Branding is central to any marketing strategy; and the first place to start for a new company is with a logo that conveys that brand and image. A great logo can create the appearance of an established business and build loyalty and trust with customers. A poorly designed logo can make the company look unstable.
The best way to get a wonderful logo is by retaining a design firm, but this is often an unachievable expense for new companies. Even if your company does have the funding to hire a great firm, this firm will require some background work from you in order to proceed.
Logo Background Work
First of all, create a mission statement for your company. Decide what message and image you want the world to have of your business, and write it down. If you are part of a startup team, then this is best done as a team exercise.
Secondly, decide upon your corporate colors. A design firm can then take these basic ideas and translate them into a color palette for your business. It is a good idea to take some time and review basic color theory before choosing your colors. Blue promotes trust, red, energy and enthusiasm, and orange stimulates the appetite. There are many more connections between color and mood, and all are worthy of understanding before you make your selections.
Next, review the typical logos of similar companies. Do they use abstracts or type font logos? Do you want to position yourself as one of them or be unique?
Logo Creation
No matter how quickly you need a logo or how great the temptation, do not use clip art. It tends to look very prefab, and is easily copied. If your new firm doesn't have the capital to have an entire logo created, inquire as to pricing for a single drawing. Sketch out your ideas on pen and paper for your "bug" , and then have it created by a pro.
It is a good idea to have several logos drawn up as options for the team to discuss and vote on. It is critical for all to buy-in to the new company image.
There are basically three kinds of logos; a logo that is your company name in a stylized font, a logo with a "bug" that represents your product or service, and a logo with an abstract "bug". More and more businesses are leaning toward the font-based approach, as it is less expensive and studies have shown that integrating the text with the symbol enhances brand recognition.
If you choose a font type logo, then there are many web resources available for stylized fonts, such as www.1001fonts.com.
Using Your Logo
Your logo should be available in an EPS file in different sizes for different applications. You should have a full color one, a black and white one, and a reverse out version for black backgrounds. Always trademark your logo, and use it liberally in all company literature to increase brand recognition. Make sure no one who uses it resizes it, as this can degrade the image and make it look less than professional.
