What exactly makes a corporate logo so powerful?
Consider the golden arches from McDonald’s. An iconic logo design that instantly resonates with anyone who sees it. It tells people that they’ll get a quick, affordable, and tasty meal when they walk through the front doors.
A logo allows your customers to make a connection with your brand and sets you apart from your competition. However, many New Bern businesses have neglected to create a logo or have allowed their current one to grow stale and out of touch.
The end result is an ineffective logo that’s easily forgotten the second someone looks away.
We put together this guide to help you understand what goes into a good company logo design and how it can empower your New Bern business for many years to come.
Hire a Professional Logo Designer
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Photo by Michael Burrows from Pexels[/caption]
Unless you have years of logo designing experience, it’s often best to leave the task to a professional logo designer. While this may seem like a shameless plug on our behalf, many of our past clients attempted to design their logo, and the results were less than satisfactory.
At AlphaGraphics of New Bern, our in-house graphic designers have combined decades of logo design experience. In short, they know what—and more importantly—what doesn’t work when it comes to an excellent corporate logo.
Another benefit to having someone else design your logo is that the designer is a literal outsider—someone who can bring a fresh new perspective and can capture the very soul and essence of your business.
With that being said, if you still want to design your own logo, here are some helpful tips and tricks for your consideration.
Avoid Trendy Designs
Here today, gone tomorrow. The problem with hopping on the “what’s currently hot” bandwagon of design is that it will eventually grow old and stale. Not to mention if it’s hot and trendy, millions of other businesses are using it as well.
Having to change your logo every few years is a royal pain. You’ll need to get new business cards, brochures, and even update your website design with the new logo. This can cause extreme confusion on the parts of your customers.
Instead, try to create a timeless logo. There are four key elements of a timeless logo:
Relevant—The fonts, images, typography, and colors work in unison to create a relevant logo.
Memorable—When you hear the words “Mercedes Benz,” aside from the car itself, what comes to mind? It’s the three-pointed star Mercedes logo that is instantly recognizable wherever you go.
Simple—Consider the Mercedes logo, a circle with a three-pointed star. Apple has a picture of an apple with a bite taken out of it, and McDonald’s has their famous golden arches. Simplicity is key when creating a timeless logo.
Scalable—This refers to the actual design—keep it scalable so that it still looks amazing no matter how big or small.
Who’s Your Target Audience?
A great brand is one that visually represents what’s important to your target audience. For example, consider incorporating a river or mountain graphic in your design if you own a sporting goods store.
Try to avoid letting your personal biases and preferences dictate the design. Get rid of “you” and focus solely on the interests of your intended audience. This will allow them to make a much closer connection with your logo.
Avoid Fancy or Generic Fonts
Calibri, Arial, and Times New Roman are all generic fonts. Wingdings and another fancy/oddball fonts are often hard to read. Consider purchasing a custom-designed font on one of the many font websites out there. This will help set you apart from your competitors—who are probably using a generic font themselves.
Whitespace is Your Friend
Use whitespace liberally as it helps keep your logo simple. For example, look at the Apple logo. It’s a literal apple on a white background. It’s instantly recognizable to anyone who looks at it. If people have to sit there and stare at your logo in an attempt to decipher it, it means that it’s not working as intended.
Look at Your Competitors
Competitive research is key when designing a new logo. Look at the fonts, designs, and colors that they’re using. This will help prevent you from unintentionally creating a similar design. Consider the effectiveness (or lack thereof) of their logos as well. Ask yourself why the logo does or doesn’t work and learn from their mistakes.
Logo Design and Creation in New Bern
Logo design is both an art and a science. It takes years of experience to become an expert. If you’re struggling with your design or the creative ideas just aren’t flowing, give the experts at AlphaGraphics of New Bern a call.
At AlphaGraphics of New Bern, we can help you design and create the perfect company logo. To learn more about how AlphaGraphics of New Bern can produce and design your next project, you may email us, request a quote, or call us at (252) 633-3199.