Why is it so hard to fall in love with a logo? I’ve designed countless logos for clients over the years and there’s usually the normal decision-making process. For the most part I’m impartial to any logo I present and generally just want the client to be happy…and make a quick decision. But only when it comes to making a logo for myself am I reminded how difficult making that logo decision can be.Picking a logo is like picking a name for a child. You want it to be cool, but not trendy. Timeless, but not old-fashioned. Unique, but not too different. Yes, you can redesign later on (easier than changing a name), but still you’re deciding on something that will be the face of your business.This decision is harder if you’re not sure what you want in a logo. And you’re not sure what you want in a logo if you’re not sure of who your company is and who you’re trying to attract.Getting back to why it’s so hard to pick one for myself, I think I put too much pressure on the decision. As a designer, it’s even more important to have a great logo so it’s a longer process. Picasso once said that he never finished a painting, he just stops working on it. That’s how I feel when I am doing a logo, or really when I’m doing anything creative.
Once you decide on a logo, you don’t want to have to redesign it later on. So putting the work and effort into getting it right early is worth the time (and agony) in getting it right. And you don’t want to go through the dreaded “I’ll know when I see it” phase. So to avoid that, and make the decision easier, here are some suggestions.
KNOW WHO YOU ARE
The brand is a reflections of your company. Know your story or theme. Have a “tone.” For example, Volvo has a “safety” theme. So the tone is solid, secure…safe. When you match up who you think you are it’s easier to find the right words you want to describe what your logo should be.
KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE
You also want to understand the audience that you’re trying to attract. The logo is something to attract somebody. To attract an audience it has to feel relevant to them. Sort of like someone they’d want to hang out with. What are the other brands your target audience engages with that they already have a comfort level with? It’s good to study these as well.
BE YOURSELF
Some of the things you want to avoid in a logo are obviously copying another logo. I’ve seen blatant examples of logos that are copied or eerily familiar. You also want to avoid looking dated or worse, ClipArtish, and when I say ClipArtish is what I mentioned earlier about buying a logo offline that is one size fits all or that doesn’t really fit who you are or who you want to be and is hastily decided on.
ASSIGNING A LOGO
If you’re looking for a designer to do your logo you’re going to want to arm them with a very good brief to save you time and money in revisions. What should go on the logo assignment brief? When I’m assigning a logo, I try to have a very detailed account of what I do and who I’m trying to serve. As I mentioned earlier, it’s very helpful to understand that. The second thing I like to do is make a list of words that describe the tone I want for the logo… traditional, classic, playful. The other thing I do is include samples of logos that I like. I just throw in samples and make the designer think about why I like each one. I actually write a description. Here’s what I like about this logo. Because it might not be that I like the logo, but I just like the way it works as far as conveying a feeling and conveying a sense of who the company is.
The other thing I like to include in the assignment is maybe some sketches, Even if you’re not a professional artist. I recently did a logo for a company and I’d like to say that the idea came from the CEO himself, who is a software developer, but he actually drew it with his hand to show me – to demonstrate what he was thinking. Once I saw that, it clicked. Even if you’re not an artist, sketch what’s in your head. Often times what’s in your head the first time is the right thing. That’s pretty much what I include in an assignment for a logo.
Ultimately, you have to be happy with your logo. This is the face of your company, as I mentioned earlier and you have to live with it. This is something that not only you should be proud of but your employees should be proud of. That’s why it’s important to go through this process and not just pick a logo randomly.
That’s why it’s okay if you’re not in love with it right away. It is a process and it does take time. When it happens, I imagine it’s like when you fall in love for real. There’s hope and promise for a long future together, and in the case of a company, a very profitable one.
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