Are you Heading to the Altar with the Wrong Logo Design?

Like a teenage couple with hormones running wild, it’s easy for business owners and executives to fall in love with a logo design without considering the long-term implications. What they may not realize at the time, however, is that choosing a logo is a complicated decision that takes time and careful consideration.

The Power of Great Logo Design

Did you know that it only takes 10 seconds for people form a first impression of a logo, but they won’t recognize the logo until they’ve been exposed to the logo at least 5-7 times? That means your logo needs to be as memorable as possible to make a lasting impression.

A great logo design should symbolize who the brand is and consider what it is that the brand stands for.

Check Out the 4 Qualities that Make a Good Company Logo!

The wrong logo can do a lot of damage to your business and your brand image. Not only that, a logo will likely be representing your organization for many years to come which means the wrong logo design will make a lasting, negative impression even after you’ve rebranded.

Here are 7 logo design aspects to consider:

1. Match your company’s personality. An artistic, attention-grabbing design is wonderful, but without any tie-in to your company’s culture, products, or mission, it’s just an image without a message. Develop a logo that gives people a sense of what your organization is all about.
2. Age like a fine wine. Some logos—like potential mates—look a lot better now than they will in a few short years. Using strange color combinations, bizarre fonts, or other novelties is a good way to make your logo more interesting in the short term…but once that trend has passed your brand logo will need another makeover.
3. Avoid the generic pitfall. Just as you don’t want to go too far off the deep end with the “artistic vision” of your logo, neither do you want it to feel so plain that people can’t tell it from a million other logos. It’s a fine line between “classic” and “boring,” but it’s one that your graphic design team can help you achieve.
4. Be distinctive. It should go without saying that your logo needs to reflect your business, not someone else’s. It can be tempting to borrow inspiration from a Fortune 500 company, but the last thing you want is doubt, ambiguity, or a lawsuit. Choose a design that’s just as original as your brand is.
5. Avoid radical changes. Sometimes a complete rebrand of your organization is necessary, but it shouldn’t be based on a whim. Drastically changing your logo—or other brand-identity pieces—is a good way to confuse your customers and lose-face in the marketplace.
6. Simplicity speaks volumes. There are a lot of fascinating logos out there that fall into the category of “creative nonsense.” They’re sort of cutting-edge, but they’re also so complicated and bizarre that they’re literally difficult to look at. A clean, classic look is always a winner, so avoid going off the deep end—unless that’s in your brand identity.
7. You need to LOVE IT. Your logo isn’t coming to you via arranged marriage, so don’t think that you have to like something just because everyone else does. You’ll have to live and grow old with your logo so don’t let anyone talk you into something you don’t fall in love with yourself.

Discover What the Difference is Between a Logo and Brand

How to Nail the Perfect Logo Design

Think of your logo as the face of your brand. It’s the first thing people see when they interact with your brand. What do you want those people to see?

An ideal logo design sets the foundation for every interaction your target audience has with your organization. Decide what kind of impression you want to make and then work with your graphic design team—or a branding agency—to determine how you can convey that in a logo.

Marian Bantjes—considered one of the greatest designers of the last 100 years—once said, “the more I deal with the work as something that is my own, as something that is persona., the more successful it is.”

Make your logo personal and your audience will recognize it as a unique, purposeful, accurate representation of the brand.