10 Keys to an Effective Logo
Colleen Connery | CoCo & Associates
One of the most important marketing tools is an effective logo yet many businesses do not invest in a professional-looking logo, thinking that it is a waste of time. However, with the right logo, your business’ visibility, memorability and credibility can be greatly enhanced—which means increased business for you.
The logo provides an easily recognizable identity for your business. It not only communicates who you are but what you are. Follow the 10 tips below to create a logo that gets results!
1. Keep it Simple
It is always better to avoid using complicated designs for your logo because they hinder fast visual identification. The viewer will take a longer time with such designs to mentally process the image and relate it to your business, plus complicated designs do not reduce or enlarge well. Also, steer away from intricate shapes, patterns, and typefaces.
2. Grab Attention
An effective logo grabs attention, is pleasing to look at, and is distinctive. If a logo is not appealing to the eye, it defeats its purpose of attracting attention and providing effective identification. Also, a good logo stands out from the crowd; a logo that is too similar to other logos may be confusing, embarrassing, or even costly.
3. Create a Positive Image
The logo must create or evoke a positive image and accurately represent your business. A good logo must also be straightforward and be easily comprehensible, legible and immediately recognizable from a distance.
4. Be Versatile
Your logo must look good on a variety of media including letterhead, business cards, envelopes, signs, brochures, T-shirts, banners, vehicles, and website so make sure it’s versatile. In addition, make sure it will show up when faxed or photocopied.
5. Consider Size
Your logo may be reduced, enlarged, colorized, or printed in black-and-white over the course of your business so be sure your logo will look perfect in any form.
6. Limit Font Styles
Limit the number of fonts because using many may distract and confuse the viewer. A general rule of thumb is one font, or perhaps two, but typically no more. Sans serif fonts are easier to view when reduced down, so it not uncommon to see taglines in sans serif fonts.
7. Choose the Right Colors
The colors you use depend on your intended image for your business. For example, financial-related businesses may need subdued colors representing trustworthiness while technology businesses may need brighter colors representing movement, newness, and forward thinking. Also, the fewer the colors, the greater the impact and the less costly to reproduce, so limit colors used in your logo.
8. Ensure Timelessness
A logo must be flexible enough to give the same impression yesterday, today, and tomorrow so the logo design survives changing fashion. With a timeless logo, you won’t have to redesign it in just a few years, and equity in your design will be lasting.
9. Get Feedback
Share you prospective logo with respected friends, business colleagues, family members, and acquaintances—people who will give you “honest” feedback, not just tell you something that you want to hear. If they don’t respond favourably, ask why. Then ask what the logo communicates to them. If it’s what you want people to say about your business, you may be on the right track. And remember, it really doesn’t matter whether you like your logo or not. What matters is your target market responding to it the way you intend for them to and make sales—you’ll grow to love it if that happens.
10. Trademark Your Logo
When you have decided on the final logo design, protect it by attaching a small TM to indicate a trademark while you’ve submitted your application. For detailed legal information about trademarks, visit the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office website at www.uspto.gov, or consult a trademark/patent attorney.
For more information on marketing tips and services visit www.cocoassociates.com.
The logo provides an easily recognizable identity for your business. It not only communicates who you are but what you are. Follow the 10 tips below to create a logo that gets results!
1. Keep it Simple
It is always better to avoid using complicated designs for your logo because they hinder fast visual identification. The viewer will take a longer time with such designs to mentally process the image and relate it to your business, plus complicated designs do not reduce or enlarge well. Also, steer away from intricate shapes, patterns, and typefaces.
2. Grab Attention
An effective logo grabs attention, is pleasing to look at, and is distinctive. If a logo is not appealing to the eye, it defeats its purpose of attracting attention and providing effective identification. Also, a good logo stands out from the crowd; a logo that is too similar to other logos may be confusing, embarrassing, or even costly.
3. Create a Positive Image
The logo must create or evoke a positive image and accurately represent your business. A good logo must also be straightforward and be easily comprehensible, legible and immediately recognizable from a distance.
4. Be Versatile
Your logo must look good on a variety of media including letterhead, business cards, envelopes, signs, brochures, T-shirts, banners, vehicles, and website so make sure it’s versatile. In addition, make sure it will show up when faxed or photocopied.
5. Consider Size
Your logo may be reduced, enlarged, colorized, or printed in black-and-white over the course of your business so be sure your logo will look perfect in any form.
6. Limit Font Styles
Limit the number of fonts because using many may distract and confuse the viewer. A general rule of thumb is one font, or perhaps two, but typically no more. Sans serif fonts are easier to view when reduced down, so it not uncommon to see taglines in sans serif fonts.
7. Choose the Right Colors
The colors you use depend on your intended image for your business. For example, financial-related businesses may need subdued colors representing trustworthiness while technology businesses may need brighter colors representing movement, newness, and forward thinking. Also, the fewer the colors, the greater the impact and the less costly to reproduce, so limit colors used in your logo.
8. Ensure Timelessness
A logo must be flexible enough to give the same impression yesterday, today, and tomorrow so the logo design survives changing fashion. With a timeless logo, you won’t have to redesign it in just a few years, and equity in your design will be lasting.
9. Get Feedback
Share you prospective logo with respected friends, business colleagues, family members, and acquaintances—people who will give you “honest” feedback, not just tell you something that you want to hear. If they don’t respond favourably, ask why. Then ask what the logo communicates to them. If it’s what you want people to say about your business, you may be on the right track. And remember, it really doesn’t matter whether you like your logo or not. What matters is your target market responding to it the way you intend for them to and make sales—you’ll grow to love it if that happens.
10. Trademark Your Logo
When you have decided on the final logo design, protect it by attaching a small TM to indicate a trademark while you’ve submitted your application. For detailed legal information about trademarks, visit the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office website at www.uspto.gov, or consult a trademark/patent attorney.
For more information on marketing tips and services visit www.cocoassociates.com.