How To Choose A Logo

When you set up a business you need a logo. 'Logo' is from the Greek word 'Logos', meaning 'word'.

In English, it means the symbol of a corporation.

It's useful for marketing. It can advertise your company very quickly and decisively. Your customer thinks: "Is this the thing I want? Ah yes, there's the logo".

A logo says in one second what would take a sentence in words, that: "This is Seven Hills Ltd". 

As it is a symbol, a picture, the brain processes it more quickly. The client is reassured they are in the right place and it reinforces the memory of your company.

How to get a good one?

- Logo Types

There are three types of logos: typographic, illustrative, and abstract graphic/graphic.

Typographic means text-only;
Illustrative means a graphic that shows what your business sells;
Graphic means a pure symbol that you choose.

You can also mix the categories above. A common logo is formatted like this: {[symbol] [stylised company name]}.

When you get super famous, you can just use the symbol and clients know who you are, instantly.

- Questions to ask yourself:

What is my industry niche?
What is my target market?
Who are my competitors?
What feelings do I want my logo to evoke?
What is my 'elevator pitch' and how can my logo match and evoke it?

Remember: the best logos evoke in a quick, concentrated way the corporation or product they symbolise.

A quick way to create a starter logo is to look at the logos of competitors in your niche. You will find there is a pattern: what elements they have in common, and what elements they don't have at all.

For example, solicitors tend to be dark blue or black. They want to exude professionalism and sobriety.

- Some colours and the feelings they tend to evoke:

Blue: Conservatism, trust, reliability, solidity;
Red: Action, revolution, blood, passion, aggression;
Green: Nature, peacefulness, serenity, health;
Pink: Femininity, romance, youthfulness ... and so on.

It will quickly become obvious to you what colours suit your niche.

Use a maximum of three colours in your logo, so you save on printing costs and it doesn't look to jazzy.

Tip: examine it in black and white as well. Does it still look good? Many clients may only see it on a photocopy. It should still 'work'.

It’s advisable to stick to no more than three colours in your logo and to always look at it in one, two, and three-colour options. You should be able to blow it up or reduce it in size and it still looks good.  It should be easy to copy.

The font should also match your niche. If you are making car parts then a calligraphic logo would look ridiculous.

- Use a professional designer. Don't let you niece or local 'graphic designer' have a bash at your logo. The results will make you look like an amateur and damage your image before you've even made a proposal.

- Use bold lines and simple shapes. Get multiple versions done. What looks good on your PC might be smudged or broken on a t-shirt.

Avoid anything trendy. Fashions come and go. If you follow them too closely, you will 'date' your company very quickly.

- Conclusion: look at your niche, decide what image symbolises your project, choose a base representative colour and keep - it - simple!

Related: Rebranding Registered Address