What To Consider When Designing a Logo for a New Business
A logo seems small but it can be powerful. Consumers process images far faster than words; this means that your logo will essentially act as a representative for your brand and stick with people more readily than your business name. To this end, it’s important to spend ample time and thought creating a logo that will help you promote your brand and cultivate customer loyalty both now and in the future.
Following are some pointers to take into account when designing a logo for your new business. Each factor is important and plays a role in helping you make smart logo creation decisions.
Niche
What logo would be the most accurate representation of your industry? If you aren’t sure, check out competitors’ logos to see how other companies in your niche use images to portray their business in the best possible light. While international giants such as Apple and Twitter can get away with logos that have nothing to do with their industry, it’s not the best option for a small company without ample name-brand recognition.
You’ll also want to consider your specific industry niche when choosing possible logo designs. Google and Apple, for instance, are both tech companies; however, their offerings vary wildly. In the restaurant industry, there is a huge difference between a fast-food joint and an upscale catering service.
Target Audience
Who is the target audience for your brand? Perhaps your products/services primarily appeal to people of a certain age, ethnic background, or gender. Maybe you have a brick-and-mortar outlet and your main target audience is people living in your local area.
While you can’t please everyone all the time, your logo should clearly appeal to the people who are most likely to buy your products and/or services. People who see your logo should be able to immediately recognize who you cater to. At the same time, it shouldn’t lock others out, as you may want to expand your offerings to new target audiences in the future.
Brand Identity
Your brand identity is what sets you apart from the competition. Take a moment to think about your best selling points. Do customers come to you because you offer the best prices, or for personalized customer service? Are your products more modern, luxurious, or kid-friendly than those offered by your competitors? Perhaps you put a premium on conservation and consumers know all your products are eco-friendly. Alternatively, you may offer only organic or 100% natural products.
Your brand identity and core values should be reflected in your logo. This can be done by selecting or designing the right image, picking the right font, and using the right colors.
Design Style
There are many design styles to pick from. A modern logo design tells people you offer contemporary, modern services. A playful, casual design is ideal for companies catering to parents with kids. A luxurious logo style tells people your company offers high-end, luxurious products and/or services. Classic logos have a timeless appeal, projecting stability and reliability. Vintage and retro logos are trending as they evoke positive memories.
There is no one design that is “better” than all others; in fact, you may even want to combine two different designs to create a unique logo that will stand out from the crowd. However, it is important to consider the pointers outlined above in order to pick a design style that matches well with your business and will appeal to your target audience.
Colors
Colors are powerful tools that can elicit an emotional response in potential customers, so be sure the ones you pick appeal to your target audience. Red, for instance, conveys strength and passion. Black conveys luxury and class. Green conveys a connection to nature while yellow is playful and has a happy, vibrant feel.
Combining two colors together can enhance the message a company wants to get across. Blue and red, for instance, are both powerful colors; using them together conveys strength, vitality, and reliability. Red and yellow, on the other hand, give a business a vibrant, playful, child-friendly feel. Pairing black with purple or gold gives a company a luxurious feel; on the other hand, it has a strong, modern vibe when paired with white or various shades of gray.
Many of the world’s most successful brands use only one color in their logos, and only .5% use more than two colors for a logo. Keeping a logo simple can help people remember it better than they would have otherwise. It’s a good idea to experiment with color schemes to hone-in on the colors that best represent your brand. You can use a color scheme generator to come-up with suitable pallets.
Fonts
Fonts, like logo designs, come in all shapes, sizes, and styles. Block letters convey strength and reliability; they work well with a modern or minimalist logo design style. Cursive lettering is commonly used with a luxurious logo style to convey luxury, but can also be used by companies creating handcrafted items and/or in combination with a vintage or retro logo. Playful lettering is often used by companies catering to children and pairs well with a playful logo; this type of lettering can also be used by companies that want to portray a relaxed, happy, playful ambiance.
Type your business name in a variety of fonts to see which one is the best fit for your business. Your chosen font should not only be appealing and on-brand but also clear. You want potential customers to be able to read your business name clearly so never pick a font that would make it hard for people to remember your brand.
Logo Types
Logo options include an abstract image, emblem, mascot, pictorial mark, lettermark, wordmark, or a combination of a lettermark/wordmark with an image. The latter option can be a good choice for a business that wants to cultivate brand recognition as consumers will see the business image and its name at the same time. Even leading brands such as Coca-Cola and Amazon use combination marks to effectively promote their brands, and the style works particularly well if the business name can be used as part of the image, as Amazon does with its smile mark used under the business name.
An emblem has a traditional feel and works well for companies that want to convey a timeless vibe. Mascots are playful and can be the option of choice for any company offering fun, casual services. Such logos also work well for companies with a name that can be easily represented by a character, such as a sports team. Abstract logos are incredibly common and can be used by a range of industries, including clothing, financial services, and tech companies; however, you’ll have to pay close attention to your design to ensure it’s unique and appealing.
Pictorial marks tend to be vintage or traditional in style but can also have a modern vibe when done right. They have a personalized feel that can appeal to people in various target demographics.
Design Platform
Now that you know what you want your logo to look like, it’s time to start creating it. Logo makers are an ideal option for many business owners; they are user-friendly, offer plenty of design options, and offer free editing services, so you can adapt images and designs to suit your needs. As an added benefit, you don’t have to pay until you have a logo you actually want to use for your business. However, you’re “on your own” when creating your new logo, which can be challenging if you don’t have previous experience with branding.
Other design options include hiring a freelance designer or paying for a branding service to create a logo for your business. A freelance designer can be a good option if you want professional input from someone who has experience designing logos for your industry and you can’t afford a professional branding company. A branding service is ideal for those who can afford it as the firm offers access to multiple experts and expert assistance with not only logo creation but also overall branding and marketing.
Scalability and Multipurpose Use
Before you pick a final logo for your business, make sure it’s scalable and will look good on various platforms and products. It should be a good fit for your website, social media platforms, letterheads, business cards, flyers, online newsletters, etc.
Consider not only your current and future needs when finalizing a logo design. If you plan to expand your product range, for instance, will your logo look good on the items you plan on selling five years from now? If you start using a new social media platform, will the logo be a good fit for the platform?
A logo is an invaluable business asset that will serve you well, especially if you put in the time, research, and effort needed to create a winning image. Consider the pointers outlined above when designing a logo for your business to ensure your new design meets your needs and your target audience’s expectations.