If your business is shopping around for a new logo concept or a complete redesign, there are a few things you need to know.
Your logo is not your brand …
First and foremost, keep in mind that your “logo” is not the same as your “brand” — so be wary of companies that say they do “branding” when what they really do is logo design. In fact, you may not even need a picture logo that’s separate from your company name — sometimes a nice type treatment is enough. (Think Coca-Cola, The Gap and Kleenex.)
If you decide to create an actual logo, be aware that logo design is a creative and emotional process. It’s the visual representation of your brand, after all. You will likely require a few (sometimes quite a few) rounds of revisions before you find something that resonates with your company. That’s a why a professional graphic designer with experience in logo design is a good investment.
… but your logo should be an accurate representation of your brand.
Your logo should be memorable, distinctive and simple. A good logo is not just a pretty design; it should reflect your brand through the use of shape, fonts and colors. Don’t conform to “hot” design trends that may force you into a redesign sooner than later.
What happens during the logo design process?
During a logo brainstorm session here at Altitude, we start with a word map to get ideas flowing. We list all of the words we want customers to think of when they hear the company name. This is vital information to communicate to your logo designer.
Questions to ask:
Who’s your audience and what will they respond to?
What makes you stand out from your competitors?
What type of tone do you want to convey? Playful? Serious? Artistic? Techy? Natural?
Finally, remember that your logo has to look good in all shapes and sizes and at various distances. So make sure you get both a color and a black-and-white version, and ask for a “vector” version (usually in the EPS file format) that can be printed at any size.
By spending a bit of time and investment up front to create a logo, you’ll ensure a design outcome that has staying power and can become synonymous with your brand.
By Altitude Marketing