Creating a Logo? Five Things to Avoid.

February 22, 2016

If a business were capable of having a baby, the logo would be its first born. As a doting business owner, you are incapable of seeing the flaws in your logo and the subsequent branding created around the logo. Instead of relying solely on your judgment to determine the quality of your logo, use the following guide to avoid having a poorly designed logo that will render inconsequential.

1. LOGO “DEALS”

A brief Google search will bring up an array of logo offers that seem too good to pass up. The thing about receiving a bargain-priced logo is that the designer needs to take shortcuts. What do we mean by shortcuts? Well, the designer is going to use pre-existing templates, and will not dedicate the time to study your company. At best, you will have a cookie-cutter logo using the trendiest design elements which are mimetic, and soon become outdated. At worst, you may wind up with a logo that is entirely unusable.

2. STOCK IMAGERY

Think of stock imagery as the book of designs sitting in a tattoo parlor. If you’re looking for a generic butterfly design to make some sort of ironic statement, then you’re definitely on the right path! However, if you value your business and want it to stand out among the competition, we recommend that you steer clear from using any stock images when designing your logo.

3. DIY LOGO

This may arguably be one of the worst offenses when it comes to logo design, yet we have seen it done enough times. We understand that it is tempting to view a few tutorials on how to create a logo. You may even find some easy-to-use online tools that offer the ability to drag, combine, and color in shapes and fonts to your heart’s desire. But we’re here to remind you that logo design is much more than creating a simple image with your company’s name in it. Basic design requires knowing the principles of graphic design and a thorough examination of branding. Exceptional design requires years of practice.

4. NOT ASKING FOR FEEDBACK

Don’t let your logo become the inspiration for the next trending meme. Ask a few clients and peers to review your logo prior to launching it, in order to avoid missing any details that may turn out to have embarrassing or negative effects on your company’s brand image.

5. DON’T RESTRICT THE DESIGNER

Assuming you have entrusted your logo to the hands of a skilled designer, feel free to provide him direction, but avoid placing too many constraints on his design. Constructive guidance includes information on the feeling you want the logo to convey, the type of clientele you wish to attract, and the type of business you have and its core values. If there is a design element you are not happy with during the first draft of your logo, explain to the designers why you don’t like, but then allow them to make the adjustments as needed.

Designing a logo takes hours of work, planning, and studying. There simply isn’t any easy way around this. At Keenability, we understand this and have different people evaluating the logo at all stages of its creation. Are you ready for a logo that represents your business accurately?

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