Logo design tips are the topic of today’s discussion. Your logo is arguably the most important part of your company. Whether you offer e-services, sell products online, or have a brick and mortar store, your logo is one of the ways you introduce potential customers to your business. It needs to be something that catches the eye immediately, encouraging people to look at your business card or click on another link on your website.

A great logo also creates instant recognition. The best logos are the ones that we see and immediately know what it stands for. Think about all of the logos floating around out in the world. What do the best ones have in common? We all instantly relate their design to the company behind them. From the McDonald’s arches to the Nike swoosh, when we see these iconic logos, we know the company. While your company might not be iconic yet, you still want that same level of brand recognition. Today, we’re going to be discussing logo design tips to help you get that.

Logo Design Tips to Maximize Recognition

So you want that instant recognition for your company, but how do you get it? There are as many approaches to design out there as there are design companies. From minimalist to classic and everything in between, logo design is a process that takes time, collaboration, and patience. With all the choices of designers and design approaches out there, how can you be sure you create a logo that captures the eye of potential customers and draws them in?

Know Your Business

Don’t just know what you do. Really know what your business is all about. What is the feel of your business? How do you approach things? Are you a straight-laced professional or do you meet clients in flip flops? Is your company one that requires a supremely business-like persona or can it be more laid back? Defining the feel of your business now is key to everything else you’ll do in the future. Determining your business’ personality is what shapes every aspect of what your design process and the eventual outcome of your logo will be.

Find Your Style

Let’s say you own a music store that specializes in vinyl. You wouldn’t want a logo that is overly modern or “business” looking. You’d want something that captures the feel of the artistry of music and the vibe of vinyl. Conversely, if you provide a service to business professionals, you wouldn’t want a logo that felt too loose. Knowing the personality of your business helps you figure out the style of your logo.

Be Innovative, not Imitative

Imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery, but it’s not a great look when you’re designing a logo. We see hundreds of logos every day. From car grilles to baseball caps and everything in between, almost every product out there has a logo on it. However, if you think about all the logos you see in a day versus how many of them you actually remember seeing, you’ll find that you probably don’t remember any of them.

The key to capturing the eye of a potential customer is designing an innovative logo. Of course, looking at other logos is a great way to get some initial inspiration, but don’t get caught in the trap of imitation. Your logo doesn’t necessarily have to be the same as other logos in your field. Look around. What grabs your eye? What gets you motivated to go do what you do every day? Look at those things and figure out how they can translate into your logo design. That’s the basis for a truly unique, eye-catching logo.

Experimentation is Key

One of the most important logo design tips you’ll read anywhere is this: don’t settle. Just because you get excited about the first or second logo you and your design team come up with doesn’t mean you’ve found the one. It means you’ve found potentially the one. Don’t jump at the first thing. Logo design is a marathon, not a sprint. Your logo is an incredibly important part of your business – perhaps the most important part – so don’t rush it.

Don’t give yourself a set timeframe of X days. Don’t box yourself into choosing a certain design style. Just play. It’s a serious task that shouldn’t be taken too seriously. Experiment with fonts, graphics, templates, colors, and anything else that interests you. Play and play until you find something that grabs you and says in an undeniable way, “This is your company. This is your logo.” You’ll know when you’ve found it.

Get Help

Perhaps the most important of all our logo design tips is getting help. Unless you’re a graphic designer, you’ll want to get professional help to create your logo. While you may have amazing ideas in your head, it takes a professional to translate those ideas from your mind to a finished product. Using a professional with excellent references improves your chances of making the absolute best logo you can possibly make for your business exponentially.

With a professional’s help, you’ll be able to address things like design and flow, color choice, fonts, and other aspects of your logo design that you might not normally think of. For example, a good logo designer will be able to help guide you through the process, letting you know when what you’re asking for either isn’t feasible or won’t help you the way you think it will. Professional designers can also vamp off of your ideas to help you come up with even better versions of what you were imagining.

Trust Yourself

Finally, and most importantly, trust yourself. Hiring a professional designer is to help you realize your vision, not theirs. As professionals, it’s their job to guide you through the process and make recommendations, however, everything is subjective. If you find that you and your designer are clashing on an element, your gut should be the deciding factor. Remember, it’s your logo, not theirs. Trust in yourself and your knowledge of your business to make those final sticky decisions.

Start with These Logo Design Tips

Start your brand recognition journey with these logo design tips but don’t stop there. Remember, these are just a jumping-off point. They’re a road map to get you where you’re going, but as we all know, some of the greatest discoveries are found when you venture off the path. So take these logo design tips and use them to get where you’re going – eventually. Take the time to make detours. Explore the things that get you excited when you think about your logo, and above all, hire qualified professionals to help you. Between your knowledge of your business and their knowledge of design, you’ll create something that works for you.