This article was last updated on September 5, 2017
Once you have decided the name of your startup, it’s the logo that comes next. Choosing a logo also requires a lot of group discussions and brainstorming. While deciding a logo, make sure you realize one important thing – your logo will be the visual representation of what actually your company stands for. The right logo will help your customers obtain a better understanding of the company’s perspective. The logo should be designed in a way that it draws the attention of your customers. It is not mandatory that it should be long and descriptive, instead, it should be short and crisp. So, if you are still perplexed, let me help you with choosing the best logo for your startup.
How to Choose the Best Logo for Your Startup
Name of the Company
At times, using the name of the company as a logo can also turn out to be beneficial. The best part is that you don’t have to toil hard and will have the right blend of color combination and font pattern. You can take an example from McDonald’s.
Planning a Random Design
Work with the industry’s best creative heads. They have all the experience and expertise of coming up with the best and artistic logos. They will link all the keywords, initials, and symbols in such a way that the end result, your logo, comes out as creative as possible. The best examples are the symbol of Wikipedia and the ringer symbol of WhatsApp.
Clean and Functional
The main qualities of a good logo include being easy to memorize, easy to reproduce, and distinctive. Make sure you have chosen icons over images, as they can become unreadable when are reduced or enlarged significantly. It is also important that your logo looks good on varied promotional materials such as, business card, signs, letterhead and stickers.
Evergreen Design
You and your team will be looking at the logo every single day. So it is imperative that the logo of your start up company is simple, attractive, and visionary (like Apple’s logo). Avoid dull and boring designs, something that you would not like to see on the 10th anniversary of your business.
The Dress Should Fit the Occasion
Your company’s logo will be the first impression your customer will have of you and your business. So, you have to ensure that it reflects your service, identity, and tone. Let us assume you own a PR agency and your designer comes up with a design of a bicycle. How will you relate a bicycle with the business of public relations? It will not make any sense. If you are having an antique store, however, a bicycle seems justified.
Avoid Using Clip Art
No matter how tempting it may look, make sure you have avoid using clip art. Try and have original art, as it will help in making an influential statement about your company. Above all, it will give your company a distinctive look compared to your competitors.
Logo Should Reflect Your Business
Don’t fall for the logo just because you liked it. Deciding on a logo has a huge relevance as far as your business is concerned. The logo should reflect your business and services you are offering.
Get Feedback
You can show the logo to your friends and family members. Ask them if they like the logo and why. Try and get to know what exactly came to their mind when they first saw the logo. If it is what you want your customers to say and think about your company, then you are on the right track.
It Should Fit Your Budget
If you are looking to get the logo designed by an agency, then budget becomes one of the key concerns. It is advisable that you do some research before you make a final decision. You can also take the help from various resources to know the potential logo designing agencies. You can also ask other business professionals or your fellow entrepreneurs for referrals or recommendations. A logo design may cost you between $130 to $2,500.
Go Through the Portfolio
Once you have zeroed in on some of the best organizations, make sure you take your time to review their portfolio. This will give you a better understanding of their creativity and skills level. Agencies exhibiting high levels of creativity and skills are the ones that have provided the best logo designs to varied companies.
Don’t Go According to the Trends
The design trends are dynamic in nature and they come and go. The internet has also played a pivotal role in accelerating the trend turnover. If your design is relying too much on a particular trend, then it will surely look outdated once that trend is over.
Look at Other Logos
Make sure you finalize the top 4 logo designs you really liked and the 4 designs you really disliked. Now, go through the things you appreciate in the logo and the things you didn’t. Make sure you try to find the designer behind the logos you really liked, or send these logos to your designer for inspiration.
Right Color Combinations
The mind of the human being responds amazingly to visual stimulation and colors, They play a major role in influencing our decisions, both consciously and subconsciously. Opting for a right color combination is as important as the logo’s design. Not many people know this, but every color comes with a particular association. For instance – purple color signifies royalty, blue shows comfort and stability, and yellow signifies happiness.
For instance – take the blue color of Facebook. With its simple font style it really looks impressive. You must have noticed, at times, instead of writing Facebook, even a capital ‘F’ is used with the blue background color. So, while deciding the color combinations of your logo, make sure you have an idea behind your choice.
Know the Difference Between Logotype and Logo-mark
Every company requires a logotype and they are generally made up of letters. But having a logo-mark, which communicates your brand with a symbol, is not always necessary. For instance – the logo of Puma is a logotype, while the Jumping Puma is a logo-mark. Especially, if you are working with a third-party designer, being familiar with terms like this only makes the process easier.
