Logo Design 101 for Your Business

Last updated on December 13, 2015

Now that you have started your business, you have an idea, you have a name, and you have a plan; it is time to start thinking about how you will brand your business and how you will come across to your clients through your business logo. Are you going to try to create your logo on your own? Or are you going to hire a creative team to create and design a logo specifically for your company? Let’s go over a few things logos should and shouldn’t have as well as some design tips so that you can decide whether or not you want to create your logo yourself or hire some help.

Should

You should design your own logo if you feel confident in your design abilities.
You should ask those who work with you what they think about your designs.
You should get a lot of honest feedback from friends, family, and strangers.
You should get a professional logo designer if you are worried about your own personal abilities.

Shouldn’t

You should not simply draw a circle and type your business name inside.
You should not try to design your own logo if you have no experience with the Adobe design programs like InDesign, Illustrator, and Photoshop.
You should not design a logo by yourself without any other opinions to help you along.

Colors

The colors you choose for your logo is an extremely important decision, the colors you choose will carry specific meanings and even help you to communicate certain ideas to your clients. Bright vibrant color will grab you and pull you in and bring life to your logo, but solid darker colors can communicate professionalism, safety, and a grounded feeling.

Spacing

You can use the classically clever trick of using negative space in your logo. The classic example is that of the FedEx logo and its hidden arrow. Be aware of the negative space and what sort of shaped and images it is creating within your logo design.

Designs

Use a neat looking double entendre, this just means the logo conveys to ideas/pictures in one through some clever interpretation of an idea.
Avoid Clich design ideas. A circle divided into fourths with letters in each divide is one such clich.
Try to come up with something unique.

Keep Them Simple

Just because you are not a professional designer does not mean you can’t come up with an amazing looking design. If this description fits your abilities then the best advice you can heed are these simple words, keep it simple.

You will want to add your logo to your web design as well as all your business stationery so that your company name, look, and logo is officially branded into the minds of those you work with/for, your co-workers, and your clients. Remember the most important pieces of advice when designing a logo are as follows: