Great logo design is crucial to the success of any business because it is essentially the first line of communication a business has with its consumers. A logo can make or break a sale before it even starts and it can deter customers from even considering doing business.
Deciding on a logo is probably one of the biggest decisions a business will ever make. Luckily there’s some tips to lean on in case you find yourself in over your head or lack an artistic eye.
Things to look out for:
- Too much detail
- Crazy fonts
- Similarity
Before deciding on what you’re looking for in a logo, you first have to weed out things you absolutely don’t want in a logo. Having a logo with too much detail can be a problem because if a consumer has to take in too much detail it can be hard to distinguish logos at a glance.
The goal is to have your logo easily recognizable immediately upon seeing it. This also means that it’s a good idea to stay away from weird fonts that may detract from the logos ability to be identified. Wingdings is not a good idea if your goal is to have a successful business. Something else to watch out for is characteristics of your logo that are comparable to other business logos. Not only can this cause confusion, but it may land you in a legal battle due to plagiarism.
Things to look for:
- Legibility
- Simplicity
- Smart use of color
- Originality
Legibility and simplicity are key to a successful logo and they work hand-in-hand. The objective is to have a logo that is instantly recognizable to consumers on a mass scale. For many, the golden arches of a certain fast-food restaurant may come to mind; a perfect example when considering its simplistic design but smart in its ability to subtly break the mold.
Legibility doesn’t always mean boring Times New Roman, it just means that sometimes all you need is a gentle tip of the scales. If a logo is clearly legible with only one letter that is off kilter, it draws interest and creates recognition. Just be wary of being too obnoxious, the key is being understated but interesting.
Color has been used since the dawn of branding and marketing to elicit certain desired, unconscious responses from audiences. Different colors evoke different feelings from people ─ blue inspires confidence and professionalism, red makes you hungry, yellow creates a sense of energy, and green has a calming effect. Think back to the golden arches once more and you’ll notice that the color accompanying that signature gold is red. This is no coincidence, it was done purposefully so that when people saw their logo it would create feelings of hunger.
Above all else, your logo should be original. Think outside the box, and don’t be afraid of any idea you may have.
