A logo is often the first thing a potential customer sees of your business. It should be eye-catching and memorable without being garish. It should be a reflection of your target audience and convey what your business’s purpose is. There are many logo design misconceptions, about what makes a good design and how much it should cost. If you are looking for a great logo for your business, keep these common fallacies in mind.
Logo Design Misconceptions #1 – I can pay someone cheap, or better yet do it myself.
Good logos require good graphic designers.
Good graphic designers cost money. It is commonly thought that graphic designers will take next to nothing to design a logo. If you pay a graphic designer little to nothing, you get the same in return. Graphic designers do not make as much as you think and usually get paid by the piece.
Logo Design Misconceptions #2 – I need a fancy symbol or icon.
A logo doesn’t have to have an icon.
Many people think that a company’s logo has to be a symbol, or it must tell the customer exactly what the company does. That is not true. Some of the most memorable logos are made of a single word. Symbols are effective, but only repetition will make a symbol root itself in the minds of consumers. Your logo is meant to be the placeholder for your business. When they think of your business, your logo will be in their minds. What your business does is nowhere near as memorable as your logo.
Logo Design Misconceptions #3 – It needs to be pretty and have everything in it.
A logo design doesn’t have to be ‘pretty’.
It also is a common misconception that logos have to be pretty. It has to be pleasing to look at. That is not necessarily the case. Not everyone must like your logo. They just have to know it. You are not selling the logo, you’re selling a product or service. Making a logo pretty can help, but that should not be the focus of the logo design. If the logo has a sound design and is memorable, it does not need to be pretty.
Logo Design Misconceptions #4 – I need to stick with the same logo for the entire life of my business.
Subtle re-bands are actually good.
Companies that have endured the economy for decades know that in order to stay in the forefront of customers’ minds, their logo must be adapted for the times. Oftentimes, business owners think their logo has to stand the test of time. That is not necessarily the case. Giving your logo a makeover occasionally is good, but do not alter it too much. People will become confused and your logo will not click with them. The key to a timeless logo is taking design elements from the previous incarnation and integrating it into the new one. This way, a piece of the logo will remain in the minds of customers even though it looks different now.
Logo Design Misconceptions #5 – I need a logo that looks like everyone else in my industry.
Don’t follow the crowd.
If you look at logos of companies in the same industry, you might notice that most of them do not look alike at all. New business owners sometimes think that in order to reflect the industry they are in, they must link their logo to the other companies in their field. This prevents their logo, and thus their company, from standing out from their competitors. A logo should help your business thrive, not get you lost in the mix.
If you are a business in Melbourne, try to use local graphic designers like Payneless Media. We can help you avoid the pitfalls of poor logo design and create a logo that will make your company memorable. Our designers are professional and prompt with the delivery of your logo while remaining affordable. We can make a logo that you will be proud of having on all of your marketing material, on the front of your brick and mortar stores, and help keep your business firmly in the minds of your customers.
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