How to Create a Logo

Creating a logo involves designing a visual symbol that effectively represents and communicates the identity and values of a brand or organization.
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One of the many decisions you’ll have to make as a new business owner is what image or design to use to represent your company. Excerpted from the book The Girls Guide to Starting Your Own Business, here are 10 tips for choosing a logo.

1. Love it or lose it.
You will be looking at this logo every day for the foreseeable future, so pick something you will like tomorrow, next year, and on the 10th anniversary of your business.

RELATED: Tutorial: How to Place a Logo on Your Office Wall


2. Make sure the dress fits the occasion.
Your logo is the first impression people will have of you and your business, so make sure it reflects your identity, tone, and service. One designer came to us with a charming graphic for our business: an old-fashioned tandem bicycle. We got the concept — there are two of us. It looked great and classy, but the image said nothing about our public relations business. Had we been opening an antique store, it would have been ideal.

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3. Colors are key. 
Choose colors (black and white counts) that reflect your corporate identity and appeal to your potential customers and clients.

4. It should be perfect, big or small.
Your logo may be reduced, enlarged, colorized, or printed in black and white over the course of your business, so make sure the logo you pick will look perfect in any incarnation.

5. Don’t choose the wrong icon.
This is a business decision. Don’t fall in love with a logo that you know is not right for the services or products you are selling.

6. Get feedback. 
Show your logo to respected friends, family members, and acquaintances. If they don’t respond positively, ask them why. Ask what the logo “says” to them. If it’s what you want people to say about your company, you could be on the right track.

7. Versatility is key.
Your logo must look good on a variety of promotional materials, including letterhead, business cards, signs, stickers, magnets, or even a website, so make sure it’s versatile. Also, be sure it will show up when faxed or photocopied. A designer created a really hip logo for a friend’s freelance writing business; however, when it was faxed, the logo, along with all of the important contact information, disappeared.

8. You might not need a logo. 
If you’re opening a law practice or offering bookkeeping services on the weekend, then save money and just get a generic business card and letterhead with your contact information on it.

9. Use professionals.
While the guy at the local copy store may seem really enthusiastic about creating a logo for you, invest in hiring a professional graphic designer with a track record. Ask to see their portfolio or check out their website for samples.

10. This isn’t going to be cheap.
Designing a great logo and identity package is worth the investment. Shop around for designers, printers, and paper, but make sure you go with the best option. If you have a limited printing budget, do things in stages and just get business cards and letterhead done right away.

RELATED: 6 Ways to Get Your Logo

See How to Check a Logo’s Quality for more information.

Excerpted from The Girl’s Guide to Starting Your Own Business: Candid Advice, Frank Talk, and True Stories for the Successful Entrepreneur by Caitlin Friedman and Kimberly Yorio, published by HarperResource. Copyright ©2003 Caitlin Friedman and Kimberly Yorio.

Logo creation tips:

Looking for more exciting ideas and logo creation tips? On our website, you’ll find inspiring logos sorted by popular industries, plus useful tips for making a stellar emblem. Check them out below.

Business and Trade

Sports

Religion and mysticism

Shipping and logistics

Color

Music

Technological

Ecology

Art and Events

Geometric

State and Law

Media

Beauty and fashion

Occupation

Plants

Medicine and Health

Food and Drinks

Education and Society

Animals

Disclaimer: The content on this page is for information purposes only and does not constitute legal, tax, or accounting advice. If you have specific questions about any of these topics, seek the counsel of a licensed professional.

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Written by Team ZenBusiness

ZenBusiness has helped people start, run, and grow over 700,000 dream companies. The editorial team at ZenBusiness has over 20 years of collective small business publishing experience and is composed of business formation experts who are dedicated to empowering and educating entrepreneurs about owning a company.

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