The hardest part about logo design is that there’s no right or wrong way to do it. From years of experience, the right logo is the one that best represents your company. And, your company is unique, so your logo may be too. That said, there are some simple ideas to recognize before we going into a logo brainstorming session:
Explore Many Different Ideas
The obvious choice is not always the best choice. When brainstorming a logo, commit to expanding the options to many styles and logo types. Even if you hate some of the ideas, it creates the necessary contrast to hone the concepts you love most.
What are Your Core Values?
A logo is a representation of your brand and you’ll want it to visually match that. Having a list of your company’s core values will go a long way into creating something that speaks to your brand.
Choose a Logo Type
We love when clients come to us with ideas. But sometimes those ideas don’t compliment each other. Do you like 3D logos, textmarks, flat styles or icons? If you’re deciding where to eat, you’d typically choose a type of food – italian, sushi, burger, etc. When you enter that restaurant, you’ll generally have an idea of what’s going to be on the menu. Those menu items compliment each other. You probably won’t find mashed potatoes with spaghetti and meatballs. Logo design is similar. We want to pair styles with tactics that work. A great exercise is to Google logo ideas (both in your industry and outside of it) – save logos that you like. When you look over those saved designs, you’ll likely end up with some styles that can be used in creating your logo.
Look To Your Competition
You can assume two things: First, your competition is on your radar because they are doing something right. Second, you want to differentiate yourself from them because you bring something different or better. Let’s make sure your logo aligns with that. Looking to your competitors for inspiration is necessary and important. Afterall, if you went through an entire logo design process and unintentionally ended up with something that looks identical to your competition, that wouldn’t be good. While being different can be good, it can also force your customers to learn who you are. So, looking at industry trends gives a good idea of what people shopping the industry would be looking for.
Trust Your Designer
You’re an expert in your business and the designer is an expert in theirs. (If you don’t believe this, you should hire another designer!) The communication of what you’re looking for should get you relatively close to some ideas that resonate. A good designer will present some options to use as a foundation for future revisions. Designers are professionals. If you don’t like the concepts, tell them. It’s nothing against their work but you need to be happy with your final logo design. Work with them as a team to get it right!