Five tips for creating a great business logo

Here are some guidelines for designing an effective logo for your brand:

1. Colour

The colours of your logo should convey the right mood or message to your target audience. This is why it is very important to understand the psychology of colour. For instance, green is normally associated with nature and life, while blue communicates loyalty and trust. The colour black is commonly used to exude sophistication and class. Therefore, be sure to choose colours which will reflect your brand personality.

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2. Versatility

Make sure your logo looks good when displayed in full colour, as well as in black and white. In addition, it should work well with multicoloured, dark or light backgrounds. A versatile logo should also scale properly to different formats such as billboards, t-shirts, business cards and brochures. It would therefore be advisable to go for vector based graphics rather than PSD or JPG.

3. Typography

Just like colour, different kinds of typography communicate different messages. For example, script typefaces project fun and youth, while typefaces with serifs communicate power and dignity. However, if you want your logo to really stand out, it would be advisable to go for a customised typeface such as Coca-Cola’s. Make sure the letters are spaced out well and that the typeface is legible in small print.

4. Uniqueness

A unique and memorable logo will ensure that your brand stands out from the competition. Avoid boring or predictable designs that will only put off your target audience. Your logo does not have to directly show what your company does. For example, being a dentist doesn’t mean you must have the image of a tooth in your logo. In addition, avoid common design fads have been used over and over by other companies. Clip art should also be avoided at all costs, unless you have a good designer that is able to modify it completely.

5. Timelessness

When designing a logo, you need to ensure that it has a sense of timelessness. The longer it lasts, the better brand recognition you will enjoy. Therefore, avoid designs which are tailored for a specific time period, after which they become outdated. Most of the recognised logos in our world today change very little, and yet remain relevant and fresh over many years.