On Image: From logo to legend in 10 simple steps

Think of any large company, and
I’ll bet you can picture its logo. It seems like they must have been
born with it, but they weren’t.

Think of any large company, and I’ll bet you can picture its logo. It seems like they must have been born with it, but they weren’t.

Every logo had to start somewhere. And you can start building recognition right now that will continue for years when you create a strong visual brand.

A good logo will be visually captivating, and will tell people what your company does and what it stands for. Then you can carry that logo onto just about everything that leaves your office, from flyers, to business cards, stationery, shipping cartons, invoices … on anything your customers see.

So how do you go about creating this masterpiece? 

First of all, you don’t want to overload the eye with too much “busy.” A smart combination of symbol, colour, and positive and negative space are key. This is a case where “less is more.” Play around with a few designs, try different colour schemes … before you know it, you’ll have the right look.

Here are 10 tips to get you started:

• Keep it simple, yet sophisticated. 
• Graphics should be bold and distinctive. Stay away from thin lines – they’re hard to see.
• Not too tall – and not too wide. 
• Don’t go for a trendy look – or an old-fashioned look, either. You’re going for timeless.
• It needs to look balanced. 
• Remember, you’re going to be putting this logo on every piece of your business. Make sure it will work for everything from an envelope to a banner.
• Pick a logo that will transfer easily from colour to black and white. 
• The graphic has to relate to your type of business, and also has to work well with the name of your business. It’s a whole look you’re going for.
• The logo also should tell people what your business does. Graphics are great, but not if they leave your target market guessing.
• Choose an appropriate font for your business. There are thousands to pick from – just find the right fit.

And here’s a bonus tip:  When you are set on a colour – or colours – make sure you keep note of the ink formula. That special blend of inks has its own PMS number, and that’s what your printer will need. That way, all your print jobs have the same great colour you love – and your logo will be consistently beautiful on every print job!

Designing your winning logo is only the first step in pulling together your visual brand. Now you need a good tag line. And a memorable tag line is just as important as the logo. It puts the finishing touch on your mini ad to anyone who sees it.

Karen Saunders is the author of the award winning e-book, “Turn Eye Appeal into Buy Appeal:  How to easily transform your marketing pieces into dazzling, persuasive sales tools!” available at www.BuyAppealMarketing.com. Since founding MacGraphics Services in 1990, Karen has produced thousands of successful marketing projects and has designed the covers of 21 books that have become best-sellers or won awards, including a “Writer’s Digest” Grand Prize winner for the best self-published book in America.  Contact her at 888-796-7300, or Karen@macgraphics.net .