One of your first tasks as a new business owner should be to create a logo and brand identity. A logo visually represents your company. It subconsciously communicates to your clientele what your business personality is and your core values and beliefs.
You might be skeptical about the importance of a logo but you will not find any successful business that doesn’t have one. Imagery is so powerful that it can raise certain feelings in your potential clientele and make them choose whether or not to buy from you.
One of your keys to success is to create a brand identity and logo that will appeal to your ideal clients and make them choose you over your competitors. Keep reading this guide on creating a notable logo for your business.
What Makes a Logo Great?
While the most successful company logos may seem very simple, there is a lot of thought that went into them. The Nike logo is simple but it evokes feelings of speed and movement which the company wants to be identified with.
Below are some of the aspects that make a logo great. Factor them in as you create a logo.
Know Your Market
The customer is king because they are the ones that keep the lights on at your business. You must know who your desired client is and what appeals to them. Create buyer personas and put yourself in their shoes.
What colors would they like? What are their values and beliefs? What do they need your company for? For all these answers you can simply generate a survey on platforms like helpfull.com, and get instant feedback from thousands of people all around the world.
Once you know your clientele you will be able to create a logo and brand identity that connects with them.
Write the Story Behind Your Existence
Consumers love stories. Marketers have found that the best way to sell an item is to create a story around it. What is the story behind your brand? Having a deep understanding of your company will make it easier for you to find symbols that convey your brand identity.
Being able to communicate your why to your clients will help your brand stand out in the marketplace. Clients that resonate with your why will feel compelled to buy from you. The story keeps your business moving and growing rapidly like Shentel Business fiber.
Here are some other questions you could ask to solidify your understanding of your brand.
Find a Few Words That Describe Your Brand
To draw a picture, you would need a name for what you are drawing. This is the same thing for a company logo. Find words that describe your company and what you do. For example, if your company does corporate training, look through all the words that mean the same thing as training and choose the ones that draw an emotional response from you.
A great tool to use for this is a thesaurus. After a thorough search, go through your list of words that describe your business and select 5 to 10 of the most significant ones. These are what you will use to help create your logo.
Draw a Rough Sketch of Your Logo
The next step is to draw a rough sketch of your logo. You don’t have to be a professional artist to do this. It is important for you as the business owner to draw what your brand looks like and feels like to you.
A experienced graphic designer will then use your ideas to draft sample logos. Check out your competitors’ logos and evaluate what is missing from them and how you are different. Add these elements to your design.
As you draft your logo, think about the colors that will be used to represent your company. Colors evoke different feelings in people. For example, gold is a color of luxury whereas white represents peace.
Also, be aware that you can use different kinds of styles for your logo. These are listed below:
Test Your Draft Logos on Some Potential Clients
Once you get back your sample logos from a graphic designer you should test the different designs on your ideal clients. Select the one that is most popular with them.
After you choose a logo it is time to finalize its design. Check the logo against your list of descriptive words and see if there are any messages your logo isn’t conveying. Add in any details that have been missed out.
Finalize Your Design
Once you have included all elements into your logo, the graphic designer can finalize it and draw it digitally. Make sure that any colors or fonts used are accurate representations of your company’s personality.
Also, be certain that your logo has variations for when it is placed on dark or light backgrounds. It should also be scalable and legible whether it is small in size or large.
Create a Logo That Represents Your Brand
When you create a logo for your company, you should think about the long-term use of the image. You want people to begin to identify and recognize your brand.
If you keep your ideal client persona at the top of your mind and have a clear picture of whoyou are as a company, you will find that designing your logo happens almost instinctively.
For more tips and advice on business and branding, check out more articles right here on our blog.