Business Logo Tips and Selecting a Logo Design Firm

Insignia is defined as a coveted badge of authority or dignity. A logo is defined as a symbol adopted by an organization to identify its products or services. As your business grows and gains success, your logo can actually become your company's insignia!

For example, Apple Inc.'s logo is an image of an apple with a bite taken out. In Apple's early years, the apple solely represented its product focus: personal computers. Since the 1970s, the iconic apple is now symbolic of the company's global success, innovative consumer electronics, groundbreaking technologies and in-demand computer software.

Since your logo has the potential to represent significant business growth and market leadership, creating a compelling logo that will stand by your company through failures and successes is essential.

Identifying Your Brand

A substantial logo design begins with a solid company identity. In order for your logo to effectively communicate the message of your brand to your target audience, your brand needs to be clearly established.

Build your brand by determining:

• Core values
• Company personality
• Consumer perceptions, expectations and benefits
• Unique marketplace positioning
• A target audience
• Advantages over competitors

A business logo is your brand's representation. It reassures customers that they are investing in a quality brand that will maintain consistency, credibility and high standards.

A business logo should be:

• Expressive
• Simple
• Consistent with the theme of your brand
• Memorable and easily recognizable

How to Create Your Logo

Start the design process by testing different angles and approaches.

Ask yourself:

• Is there a person or object that demonstrates your company's traditions or history?
• Does your company have a particular look and feel?
• Is there a certain energy associated with your products?

Once you've established your brand and brainstormed ideas, you can determine the type of logo design company that you want to use. Business logos can be created by a graphic design professional or an online logo design firm. A graphic designer will listen to your needs and produce an original design, while an online design firm offers easy-to-use software that guides you through every step of the design process.

Whether you're designing a logo yourself or reviewing prototypes created by a professional, keep these tips in mind:

• The size of your logo design should be scalable. Can it be clearly understood and read across various mediums such as websites, billboards or print ads?
• Be careful with complex designs. Fancy fonts, color combinations or an extravagant design can be distracting. Less is better.
• Pay attention to the colors that you choose. Colors can be trendy and interpreted in certain ways. Even if you choose to design a logo in color, it should look good in black and white.
• Versatility and adaptability is important. Will your design be effective on marketing collateral, promotional products and company supplies? If your brand shifts direction or your business wants to reinvent itself in the marketplace, your logo may need to adapt with a redesign.