A logo is vital to your small business. Good ones grab customers’ attention and invite them to try your products or services. Bad or otherwise ineffective ones can drive them away. (Maybe there’s more than one reason why Bing has never competed with Google.)
We all see countless logos in a day. Competition for attention is everywhere and it includes things that are far outside your sphere of influence. To keep up (or stay ahead), your logo needs to reflect your company’s brand, your promise to people who support you. It can be modern or traditional as long as it accurately tells your story.
Here are four things to consider when developing or reimagining your logo.
It must reflect your personality
Is your business serious or playful? Do your customers insist on high-end products? Are children your main market? Lots of questions go into logo development. Lego’s colorful logo and whimsical typeface scream, “Fun!” The Wall Street Journal takes an understandably more serious approach. You know your customers better than anyone else. Take the time to think about them.
It can be simple
Some of the best and most recognizable logos are the simplest. McDonald’s and Sony, for example, are worldwide brands whose signatures don’t make the pulse race. But they don’t have to. Because those companies do such a great job of branding (McDonald’s offers low-cost meals that taste the same wherever you have them and Sony has long been an electronics leader), they don’t need to have flashy logos.
It doesn’t have to include images
There’s no shame in having a wordmark (just type) if it’s done well. Facebook’s is known the world over. Porsche and Ford appeal to different demographics but they both use wordmarks. Don’t break your back trying to develop art if you don’t need it.
It must look good at any scale
Too many details can make a logo hard to reproduce at a smaller size. You’ll want to use it on items as big as banners and as tiny as business cards. Make sure it’s effective on any advertising vehicle.
West Press’ talented staff is here to help you each step of the way — from graphic design to printing to mailing services to large format to website development. Contact West Press or your Account Executive at 520-624-4939 today.