I call myself a stingy person. When it comes to logo creation for my blog or business, I usually stick to the cheapest that I can find.
My meaning of “the cheapest” is pretty simple: Cheap and high quality.
At some point, you may debate on the topic because in most cases, cheap and good aren’t really the best partners (credits to Forbes).
For most logo designing cases, I will head over to Fiverr, search for “logo” and decide who will deliver the best gig for my pathetic $5 gig.
Let’s face it. I don’t think you can go any stingier than that, right?
After years in the branding and freelancing industry, I realized that logo creation is just more than a ‘logo’. It is a brand representation of who you are — and what your brand promises to say the least.
So, here are five tips on logo creation for your business (which I find the hard way).
Ready to take a deep dive into logo designing?
Cheap is not always better
Sure, the thoughts of spending $5 for a professional logo is just too hard to pass up. So, what’s the worst thing that can happen?
Since it is $5 per gig, you could probably order a dozen and figure out which is the one that resonates with you the most, right?
Here’s the thing. You could very well do the above and end up living happily ever after. But have you considered the time spent and the possibility of hiring bad freelancers?
I certainly have! I’m a huge fan of Fiverr and in most cases, I would order at least 5 gigs from different sellers before I am finally able to find one that fits my need (and in line with my brand).
But that’s on a good day. On a bad day, I may eventually find none of the logos fit my needs even after a few revisions.
For the record, there are still some sellers on Fiverr which are really that good.
Important takeaway: If you are looking for freelancers to do a logo for your business, spending slightly more may actually provide better results. Nowadays, most of my logos are done over at 99designs as there are more professional designers and the results are far better than on Fiverr.
Simplicity is always the best
I am a fan of simplicity and minimalist types of design. According to Brian Rafferty from Siegel+Dale, the simplest logos have the best chance to leave a memorable remembrance in the minds of the people.
Let’s compare the above sentence with a few brands:
- Nike
- HubSpot
- QuickSprout
Now, take a moment to think about this. Does this makes any sense?
I bet it does! These logos remain in our minds for the longest time possible and you will not encounter the common, “where did I see this logo before” type of scenarios.
Colours matters
Do you know that colours play a huge role in the success of your business? Whether it is about building an email list or selling a product, the colour of your logo represents some part of the business.
Here’s a pie chart representing the different effects based on colours.
According to KISSmetrics, colours affect purchases and here are some examples:
- Blue creates the sensation of trust and security often seen with banks and businesses.
- Green is often associated with wealth and is the easiest colour for the eyes to process. It is also used in stories as a form of relaxation.
- Red represents energy and increases the heart rate. It also creates urgency and is often seen in events such as clearance sales and promotions.
Important takeaway: You may (by all means) use the colours that you prefer the most but if you want to have a higher chance for success, always use the right colours for your logo.
If you are hiring a logo designer for the job, telling him or her your requirements (and goals) would most often lead to favorable results.
Do not constantly change your logo
Apart from being a stingy person, I also consider myself to be an absent-minded person. Most of the time, I wish I had more choices.
In logo design, I am constantly seen changing different logos. To be exact, once every 6 months or so. You get the point.
If you are running or managing a business, you should avoid this at all cost because of one simple reason: Branding.
A logo represents your brand and once the logo is chosen (and used), it is recommended that you stick to the logo for a considerable time period.
Sure, there are times where you will be required to change the logo and you probably can’t control them either. A few of these scenarios are:
- During redesigning of your company’s look (logo, overall branding etc.)
- Repositioning or rebranding your startup business
- Looking for ways to boost your brand’s message into a broader market place
The takeaway here is pretty simple. Avoid changing your logo if it is not necessary.
Avoid special effects
The temptation to have great special effects on your logo is definitely a hard one to resist, but you need to!
When it comes to designing a new logo, taking careful considerations on using special effects is vital. For example, special effects may be quite eye-catching when the logo is displayed on the website but they may not have the same effects when the logo is seen on printed materials.
In today’s world, your logo could easily end up in nearly any form of media channels and you certainly don’t want it to look bad, right?
Yes, there are exceptions (from time to time) in using special effects on logos, but if you have to, it is best to keep them to the minimum.
Conclusion
The whole point of revamping your logo is for branding purposes. After all, you want to remove the outdated look of the logo while hopefully sending the right message to your audience.
When it comes to designing a new logo, pay serious consideration to the 5 tips above as they can save you a lot of time and money, and give you an edge over your competitors.
Image attribution: http://www.virtualmagie.com/articles/autres/trucs-du-metier/comment-choisir-son-logotype-dessin-ou-graphisme/
Reginald Chan
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