How To Create A Business Logo
As we’ve said before, a logo is akin to the face of your company. And if this metaphor is true, then by zooming out you’ll find your brand: a fancy name for what customers see and feel when they interact with your company.
Business Logo Design Tips
A logo alone doesn’t cut it
A logo is like your MVP (minimum viable product). It’s a strong starting point for crafting a brand. But, before designing anything further (or better yet, before even creating a logo), your best starting point is to build a list of goals and mission statements. Ask yourself: What kind of company am I creating? Who is my audience? What are they like? What do they want?
Your visual identity
Beyond your standard logo design, you need to consider quite a few different assets. It’s noteworthy that your company doesn’t need all of the following in place to build a successful brand; it just helps.
- Logomark: A symbol or non-verbal mark which is unique to your company. Think the: McDonald’s “M,” or Apple’s bitten apple.
- Logotype: Depending on your logo, this should be taken care of already. It’s the logo in which your entire name is spelled out.
- Color schemes: Color plays a major role in the way your audience perceives you, from the calm Facebook blue, to the light-hearted and multi-colored “G o o g l e.”
- Typography: Building on the font you’ve chosen for your logo, you should establish a typography guide for your brand. It’ll be a big help for promo materials.
- Promotional materials and packaging: Unless you sell physical products or goods, this is your last step. Think: the box in which your product ships, the ads spots you plan to buy, etc.
Other elements
As you grow, your brand will expand beyond stationary and logos. Everything from smells to sounds (think jingles and the music you play in promotional videos) are up for grabs. Your style of service (fast, friendly, etc) and even entire colors should be considered (e.g.: T-Mobile owns a copyright for its shade of magenta in the telecommunications industry).
Think holistically
Branding is about having all your ducks in a row, and that doesn’t mean you need a jingle, or a company scent; it simply means you should consider every aspect and make firm decisions, out of which a strong identity will emerge.
For more on designing a logo, head here.