We all know a logo is an essential part of your business. It is often the first design element that gets created for your brand and cements the visual tone of all your other collateral. What I want to discuss, is how you can make sure your logo is as effective as possible for you.
1) MEANINGFUL
A logo is a visual identifier for your brand. It is an introduction to your company and it should give us a glimpse of its values and speak to its ideal audience. The best logos begin with true meaning and thoughtful design.
KEY QUALITIES OF A MEANINGFUL LOGO
– Does it represent your brand?
– Does it speak to your tribe?
– Is it created from stock art or an original source?
2) SIMPLE
The human brain likes to process things quickly. If your logo is over complicated or has too many unfamiliar shapes to figure out, this can create a block in your consumer’s mind to connecting with your logo. One goal to keep in mind is to create a logo that is easy for consumers to digest but is still packed with meaning. This is a perfect mix to engage with your ideal client.
KEY QUALITIES OF SIMPLICITY
– Does it work in all black and all white?
– Does it work very small and very large?
– Can people process what the icon is very quickly?
3) MEMORABLE
This is often discussed as one of the most difficult aspects of logo design. Your logo ideally should be able to be memorable and describable after being seen just once. Making sure that your logo is simple, unique, and infused with the values and quality of your brand play a huge role in the “sticky” factor.
KEY QUALITIES OF A MEMORABLE LOGO
– Does this make a lasting impression on your audience?
– If you quickly show it to a friend can they easily describe it again after an hour?
– Is there something unique about your logo that will make it stick in a consumer’s mind?
4) TIMELESS
Brand awareness is built over time and one surefire way to make your job harder is to use a logo that needs to be replaced later. Staying away from trends and “fast and cheap” methods instead of aiming for thoughtfulness and longevity is the best way to ensure a timeless logo.
KEY QUALITIES OF A TIMELESS LOGO
– Will your logo last 5, 10, or 50 years or look outdated?
– Is your logo part of a visual trend/style that isn’t relevant to your brand?
5) DISTINCT
The original west coast brand was implemented so that one cattleman could identify his cows from someone else’s. This is still an integral piece of logo design. Your customers should easily be able to spot your logo and not get it confused with a competitor’s. One of the important steps in researching your competitors is to look at their logos, this way you can ensure yours doesn’t get lost in the crowd. One of the keys to creating a distinct logo is by infusing your company’s story into the icon.
KEY QUALITIES OF DISTINCTION
– Is your logo the same color/style/feel as a majority of other brands in your market?
– Is your logo made up of the same elements as your competitors?
– Are you infusing what your company represents into your icon?
6) PROFESSIONAL PRESENCE
It’s so disappointing to me when I see a great company getting let down by a bad logo. In many cases, these logos are simply outdated. Consumers can tell when a company hasn’t given its identity much care and it does reflect on how much care they think you’ll give your product. If we present a logo that is low-quality, pixilated, aesthetically displeasing, or bland we run the risk of our customers believing our products will be low-quality, out-of-date, and uninspired.
KEY QUALITIES OF A PROFESSIONAL LOGO
– Is it true vector art with all the options needed for true versatility?
– Is it using overused or inappropriate typefaces?
– Does it display the highest reaches of the type of company you hope to aspire to?
BONUS – THE TOP 6 TECHNICAL QUALITIES OF A LOGO
Below is a list of the qualities that make a versatile, technically correct logo. Your logo will go on items as small as a business card and social media icon up to a semi-truck or airplane. Ensuring that your logo has all the technical aspects in place, you can make sure your logo will look great no matter where it ends up!
– Does it work in all black and all white?
– Does it work very small and extremely large?
– Do you have a file of just the icon (if applicable)?
– Are the files you have vector?
– Do you have all the versions with no background?
– Do you have a horizontal and vertical version?
