5 Basic Logo Design Tips That Every Business Owner Should Know
Weather you are starting a new business or you already have one, your logo is truly the emblematic agent that represents your business attributes. Through the use of shape, fonts, colour, and /or images, your logo should inspire trust and recognition for your business or product.
1-Your logo needs to be describable and memorable. Having a well-designed logo that represents your business, not only gives you recognition but, also, provides a powerful and instant image of whom you are to the outside world. Having a remarkable logo also reflects the professionalism and trustworthiness of your business which provides a solid foundation for your brand and a big advantage over your competition.
2- Use an appropriate font. There are millions of fonts available that you can use, so don’t make the mistake of using basic common fonts such as Times, Arial, or Helvetica like most start-up companies do. On the other hand don’t over do it either with crazy unrelated fonts or with script fonts that you cannot read. Make sure that the font you choose is readable. It is also important that each letter is well-balanced with the others because sometimes some letters don’t jive well together. You can download fonts for free by searching “Free Fonts” on Google. There are many websites that you can sample the fonts by entering the name of your company to see how it looks. Also, make sure that the font is readable when you go very small because sometimes you will need your logo to be just an inch.
3- Integrate a catchy tagline with your logo. Although not necessary, using a catchy tagline or slogan with your logo adds extra information that defines who you are. It also helps your company become memorable which can make you stand out among your competitors. Even though a tagline evolves with time, it should reveal your companies best attributes. Example: Nike uses “Just do it!” McDonald’s uses ” I’m loving it “
4- Be smart with your choice of colours. Using the right colour combination for your logo is an important part of your branding process. Choose not more than two or three colours that are suitable to your industry. Example: If you’re opening a SPA, don’t use dark colours or reds, use soothing light colours that represent cleanliness and serenity. Don’t under-estimate the power of colour. Your colour selection and the way you use it can totally “make” or “break” your overall branding strategy. And, it can make your logo look cheap. Also, your logo must be effective with and without colour. You must test to see how it looks in grey scale and black/white. Sometimes you will need to provide the grayscale version for black/white print.
5- Your Logo needs to be scalable. It’s important that your logo is just as effective small at an inch then big because you will be using it for different purposes.When starting a new business you have to be at the forefront of your competition, you have to be better, smarter and effective at attracting your market. You need to look like you’ve been in business for years and your image has to be flawless.
To design an effective logo that represents well a company takes skill and knowledge it’s our job as designers to create an identity that will do its job. Unfortunately to many new business owners take it upon themselves to design their own logo, thinking that it will save them money but it the end, they fail miserably due to a poor image they created for their business.
