Your logo is the most important feature on all your promotional items and advertisements. Without corporate imagery, consumers can’t develop brand recognition, which hamstrings the effectiveness of your marketing materials.
Logo design isn’t an exact science, and it is subject to aesthetic preferences. Remember, your logo should always have a professional appearance because it is a reflection of your business. If your company image seems amateurish, consumers may develop a negative impression about your establishment.
Not every small business owner can afford to hire a graphic designer to create a logo. Fortunately, designing an emblem is simple as long as you keep the following considerations in mind.
Font or symbols
There are three main categories when it comes to logos: font, literal images and abstract graphics. Font involves the writing of a company’s name with highly stylized characters, such as Dell with its crooked E. Literal images entail businesses using visual representations of the services they provide. Abstract graphics are creative pictures that are meant to help establishments develop their own personality. Entrepreneur Magazine notes the it can be somewhat difficult for small business owners to use the third option.
Independent companies usually rely on budget-friendly marketing tactics like direct mail and unique promotional products to increase visibility. Consumers can’t learn what a small business offers from an abstract symbol. Americus Reed II, a marketing professor from the University of Pennsylvania, told the news source that graphics aren’t useful unless they spell out what an establishment offers.
“Such a symbol is meaningless until your company can communicate to consumers what its underlying associations are,” Reed said.
Font and literal symbols allow you to create visual representations of what your business offers. You can combine the two categories to create a truly unique logo that can help increase your brand’s visibility. When you emboss the image onto your advertisements, consumers will learn the name of your company as well as the services or products you provide.
Stock imagery
Smashing Magazine points out that a frequent mistake many small business owners make is including stock images in their logos. It’s often easier to purchase a picture from a website than design a custom emblem, but the practice can lead to problems down the road.
Other companies can access the same stock photos and use them for their logos. When multiple businesses have similar imagery, it can prevent consumers from developing brand recognition for one company. Alternatively, the logo could become associated with the leading company and hurt smaller establishments.
Always use custom content for your business’ emblem. Differentiate your logos from other companies, especially your direct competitors. A unique symbol can make your promotional advertisements more effective because consumers won’t mistake your enterprise for others.
Stay simple
Bloomberg Businessweek writes that the most important aspect of designing a logo is creating one that’s simple enough to work in any medium. Business owners must have imagery that can be used on traditional platforms like promotional marketing products and new channels like social media.
The key to a universal business symbol is ensuring that it’s simple and memorable. The more complicated your design is, the less likely it is that consumers will remember it for an extended period of time. You should aim to create a logo that doesn’t waste any space and quickly communicates your message.
To make your emblem memorable, consider adding different colors to graphic elements and adjusting the font for text. Instead of a plain symbol, you’ll have one that’s eye-catching and fashionable. Additionally, you can always adapt your logo for every medium to create unique advertisements. For instance, you can include a new color scheme with every round of promotional products.