5 Questions to Ask When Designing a Logo
A logo is one of the building blocks of creating a brand. If executed successfully, it can have tremendous impact and influence, helping to take your small business to the next level. As you prepare to get your business off the ground, designing a logo can seem like your last priority. However, once you have a name and logo in place, you’ll be able to see your business come to life. Here are 5 things to consider when designing a logo.
1 What are the core values of your business?
Whether it’s an image or words, or even just one dot, a logo can say a lot about a brand. Think about what it is your business represents and what you would like your logo to communicate. What is your brand all about? Whether you’re a hairdresser or an accountant, you’ve created your business for a reason. So what makes your small business different? The colour, the fonts and style of your logo will largely depend on the core values of your business.
2 Who is your target audience?
Before you design a logo, you need to determine your target market. You want your logo to appeal to the right audience, whether that’s mass market or very niche. The direction of your business will help dictate the style of your logo. Look around at other successful brands who are targeting the same audience and see how they’ve positioned themselves.
3 Where will you be using your logo?
You need to create a logo that’s versatile. Whether it’s going to be displayed on your website, on a business card or outside your shop front, it needs to be scalable so it’s easy-to-read and recognise – no matter the format or size. Think about where and when you will be using your logo and let your designer know. You’ll need both a colour and black and white version of your final logo to keep in your company style guide.
4 What logos do you like or dislike? Why?
As you go about daily life, have a look around and find examples of logos you love. Why do you like them? Is it the colours, the style or the shape? Is it the wording or the font? In the same way, find logos you don’t like and figure out what is it about them that doesn’t resonate with you. You’ll be able to give these examples to your designer to help find your own style and design. It’s also a worthy exercise to check out the logos and designs of your competitors to ensure your logo doesn’t look similar.
5 How can you make your logo memorable?
You need your business to stand out from the crowd. A great logo can help you do that. At the core, your logo should be simple but versatile, and very memorable. It represents your business and your brand, so you need to make sure your logo is timeless and won’t go out of style. Make sure you hire a great designer who is on the same page as you and has the ability to create a stunning and practical logo for your business.
Source: QuickBooks
