Your brand’s logo can have a bigger effect on your business than you first think. An old or badly designed logo can make your brand come off as unprofessional, assuming anyone notices you at all. A well-designed logo will create instant recognition within the minds of your target audience.

Before you start a logo design or branding project, it is very important to do your research. This could include questions such as, who is your target persona, What are the strengths of your company? What sets your company apart from the competition? Who is the primary target audience?

Font, shape and other details are very important factors when designing a logo. In fact, large corporations spend billions in trying (and many failing) to design an irresistible logo that appeals both emotionally and logically to their customer.

Here, we talk through four simple steps to get you started when embarking on a logo design project.

Find a shape and design that suits

A good starting point is to look at what sort of shape would work well and project the right message for your brand. It sounds obvious but a square would imply a different brand message than a circle.

I recently worked on a logo design for Driffield Health Hub, in Yorkshire. The business wanted their Health Hub to be so much more than a Gym; it is a meeting place and a community hub, where residents can meet with friends as well as get fit and healthy. The result was one that incorporated a circular design to suggest community, unity and friendship, which is exactly the message they want to give out to their customer.

Ask yourself “Is it unique?”

People see hundreds of logos per day and a lot of them are very similar and don’t stand out from each other. A logo that stands out will gain a lot more recognition and make your brand much more memorable to your potential clients. Going the extra step forwards to make your design different and take a risk can pay off massively, as it shows that you know what you’re doing and are confident in your designs. Always try to be as original as possible. Taking inspiration from different sources is a good thing, but a logo should not look too similar to your competitors.

Pick the right colour

After you have your initial grey scale designs and you have got to the stage where you like the initial designs, it is time to start thinking about colour. It may be that you have brand guidelines in place in which case, of course, you should probably stick to, however, if you are starting from scratch, the right colour is paramount.

The colour of a logo can change how people view a brand completely; each colour signifies different meanings and emotions. For example, blue is secure, calm, honest, strong, caring and trustworthy so depending on your business, this could be an option. Red, is meant to signify youthfulness, it is bold and exciting. With this in mind, how do you think Coca-Cola be perceived if it was green and not red?

A huge 80% of people believe that colour increases brand recognition! So, choosing your colour may be more important than you previously thought.

Take a step back and review

There are of course many more complexities and review stages that go into designing a logo. However, it is worth mentioning the importance of stepping back and reviewing the work done. When reviewing a logo it’s always important to look at it from an outside perspective not just a design point of view. When I finish designing a logo I ask a colleague to come across and have a look and take their feedback on board and if possible ask someone from your target audience. You should always put yourself in your customer’s shoes and not let your own opinion determine the result too much. Remember, negative feedback isn’t always a bad thing, it just means there is still room to improve.

This is by no means a finite list but designed to give an insight into the design process. If you would like support in redesigning or creating your company logo, we are here to help you bring your brand to life.

Get in contact today to see how we can help you.