A logo, short for logotype, is a company's visual identifier. It is a symbol or company name displayed in a very specific, consistent style. Logos are key marketing tools. They convey desired traits you want associated with your company (Merrill-Lynch's bull logo communicates strength, for example) and they offer a means of cementing your brand through repetitive use. They provide nonverbal, instantaneous recognition and foster familiarity, trust and loyalty. A logo is essential to every company that wants to be taken seriously.
Don't create your own logo, though. Good business skills do not translate to graphic design ability. Your logo will be a part of everything you do for years to come, so hire a professional. This requires investment. Major corporations have been known to spend millions on logo design, so you shouldn't be afraid to spend a few thousand dollars, though you may not need nearly this much. Design students are often willing to do the work simply for the experience and recognition.
You should tell your designer how you intend to use the logo, what you want it to convey about your company (class, modernity, comfort, etc.), what you don't want, and what colors you prefer. Colors are an especially important factor because they have proven psychological effects. Red causes agitation and excitement and yellow causes anxiety, for instance. McDonalds uses this color scheme to get people in and out of their stores as quickly as possible. For fast food, it's an excellent strategy.
Your colors should match your business "personality" and fit your customer base as well. If you cater to children or otherwise want a fun image, then don't use a gray/white/black scheme. Likewise, if you cater to elite business folk and wish to portray your company as elegant and refined, then don't use neon colors. But whatever colors you prefer, it's best to use only one or two and to use somewhat common colors, to keep cost at a minimum and to allow you to use the logo often and in a variety of places.
It is also essential that your logo can be blown up or shrunken without a tremendous loss of comprehensibility, and it should be effective in black and white as well as in color so it's usable in newspaper ads, faxes and other non-color environments.
Also, be careful that your logo isn't difficult to interpret or otherwise confusing to customers, and make sure it can't be interpreted in a manner harmful to your company. A middle-eastern food distributor might sensibly want to incorporate a turban into their logo design, but if even one in a hundred customers looks at the turban and sees a coiled piece of dog shit instead, the results could be costly and embarrassing, to say the least.
Most importantly, you should be happy with your logo design. You should be more than happy, actually. You should love it. A proper logo is something you'd be proud to have on the front of your baseball Caps or the back of your jacket, not just on the top of your stationary. A properly used logo will appear on pens, coffee mugs, stickers, key chains, billboards, print ads, t-shirts, briefcases, nametags, company vehicles; in short, it will be a part of every aspect of your business. And it will be with you for many years, even decades. If you're not thrilled with this notion, then go back to the drawing board.
Author: Rick Sheldon has 18 years experience in the Promotional Products Industry and is currently CEO of Save on Promotional Products Inc. a Discount Online Promotional Items Company. He can be contacted at:
1-800-204-0525;
email: rick@saveonpromotionalproducts.com;
or visit Jackets. |
