Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 3: Brainstorming
• Part 2 of 3: Testing the design
• Part 3 of 3: Finishing the design

A good logo is more than just a picture with words. A good logo tells the story behind your company: who you are, what you do and what you stand for. That's a lot for a small work of art. That's why it's important that you take the time to get it right. Fortunately, you don't have to do it on your own. The steps below will help you with the process of designing a logo that you can successfully market.

To step

Part 1 of 3: Brainstorming

1. Determine the main purpose of your logo. A logo represents your brand through shape, fonts, color and image. During the design, let yourself be guided by the question of what you need the logo for.
   • Promote brand awareness. Is your company new or are you facing a lot of competition? With a strong logo, customers can recognize your company more quickly.
   • Creating a good association. Customers shop with their eyes and logos are better remembered than names, products and services. After a while, the customer associates the logo with your company.
   • Create trust. Attracting and retaining customers is based in part on their willingness to trust you. A strong logo that conveys your sincerity and integrity can help put customers at ease.
   • Reap admiration. When customers have a good impression of your company, it can be enhanced by a logo that is appreciated for its beautiful design, cleverness and effective simplicity.
   • Being timeless. Will the logo still be effective in 10 to 15 years? An effective logo must be usable on various types of online media, but also offline media. Do you have e.g. need a vector variant of your logo? You often see professional logos being designed in Vector or Photoshop to make sure it can be scaled up or down to any size. Professional vector logos can be used both horizontally and vertically. Ask yourself in advance whether your logo could still be used if your logo is printed in one color; your logo is printed in stamp format; your logo is printed on a large billboard; your logo is printed in negative.
2. Consider your target audience. It is important to know who your customers are and to adapt the look of the logo to the people who will use your services.
   • A florist's logo can have a playful font and bright colors; this will not work as well for a garage that specializes in body repairs.
   • A law firm logo should radiate integrity and strength; this is probably different for a lunchroom.
3. Decide whether to include your company's name in the logo. Of course you want to build brand awareness for your company, but it is not always a good idea to include a name in the logo.
   • Use the name in the logo if it is fairly distinctive, but has not yet become a household name, or if you only have a limited advertising budget and want to build brand awareness.
   • Do not include the name in the logo if it is too general, is too long, cannot be properly translated (if applicable) or does not indicate its own identity. Also omit the name if the logo is placed on the product, such as sports shoes and handbags.
   • Think about the different ways you will be using your logo. View the smallest view you think you need. If the company name in a logo the size of a thumbnail (thumbnail image) cannot be read, it is better to leave the name out.
4. Follow the company's color palette. If your company already uses certain colors for corporate identity, advertising and other material, it is important that these colors are reflected in the logo.
   • Consistent use of colors creates confidence. Ultimately, you want customers to "link" your logo to your company in their heads.
   • If your company is characterized by using certain colors, the audience unconsciously makes a link with those colors.
   • If you haven't yet selected a color palette for your business, find out about the psychological power of colors so you can choose suitable colors. For example, red represents strength, passion, energy and trust, but can also indicate danger.
5. Be inspired, but do not copy successful logos. While it can be tempting to design something that resembles a successful logo, it communicates the unintended message that you are lazy and uninspired.
   • Research what similar companies have for logo. Ask yourself what you like and don't like about it, what works and what doesn't. Don't overwhelm yourself with too many examples. Looking at 10 to 12 logos should be more than enough to get an idea of ​​what is possible and what to avoid.
   • A successful logo is simple, memorable, timeless and appropriate. Keep these goals in mind when you are playing around with ideas.
   • If you have a hard time coming up with ideas, you can try different keywords in online search engines or consult a thesaurus to get you new ideas.
   • Dood. Sketch and play with it. Write down key words in different fonts. See if the visual display sparks ideas.
6. Keep it simple. Designing a logo is a process of restriction. It's tempting to want to convey a lot of messages in your design, but complexity hurts the effectiveness of your logo.
   • Don't use too many colors, fonts, or layered images. A confusing or busy logo does not convey a clear message.
   • If there are too many visual aspects in your logo, it will be difficult for the customer to process. They no longer know what to look at or what it means.
   • In practical terms, a simple logo is easier and cheaper to display. Since your logo can appear on a variety of objects, from letterhead to advertising and carrier bags, simplicity can save money in the long run.

