Having a logo is an integral part of making your brand a successful one – right up there with having high-quality products and positive referrals. Your logo defines the quality of your brand. And therein lies the danger. A gorgeous logo probably won’t increase sales, but an ugly logo can demolish your brand and force you to lower your prices.
The most basic definition of branding is “the promise you make to your customers.” And your logo is your stamp of approval. This is why a logo is so important. Your logo communicates ownership, quality, and values. It’s imprinted on your products, your business card, website, social media, and most importantly, in the minds of your clients. A poorly designed logo communicates that you have a poorly designed product or a poorly executed service.
“A logo takes thought and creativity, and many elements combine to make a good one.”
A good logo is succinct, versatile, memorable, and related to your business. Let’s dive deep and see what are the characteristics of a “good logo”:
“Your company logo is strong and balanced”
A logo is an icon, whether it’s made up of just text or just a graphic symbol, or both elements. It should reflect your company – its heart and soul – its personality. Keep your audience and products/services in mind because you want your logo to reflect your business. Favour logos that have a strong, balanced look.
“Keep it simple”
Simplicity makes a logo design easily recognizable, versatile and memorable. Good logos feature something unexpected or unique, without being “overdrawn.” A simple logo is explicable, conveys the brand’s identity efficiently, and is operative in engaging the potential customers.
“Make it relevant”
A logo is a visual portrayal of a brand. Thus, it should be relevant to the company it is representing. Small businesses must establish themselves in the market, creating a logo that identifies with their business plan and is appropriate to their operating niche. The logo should be appropriate for its intended audience. For example, a child-like font and colour scheme would be appropriate for a logo for a children’s toy store, not so much for a law firm
“Logo should be scalable”
Since your logo appears on all your physical and online marketing material, it should be scalable. Scalability allows the logo to be increased or reduced in size without losing its intrinsic message. Thus, a good logo is versatile enough to be used in different mediums without losing its captivating power.
For example, a logo should be visible and distinguishable on a big billboard from 100 meters away or on a small business card from 20 millimetres away. It should also work well in different size formats like business cards, brochures, t-shirt designs, and other marketing materials such as embroidery, stamping, embossing, etc.
“Make it Memorable”
An effective logo design should be memorable, which is achieved by keeping it simple yet appropriate. A memorable logo captures the audience’s attention and embeds itself in the viewers’ minds. It is also easy to recall even after the person has viewed the logo only once.
“Logo should be Timeless”
“Trends are good, but innovation is better.”
Since your logo is the graphical representation of your business, you want to remain constant even after many years. A logo should have a long life expectancy. It will evolve and change over time, but the longer it stays the same at its heart, the better brand recognition you will get over time. Aim for longevity in your logo design since it should be timeless and enduring, despite the changing trends.
“Create a unique logo for your brand”
An effectual logo makes your brand more prominent in a cluttered marketplace and distinguishes it from the competitors. With thousands upon thousands of fonts, billions of colour combinations, and an infinite flow of design ideas, choose a unique logo. Make sure your logo is discrete and unlike any other in the landscape where it is positioned.
“Don’t make it personal”
This is very important. As we like to say, if you design for yourself, be prepared to buy all of your products. What is most important is that you design for your customer.
Conclusion
A logo is the visual rendition of a brand and the building block of its branding. Well-designed logos help your company achieve prominence and distinction amongst the customer base. It grabs attention and makes a great first impression if done right.
Always begin with a strategy. The key is to identify your value proposition. Focus on what it is that your organization does differently and better than your competition before you begin doing anything visual.
Also, remember that “your Logo Isn’t Set In Stone.” It should evolve with the times and as your business grows. Apple is a great example. Its logo wasn’t always as clean and sophisticated as it is today. So don’t be afraid to recreate your logo when it starts to feel stale or outdated.
