At 2nd Story, we’ve been helping businesses develop their brands for years and a big part of that has been creating logo designs. Several businesses have come to us after a failed attempt to design the logo themselves or to have one cheaply made. Designing a logo may seem like a simple task, but when not executed by a professional, the results will prove otherwise.
Here’s some of the most common mistakes we’ve seen in logo designs.
Too Complex
We’ve run into this problem a lot with business owners who want to say ALL THE THINGS about their business in one symbol. A logo is just an introduction to your business. Think of it like the cover to a book. You’re not telling the whole story, just giving your audience a hint of what’s to come.
Copycat
It’s good to look at your competitors’ branding, but only to see what’s been done. Don’t try to replicate someone else's branding. The point of having your own brand customized for you is to stand out and be identifiable.
Poor Type Selection
This is a common problem when someone has a really great graphic image they want to use for the logo, but then just selects a font at random to write out their business name. Font selection is a delicate art form and should not be an afterthought. It’s important to choose a font that compliments your design and represents your business well.
Too Much Detail
Logo designs should be clean, simple marks, not a Rembrandt painting. Look at some of the most identifiable logo designs like Nike or McDonalds. Minimalism is key in good branding. If you want someone to recognize your logo when they see it, they need to be able to digest it easily.
Doesn’t Fit Your Brand
Before diving into logo design, you need to identify the overall vibe of your business. Is it elegant or quirky? Playful or all business? Once you’ve established how you want to present your business, you can get a better idea of what kind of imagery and typography will best fit your brand. That way your audience will get an idea of what to expect from your business.
Too Cliche
It’s easy to go straight to the obvious choices when it comes to logo design. But if you want a brand that doesn’t get lost in the crowd, try venturing out into more original ideas. If you’re opening a bakery, maybe it’s not a cake. If you’re leading a church, maybe it’s not a cross. If you’re a handyman, maybe it’s not a hammer. Get creative.
Cheap Template
We realize you can go online and generate a logo in 5 minutes or less, but we think you’re better than that! Those kind of out-of-the-box templates use the same graphics for millions of businesses. And they aren’t going to give you expert advice on things like composition, color palettes or type treatment. And don’t even get us started on limited font selection! This is why you hire a pro.
So when it comes down to it, there’s a lot more to creating a logo than you might expect. And there are some places you shouldn’t cut corners. That’s why we are here to help! Your business is important to you and deserves a quality design. So contact us if you’re ready to take your business branding to the next level!
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