competitors.  You want something that will stand out without resorting to garish colours or ridiculous typefaces.
Use a typeface that is appropriate to the business.  For example, a legal firm wouldn’t use the same font or colours as a company that sells balloons and party poppers. Find colours and fonts which are typical of your industry, you should have a good idea of what colours you can associate yourself with. Keep an eye on the competition, without too much plagiarism checkout what your competitors are doing. For example a company selling organic products has to be associated with earthly colours, moving away from this will only lead to confusion.
 
VERSATILITY
It’s important your logo looks good across all mediums.  It might look good on a computer screen but how will it look when printed?
Computer monitors and television screens use RGB colour models, while CMYK or Process colour is used in most full colour printing.  You can find a more detailed explanation of the differences between the two here.

Think about how your logo would look if it was displayed in a different way – for instance, in black and white.  How about if it was made smaller?  Or bigger?  Would it still look good on a billboard?  is it capable of being enlarged for exhibitions material? Does your logo work on both light and dark backgrounds?
 
For example A dark solid logo will not work on a solid black background, so it will have to be placed into lighter more contrasting background, or need an outline to be added so it separates it from the other colour.
 
KEEP TRYING
If you’re designing a logo, you probably won’t get it right at the first attempt. Refine and revise your ideas. Get input from as many people as possible, not just family and friends, these may have tendency to not want to upset you and possibly not give you the honest feedback that you are seeking.  After all, it’s the public whose business you are after If the feedback is negative, don’t be afraid to go back to the drawing board. Constructive criticism is a good thing, don’t take it personally if everyone but you think the logo you have created looks naff, especially in the early days.
 
The reason why all the big brands have focus groups and market research is so they get the branding and packaging right. Its unlikely that any of the brands you see in the supermarket started off with the same brand name or colouring. They would have gone through weeks of research and market testing before they decide on the final design. We’re not suggesting that you go to these lengths, particularly as budgets are tight for any new business, but this type of feedback can be obtained an a much smaller scale. Test it with business colleagues, your suppliers maybe, people you respect in business community. People you can trust to give you an honest answer, not just what you want to hear.
 
If you have the budget then seek professional design advice, there are plenty of graphic designers who can help you get the branding you need.
Take the feedback on board and use your own experiences as a consumer.  Which logos stand out to you and why?

Dean Williams

Dean Williams is a design and marketing blogger working for Print-Print Limited, promoting business and building brands through quality print marketing. If you’re interested in small business promotion then please get in touch hello@print-print.co.uk