Part 2 of 3: Testing the design

1. Design multiple logos. In the beginning, you may have several ideas about what you want to express with your logo. Put them all on paper, so you can see what works and what doesn't.
   • Even a dull design can give you ideas or provide an aspect for the next design.
2. Make a rough sketch of the design. In the early stages of designing your logo, it is best to work with pencil and paper. Sketching is a quick and easy way to get ideas into your head on paper so that you can assess them more easily.
   • White paper or graph paper make a good background for pencil sketches.
   • Don't erase anything. Design is not a linear process.Keep the sheets of paper with the designs you don't like. They can give you ideas or contribute something valuable later when you look back on them.
   • Large design agencies first fill dozens of sheets of paper with design sketches of logos before even touching a computer mouse. Take the advice of professionals and start sketching.
3. Show your design to a test audience. You may want to proceed immediately once you find the logo that appears to be the best, but it is important to get feedback.
4. Ask for feedback from people in your target audience. Show your design (s) to a number of people who have the profile of your ideal customer. You can show them multiple designs or just the strongest candidate to be chosen as the logo.
   • Ask key questions to gauge their response to the logo. Do they find it boring or catchy? Ugly or attractive? General or unique? Also ask what image or message they think the logo conveys, whether they find it easy to read / recognize and whether it matches what they know about your company or industry.
5. Be careful not to rely too much on family and friends. While it's good to know the opinions of those you have a strong connection with, it's probably not the feedback that interests you the most.
   • You can ask your family and friends to test the recognisability. Have them look at a logo for a few seconds and then ask them to draw it by heart. If they still remember the big picture, it is a logo that sticks well.
6. Make sure that the design can be used at different scales. Remember that your logo will be used in different ways: in the newspaper, as a letterhead, on the website. The logo must remain visible in both small and large format.
   • If a logo has too many details or the lines are too thin, those aspects may disappear or the logo will become too busy when scaled down.
   • When a logo is made to look good on a business card, it can look bulky when displayed larger.
   • Graphic design programs such as Adobe Illustrator or Inkscape allow you to test the scalability of your design. When you are drawing the designs, try copying them to different sizes.

Part 3 of 3: Finishing the design

1. Make the latest version. Finally, your logo must be digitized. You can do this yourself or hire a professional to do it for you.
   • Learn to use graphic design software. The most commonly used program is Adobe Illustrator, but Inkscape is another option and can be downloaded online for free.
     • There are books with tutorials and websites that teach you how to use Illustrator. Some schools, community centers, and further education institutions offer courses on this design program.
   • Outsource it to a graphic designer. If you already have a background in graphic design, computer design or you can quickly master something, you can do it all yourself. Otherwise, it is better to leave the digitization to a professional.
     • Search for designer websites to view their portfolio. Choose someone with experience in logo design.
     • Ask how long it takes to digitize a logo. Depending on the phase your design is in, you may want to take another look at it with a designer or he or she can get started right away to present your idea as it is now. In any case, you should inquire how long it will take to see the final result.
     • Ask about the costs. The phase your design is in affects the price. If someone has to go through the entire process with you, it is more expensive than if you are satisfied with your design and it only needs to be digitized professionally.
     • Search for online services. There are a number of online graphic design services that offer a set of designs created by designers for a flat fee to win the job. You then choose the best design and work with that designer to finish the logo.
2. Keep listening. When your logo is finished, it is important to remain open to feedback about the logo.
   • Use social media. If your business operates online, show your logo to the people who are online and hear what they have to say about it.
   • Try out your logo on your website first. If it is not answered positively, it is easier and less expensive to adapt and republish than it is to replace printed material.
   • Ask for details. If customers say the logo is confusing or difficult to read, insist that they explain in detail why. The more you know before investing in printed materials, the easier it will be to customize the design.