When starting a business you probably have a logo on your checklist of things to get done. Something that looks good on a business card. And that’s fine. But by approaching things in this way you are really missing out on an opportunity to have more of an impact on people.
A logo is a good starting point. But it should be designed as part of a bigger visual system. One that is purposely planned out. That supports your business as it grows. I’m talking about having a brand identity. A cohesive visual identity/image for your business that works across a variety of applications.
Maybe you don’t even want a logo for a business card, you want it for a sign outside your business. Fine. But you might need a website at some point and it will have to go on there. This would be something that requires careful consideration when designing the logo. Will a logo that works on a big sign work at a much smaller scale? Was there consideration given to the colours used in the logo? I often have businesses coming to me for a website when they only ever had a basic logo. They usually weren’t designed for a variety of applications. And many have poor colour choices. When designing a website it has to have a uniform look. Usually the colours used are taken from the logo colours. If your logo colours aren’t great this can effect your overall website look. And choosing different colours to the logo will just look bad… You could have a logo with nice colours but the logo itself is poorly executed. This means you can have a well designed website with a bad logo on it. This can really take down the tone of your website and it looks confusing for your overall business image. Your logo is one of the first things someone sees when they land on your business website. First impressions count. It’s not just about first impressions though. It’s about lasting impressions. And that requires consistency.
Your brand identity should truly reflect your business. It’s not about something looking pretty or slick. It’s about portraying a certain image and conveying a specific message. And each element of your brand identity should be based off of this. So what you should have is:
- Logo
- Brand Colours
- Brand Fonts
In addition to this you can have:
- Supporting Graphics
- Appropriate Imagery
Having a cohesive brand identity helps communicate the same image/vibe to your customers across every encounter a customer has with your business. It’s all about consistency. Something you will always hear me talking about. If you are not doing this what kind of message are you giving off? Think of it like this, if you go to a restaurant and really enjoy the service one time, then the next time you go it’s bad, and the next time it’s mediocre, it’s not a good look. And certainly not consistent. It’s similar to not portraying the same business image.
Taking the time to figure out how to present your business will help you stand out from your competition, connect with people, and make an impact so they remember your business. Your logo shouldn’t be on a checklist. It should be part of an important system that is utilised by your business ALL the time.
Echo that!
