Why Your Business Needs a Logo

Why Logo Design is Important for Every Company

Many small business owners are so focused on the day-to-day running of their companies that sometimes marketing and branding issues can fall by the wayside. If you’re running a small business, especially if you’re relatively new, you may be thinking that paying some designer to create a logo for you should be low on your list of priorities.

However, logos are so much more important than many small entrepreneurs realize. They serve as the foundation of your brand’s identity (and yes, you have a brand, no matter how small you are!). Study after study has shown that visual information makes a much bigger impact on consumers than anything else, and a logo is the single best way to create a memorable identity that helps you earn repeat customers.

Instead of making a good first impression, a poorly considered logo will make you look inauthentic or like you're trying too hard.

Even more importantly, a professional-looking, well-designed logo helps to build trust, while a poorly made logo can make your brand come across as inauthentic. A great logo makes your company appear reputable to new customers, and repeating customers will come to associate the high quality of your work with the logo.

How to get a great logo

Unless you’re a designer yourself, your first step should be to track down a designer with a track record of creating great logos. It’s important to go with a professional. As we talked about in our post on The Art of Website Design, people can tell the difference between good and poor design work, even if they can’t necessarily explain what they’re seeing.

The last thing you want is a logo that is going to embarrass your company, or one that makes you look sketchy. That’s why it’s so worth the cost to pay for a designer who will take the time to learn about your company and work with you to create a logo that presents exactly the kind of image you want.

Elements of a great logo

In addition to reflecting the spirit and values of your company, great logos have a few other things in common. It should be recognizable and memorable enough that customers will instantly know who it belongs to when they see it again, and it should be simple enough that it looks equally good on a business card or a billboard – you don’t want a complex illustration that’s a muddled mess when it’s shrunk down.

You should also use only a small number of colors, and your designer will have to think carefully about which ones to use. You want your logo to be attractive regardless of the surroundings, which usually means your logo should be as simple as possible and use three or fewer colors.

Your logo is your brand identity

Once you’ve created your logo, you should include it in everything you do. A professional designer will give you the files you need to incorporate it into all your marketing efforts. It should be on the side of your work vehicle, on your business cards, in your advertising, as well as on your website and your social media profiles.

A good logo can be the difference that makes a brand memorable and you want to make sure you get it right. Even if your marketing budget is limited, you should seriously consider working with a professional logo designer – an investment today will pay off down the line.