Creating a company logo is one of the most important tasks in the early stages of branding. In this post, we’ll walk you through what a logo does for your company, what makes a good logo, how to design your logo, and how to use your logo to get your business recognized.

What Does a Logo Do?

Your company’s logo is one of the main ways that customers recognize your brand. It can be working for you or against you at all times. While a logo is not the only aspect of a good brand, it is the key component. Your logo should be a powerful symbol for your company. Remember, your customers’ continued relationship with your company will revolve around their interaction with your logo and other branding.

Your company’s logo is important in your ability to both attract customers and close deals. But the logo’s real purpose is enabling customers to immediately recognize you among all other competitors. It should be as unique—and uniquely yours—as your face. No one else has it, and everyone knows you by it. When someone you know sees your face they immediately know you name, how they feel about you, and what you mean to them. All that can be decoded from seeing the face of someone you know, and it should be the same for your logo.  Think about the logo of your favorite brand. What do you think of when you see it?

Immediate (and positive!) recognition is the primary purpose of your logo.Everything the logo touches becomes a symbol for the company. When designing your logo, you want to simultaneously capture your brand ethos and make something that will stand the test of time with minimal modification. After all, if recognition is the goal, you don’t want to drastically change the design once you have it established.

Think of your favorite brands and they all have a logo that embodies what they do and who they are as a company, in a single image. Take the Starbucks “siren” logo. With this single image they are able to convey who they are, and you immediately recognize them apart from all the other coffee brands in the world. Create your company logo with this in mind.

kyle-loftus-698990-unsplash

What Makes a Good Logo?

Whether we consciously pick up on the open posture of the Starbucks siren—or whether we realize it’s a siren at all—is almost beside the point. Without the logo, it would be near-impossible for us to recognize the brand. If customers don’t notice something abstract in yourlogo, that’s ok. It’s alright to have a subtlety go unnoticed. What you want to avoid are images that create a negative impression. Don’t use images that could be taken the wrong way or otherwise don’t live up to your brand.

There is no one-size-fits-all style when it comes to logo design. It depends on your audience and target market. It is important that the style and feel of your logo is appropriate for and reflects the values of your company. For instance, if you are developing a logo for a law firm, you wouldn’t want to use cutesy fonts or whimsical colors. That type of style would be better suited for a children’s clothing line. With one quick look at your logo, a customer should be able to size up your company and understand what you are about. Make sure that your design choices reflect the appropriate values you want your company to represent.

A good logo should also be simple. Simple logos without a lot of clutter convey a professional image, and stand out more in the customers’ mind. A well-designed, simple logo is easy for people’s brains to process and will communicate your business clearly, while also making it extremely recognizable. Simple, uncluttered designs are also easier to reproduce in many different formats—on web sites, stationery, business cards, or promotional items.

Lastly, a good logo should be timeless. Stay away from anything too trendy, because these will become outdated quickly. And an outdated image, or the alternative—constant logo changes—can lead to feelings of distrust or alienation in your customers. A goodlogo will grow with your company, and represent your brand effectively for many years to come.

How to Create Your Company Logo

The style of your logo should absolutely reflect your company vibe and values. But above all else, create your company logo to represent professionalism—no matter what type of company you have. We recommend hiring a graphic designer to help with the logo design process. A professional graphic designer will develop an overall brand strategy and brand guidelines that will aid you in creating other marketing materials (like your web site). Remember, your logo should stick with you for the long haul. It is worth the initial investment to make sure the foundation of your brand is strong.

You might choose to save money and design a logo on your own, and that’s okay—but be sure to do several small market tests before a full launch. This could be as simple as posting a poll on your social media, or asking friends and family. It’s a simple step but it will ensure that your DIY design is representative of your company and target audience.

Launch Your New Logo with Hype

So you’ve got the perfect new logo for your company, now you need to get it out there! But don’t just silently add a logo to your existing media channels and call it a day. Here are some steps for a killer logo launch:

Generate Some Buzz: Who doesn’t love a little mystery? Draw in your customers with the promise of what’s to come. If you have existing social media or web presence, consider posting an announcement teasing your new logo. This will intrigue your existing customer base and prepare them for the change—especially important if you are rebranding. 

Roll Out Your Logo All at Once: If you are rebranding or updating your logo make sure that you implement it across allchannels—both digital and print—at the same time. You will completely confuse your customer if you have your new logo on Facebook, but your old logo on your web site. Make a list of all channels where your old logo appears and be sure to implement the change all at once.

Publicize the Launch: Use blog and social media posts to showcase your new logo and draw as many eyes as possible to your shiny new brand!

Use Your Logo to Gain Recognition

You created it, you launched it—now use it everywhere! Repetition is key for brand recognition, and using your logo consistently across all channels and media will solidify it in your customers’ minds. 

Websites and Blogs

Your logo should be featured prominently on your website. Adding it to the header will ensure that it appears at the top of each page. Don’t forget to use a logo or other branding element for your website’s favicon as well! 

Social Media: Your profile images should all be a high-quality image of your logo. Every time you post, your logo will show up on your followers’ feeds. 

Business Cards: You don’t want your business card tossed in the trash because your contact can’t remember who it belongs to. Feature your logo prominently on your card, preferably on the back as well as the front alongside your name and contact information.

Email Signature: If you’re anything like us, you send what feels like a billion emails a day. Don’t waste this opportunity to market your business! Add your logo and contact information in your email signature. 

Print Materials: Make sure every flyer, brochure, or other piece of print collateral has your logo prominently featured.

Signage: Your storefront—whether physical or digital—is the face of your brand, too. How else will someone know it’s you when they pass by?

Apparel: Does your company attend a lot of trade shows or events? Consider custom apparel emblazoned with your company’s logo.

Promotional Material: Promo materials with your company’s logo are a great way to get your logo seen by new potential customers.

A logo is the foundation of your company’s image. We hope this guide has inspired you to create a logo for your company or revamp your own!