Trust the pros for smart logo design
As easy as it may look to create a great logo, I can assure you it is not. There are many websites out now that say they can design you a logo for $100, $50, $10 etc. Well, you get what you pay for. Grabbing clip art, modifying it and using a bunch of different typefaces does not make a good logo. And that’s what I’ve seen from a lot of logo creation sites. They don’t go through the process needed to create a logo that effectively represents your brand.
Behind every great logo design is hours of hard work, research and failed attempts that ultimately result in a magical moment when you know you’ve got something. It all starts with the proper input and information up front in order to hit your mark.
- Determine your audience and demographic
- Know what your consumer is looking for from your brand
- Get to know the competition, if any, and the market through research
- Assess where and how the logo will be used for good readability
- Apparel
- Signage
- Corporate I.D.
- Promo items
- Digital ads
Other things to consider
Use a color palette that is pleasing, current and differentiates you in the market. Use typefaces that make sense for the brand or product. Consider your company’s history and existing logo when moving forward with a new logo. There may be some equity in the old logo that you may want to consider incorporating into the new logo.
Another item that’s essential in good logo design is a certain amount of collaboration, to get in people’s heads and find out their likes and dislikes . A logo can be a very personal thing and is often the first impression people get of your company. Owners and employees need to love it and be proud of it. Again, this is something an online service will have a hard time doing. Face-to-face meetings are often best so you can judge reactions and discuss options or tweaks.
Above are some sketches along with the final design of a logo I created for a client. The objective with this logo was to promote an annual event that lets families run, walk or bike through the city on open streets without traffic to promote wellness and good health. The event is in Green Bay so some of the logos incorporated the city hall building. We wanted a bright cheery color palette with a free and open design that would portray the feeling of the event and appeal to kids and families. Also, I tried to give it the feeling of motion like you’re actually riding through the streets of Green Bay. The logo needed to stand out on t-shirts as well as signage and social media.
When you look at the big picture, rather than short-term costs, it’s obvious that using an agency or professional design firm over a cheap online service for logo design is a smart decision.
