A logo is more than just a fancy icon to put on merchandise. It is an expression of the company’s brand promise and must be recognizable enough to set it apart from other businesses. In many cases, the logo is the very first thing new and potential clients notice about the business. As with any first impression, the message it tries to communicate must be clear and understandable.
The question many companies that are just starting out ask is how they can match the brand with their logo. Fifteen professionals from Forbes Communications Council examine how a business can marry their logo design with their business ideals to make something that’s both memorable and fitting and help their company stand out.
1. Do The Work First
Many times people think the logo equals “brand.” Big mistake. Your brand and logo encompass so much more. Do the hard work to understand who you are, what you stand for and what feeling you want your company to evoke. Getting the logo right requires deep thought on the overall brand. If you can answer your “why,” that’s a good start. Then focus on translating that into a visual representation. – Maile Keone, Listen Technologies Corporation
2. Keep It Simple
The best branding is classic and timeless. If you aren’t sure you’ve got the right logo or name, take your time to get it right. You’ll be happy you did, because good branding should be able to last for years (even decades). Go for something simple and recognizable, and be sure to set standards for how your name and logo will be used by others. – Kate Barton, Clearview Advisory
3. Integrate Voice Of Employees
Some of the best logos and taglines have come from me sitting with employees and brainstorming with them about words and design. When they feel engaged, a brand comes alive through their actions. They walk the talk, and customers see it and feel it! – Stacy Sherman, DoingCXRight®
4. Think Of The Emotion You Want To Convey
A company name and logo is many times the first impression a person gets about a company. Think about the emotion you want them to feel. Do you want to be playful? Want to be all business? Are you a consumer brand or business-to-business? Use the name, typography, iconography and color all to strike an emotional chord with your ideal customer. – Rick Ramos, HealthJoy
5. Start With The Brand Story
I recently went through this exercise with my own startup company. It took me over a year to create the logo (it finalized two weeks ago) because the company name and brand story were the more critical parts to launching my business. With those two items defined and aligned, the logo organically fell into place, pulling all the pieces together. Start with your brand story and the rest will follow. – Shiloh Holmes, Open Roads Marketing
6. Make It Memorable
Branding is about exposure, but being memorable helps companies circumvent the cost of continual marketing. I recommend something memorable and goofy. Whether it’s NerdFace or CircleBomb, if your customers only need to hear it once, it’ll be easier for them to reference in the future to others. – Scott Lysz, A&D Technology
7. Go With Your Gut
Sometimes business is about spreadsheets, sometimes it’s about your gut. When you land on a name and logo that feels right, you’ll know. Start with the name. List 10 words associated with your values and mission, then make Thesaurus.com your best friend. Next, find your colors and font and let your logo take form. Like a statue freed from stone, the visual identity of your brand will soon take shape. – Melissa Kandel, little word studio
8. Keep It Minimal
Logos and brand names should both be recognizable and simplistic. When coming up with a brand name, first consider using the name of the founder(s) or putting a playful spin on it. Whatever you choose, ensure that it’s easily pronounced and, ideally, one monosyllabic word. For your logo, always hire a design professional who incorporates unified, minimalist aesthetics that are easily identifiable. – Amine Rahal, Regal Assets
9. Put A Face To The Numbers
E-commerce companies can improve their user interfaces by taking a multi-pronged approach: use data to pinpoint the underlying issue, then marry it with the human perspective to reveal customer preference and behavior. This will give brands the visibility into their customers’ perspective and empower them to design experiences that would best suit their needs and expectations. – Michelle Huff, UserTesting
10. Make It Personable
The best company names speak to the essence of what the company does using a word that customers will easily understand and, therefore, remember. Using an everyday concept will make it easier to create a personable logo that can be used creatively across your marketing. Combination of words can work, but are difficult to come by. VMware, Mulesoft and Gremlin are some great examples in B2B enterprise software. – Alberto Farronato, Gremlin
11. Focus On Your Niche
Create an idea that appeals to your target audience and delivers a message for them specifically. It should be something that reflects your solution for them, which is your business offering, so they understand what you do and why it makes sense for them. – Cody McConnell, Be Unique Consulting
12. Create And Test Different Brand Versions
Gather focus groups to test which branding your target audience is most attracted to. Be sure to ask specific followup questions to find out what attracts them to your logo/name. Discover the emotion behind the attraction, and you can use that insight to make improvements to your logo and company name before launching your brand. – Maura Kennedy, Pond Lehocky, LLP
13. Future-Proof Your Name
Keep your company name broad because the market and business will evolve. Best Buy’s original name was Sound of Music when they sold audio equipment. In 2007, Apple Computers changed its name to Apple Inc. as sales of the iPod and iPhone picked up. Even Dunkin’ Donuts changed its name to Dunkin’ when coffee and other drinks made up 60% of their purchases. – Vincent Phamvan, Vyten Career Coaching
14. Drive Unique Value Messaging
Organizational strategies for logo and name creation must begin with purpose-driven storytelling. Your identity should be an extension of the narrative and unique brand differentiation you are building with your audiences. It should speak loudly to not only what your company does, but what you stand for and why you do it. – Megan Longenderfer, Victaulic
15. Keep SEO In Mind
A great company name and logo can help a brand stand head and shoulders above its competition. When you find the right one, it’s tempting to start rolling it out. Before you do so, consider the SEO implications. Is your name a common phrase? Are there other companies called the same thing? With an original name, it’ll be easier to rank on the algorithm and one less competitive pain point for your brand. – Patrick Ward, Rootstrap
Article Provided By: Forbes
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