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A company logo is important to any business – that first impression.
Your authentic logo says a lot about you, whether it be telling what your business does, who you do business with, or even the type of atmosphere your company provides.
It is a visual representation of your company and provides context to other people and your business. If you have a brick-and-mortar business then the logo is also important for your business signage.
The Importance of a Logo for Your Company
1. Reveals your identity
A logo is a representation of you and your business. When someone first encounters your logo, they can read this is happening in “real-time” by observing your logo.
2. Facilitates brand loyalty
No matter the business rules, your logo must ensure that a consumer will choose your company over another and keep coming back.
3. Recalls company history and identity
Your logo represents your company as a whole in many ways. You can take this opportunity to develop creative ideas or add special elements that help describe your company’s story and history.
4. Provides reference within presentations
When presenting your business, an important component is how you put together information in a clear manner for others to understand and remember. Your logo provides an instant reference for how “stable” you may be, how long you have been around, etc.
6 Steps for Creating a Logo
1. Brainstorming
It’s difficult to know where your creativity will take you when brainstorming logo design ideas – many people do not know where they will take their brands and have no idea what they want the finished product to look like. First, start with all aspects of your company in mind and see what that means. When designing your logo, all elements should play into the final design – color schemes, fonts, shapes, etc.
2. Consider current trends and relevant design elements
Many companies have taken advantage of using a logo that incorporates certain design aspects, such as putting a border around their logo to “frame” it or using certain color schemes that are popular. You do not want to use something like this without giving it at least some thought – the internet has become a great tool for researching your logo designs and elements so you can be sure you are on the right track.
3. Create mock-ups
Now that you have an idea of your company’s logo create one or two mock-up versions of what it may look like in real life. This can take various forms – sketching a logo on paper, creating vector (.ai) files for the design software, and photographing your logo in different lighting conditions.
4. Stay current
Design is constantly changing and evolving, so now that you have chosen your elements and created your mock-up, stay on top of the changes by using many tools such as GraphicRiver and LogoChampion to read design trends and find new ideas to explore.
5. Testing
Now that you have your design, it is time to test it out. Many companies have a team that tests their logo to ensure it will be useful for many applications in the future.
6. Presentation
Once you have the final logo, you will want to make sure it is presented in the most professional way possible.
7 Tips for Creating a Logo
1. Keep it simple
A logo should be simple enough to identify at first glance. Your logo is what people use to identify your brand, so make sure it stands out positively.
2. Keep colours uniform throughout
Your brand identity is important for any business – whether it be how you place your logo onto different items or use color schemes within the business itself. One thing to remember is to make sure all the colors you use are unified in the way they are used and fonts.
3. Study Other Logos for Inspiration
It doesn’t hurt to study other brands around you. What makes them good? What makes them not so good? Please take all your findings and apply them to your logo.
4. Make your logo unique
A logo is a great way to set yourself apart from the competition, but you want to ensure everyone knows it. Using your company’s logo to work with your branding is important- whether on the company website, business cards, brochures, or what you have.
5. Make It Memorable
Many people do not get the memo when it comes to making their logo memorable – though printing and embroidery services websites will help you with this, they can also make your logo “stuffy” or too overwhelming. The simple fact is that people need a reason to remember your company.
6. Place your logo in the correct spot
One thing that can make or break a logo design is where the logo is placed. You could have the best-looking logo in the world, but if it is not aligned correctly onto your label or shirt, it will not do you much good. Place your logo where you see fit – on a table, on a banner on a wall, etc.
7. Always be Flexible
The world of logos is constantly changing and evolving more than ever before. If you only plan to use your company’s logo once – maybe once every two years – then that is okay because things often change with companies over time. However, suppose you plan to use the same logo for your company’s identity over the next decade. In that case, it is important to be flexible in finding out how to use your logo and place it onto different items.
How To Expand Your Company Using Your Logo
- Your logo can be printed on the front of a shirt or sticker
- You can use your logo on postcards or business cards
- You can put your logo onto the back of a baseball cap or hat
- You can use your logo as an invitation to encourage people to come out to your event
How Having No Logo Can Affect Your Company Negatively
- Your company could be considered unprofessional because it is not using its logo.
- Your company could be considered unprofessional because it does not have a business card.
- Your company could be considered unprofessional because it cannot place itself in many places.
- Potential clients could think you are new to the industry, and thus there’s no need to pay you money for service.