Designing a logo for your business

Think of a logo as the badge or crest of a company or product.  A well-known example is the BP shield or Mercedes Benz’s three-pointed star.  Sometimes a logo includes some text in its design, such as the company or brand name.

It really needs a great deal of thought – don’t leave it up to one of your kids who likes to fiddle on the computer! A logo forms part of your branding and must form a lasting impression on your viewers.

Every aspect of your logo must be there for a reason – every curve, each colour that is chosen. At the end, all the elements must blend together to form a powerful yet clear message.

When getting your logo designed, some guidelines are:

• Identify the qualities or aura of the product that it is intended to convey.  Don’t use a roaring lion when the symbolism has nothing at all to do with your product or business.

• A logo should be more than just a pretty decoration on a letterhead or business card, though there’s no harm in it serving that purpose as well.

• Keep it simple, so it is easily recognizable in print and reproduces well in a variety of sizes. Will it work on your signs, on your website, on business cards?
• Colours have meaning. Some excite you, some calm you. Make sure your logo designer understands this.

• Make sure it’s original.  The public must not confuse it with that of another business,  especially a local one.

• Let it possess ready visual comprehension … it should convey an instant impression to the audience. Too many fancy curls can confuse readers. On the other hand, if it’s too simple it might not convey a clear impression of what your company stands for.

• Make sure you can live with it for a long, long time.  The last thing you want is a confused public when you chop and change your logo.

An experienced designer will fully understand how graphical elements work. For example, large corporations use small text in their logos to avoid overwhelming readers – they want to create the impression that despite their large size they are approachable and friendly. Using arches in the structure of your logo is another example. An arch can convey the impression of protection when used a an overhead feature – or a safety net when inverted.