You aren’t sure if your business needs a logo?
You might think that you do not have the budget to pay for a logo either.
However, one of the most recognizable logos did not cost the company a fortune, and it should not cost you either.
One of the biggest misconceptions is that you always have to pay a lot for logo design. Fortunately, there are free resources that allow you to give logo design a try.
Why should anyone spend their valuable time making or buying a logo?
The answer is pretty simple: images tend to hit us harder than business statements or mottos.
Think about your favorite brands
Now think about their value proposition.You probably do not have a clue about it. Now try to remember their logo.
That was easy!
It is easy for your potential clients to think of you when you show them a strong image to associate you with.
A logo is what makes you stand out and be remembered. Many companies use logos as the central element of their marketing strategy.
Think about MacDonalds and Apple. How often have you seen their logos in their marketing campaigns?
The swoosh from Nike is iconic.
People think of the swoosh more than they think of the name Nike, simply because their logo encapsulated all their values in one picture.
It is almost hypnotizing how one swoosh can already make you picture success. The big “Just Do It” is empathetic with all of us who find so hard to leave the couch and trade it for jogging in the park.
Having a poorly designed logo can make you look unprofessional. However, not having one at all is worse.
Without a logo, you are practically invisible.
You make it harder for your prospects to think about you, and to associate a certain service or product with you. Additionally, since most people are looking for convenience, they will choose your competitor.
It is not convenient for the human brain to remember something that did not leave a particularly big impression.
What isn’t a logo
You probably think that learning a little bit about logo design can push your brand forward. And it can, in the right context.
However, your brand and your logo are not identical. Your logo is a visual representation of your brand.
For example, color, font, and overall design send a message about your intentions.
Like your wardrobe, the way you present your brand trough a logo sends a certain message to your audience.
Deciding how you should portray your company is a strategic move based on a number of factors, such as what feelings you want to convey when your prospects see you, what are their pain points, who is your audience, etc.
Your logo design strategy should be focused not on making the logo the most visually appealing, but on making it strike a chord with your audience.
For instance, let us take Nike’s logo as an example again.
The logo itself is fairly plain looking. There is nothing special about its design.
However, it can make people think of getting things done, by “just doing it”, as if they would swoosh trough all the obstacles that stop them from reaching their goal.
Make sure your logo is indeed the representation of your business’s core values.
If you want to find out more about how logo design can positively impact your business, read on.
1. Make them feel like they know you
If you are running a business, you know how hard it is to convince your prospects that you hold the solution to their problems.
You can use logo design to leverage your competitions by making your audience think of you first.
As I stated previously, companies without logos are invisible. A good logo design can make you stick in your audience’s mind if you strike the right chord.
A lot of businesses do not place a lot of a value on their logos to help get them clients. There are a lot of investments in the sales team, in copywriters, customer service, etc.
All of these are important. However, a logo is like a salesman that never stops talking.
Your logo will always be there, in people’s minds. This is the case if they are the right audience for your business.
It is hard to make people remember you, especially after an extended period of time with an ad or with an email in their inbox.
On the other hand, the mind enjoys shortcuts. A visual image is more easy to remember than a name or a value proposition.
2. Get your message across and build trust
You can trigger certain emotional responses by using the perfect combination of shapes and colors in your logo design process.
For example, if your services are quite pricey, you could use blue. This color evokes trust and serenity. It is like telling your customers to trust you because their hard-earned money will be used wisely.
Yellow, on the other hand, might make some people anxious, but it also recommended if you have a younger demographic as your buyer persona. When you include your logo in your marketing campaign, you also add some personality to your business.
Nobody likes unfriendly, cold looking people, and that applies to businesses too.
You can get your message across by using the right logo design. Whether you want to evoke trust or let people know you are fun to be around, a great logo can help you do both.
3. Show your audience why you are better than your competition
Not many people think about logo design in these terms.
How can a logo help me show the key benefit of people buying from me?
Just think about all the brands that use grandmas as their images, or hard working mothers, or friendly looking grandfather in their logo.
A baking company that has a logo with a grandmother translates into cakes that are made with love and care as your grandma would bake them.
By using that strategy, you are using a logo to associate yourself with something familiar to your audience: a loving grandmother that baked them cakes as a child.
These can be translated into virtually any industry. Some companies that sell toothpaste use a happy tooth as their logo or companies who sell skin care products show a dermatologist.
4. Create an emotional connection between your brand and your audience
One of the most important functions a logo has is to attract attention by using emotions.
A logo is like your clothes during an interview. It is not the deciding factor, but it says enough for the interviewer to either like or dislike you the moment you enter the room.
This could change after you exchange a few words, but the first impression can stick around. It has a lingering effect.
A playful looking logo for an institution that deals with legal issues, for example, can drive away many clients.
Your audience can even feel “amused” by seeing your brand being represented by something that has nothing to do with the solutions you are providing.
Make sure you know your audience before you start crafting a logo.
If you skip this step, you might end up creating a logo that appeals to baby boomers when your audience is actually millennials.
5. Show them what you are doing
The right logo design can quickly draw attention and send a complete message to your audience.
If you see a logo with a puppy, you are probably thinking of products and services linked to dogs.
It is easier to be remembered if you also show what you are doing and present yourself as someone who is an expert in your field.
Many make the mistake of using their name for a business, in an industry, where names do not mean much. Then they use their names in a logo design.
There are industries where names are predominant, such as the fashion industry, where everyone is familiar with Chanel and Versace.
Usually, the service provider focuses on showing you what they are doing instead of using their initials in a logo.
Logo design does not have to be expensive or complicated
Logos can be found anywhere. They help you stand out on social media, be remembered by your audience easily, establish an emotional connect, and get a message across.
You can probably remember the logos of all your favorite brands. This tells you everything you need to know.
Logo design is quite a powerful marketing tool that is used in every industry to attract more clients and represent the brand.
Creating your logo should not be a chore, especially if you are on a budget and you probably do not have the skills to use professional software.
If you read our 5 reasons why logo design is important for your brand, you probably know by now how many companies use logos in their marketing strategies.
If you are looking for a quick, easy way to create the perfect logo that will represent your company, give our online logo maker a try.
