Weather you are starting a new business or you already have one, your logo is truly the emblematic agent that represents your business attributes.  Through the use of shape, fonts, colour, and /or images, your logo should inspire trust and recognition for your business or product.

1-Your logo must be describable and memorable. Having a well-designed logo that represents your business, not only gives you recognition but, also, provides a powerful and instant image of whom you are to the outside world.  Having a remarkable logo also reflects the professionalism and trustworthiness of your business which provides a solid foundation for your brand and a big advantage over your competition.

2- Use an appropriate font . There’s millions of fonts available that you can use, so don’t make the mistake of using basic common fonts such as Times, Arial, or Helvetica like most start up companies do.  On the other hand don’t over do it either with crazy unrelated fonts or with script fonts that you cannot read.  Make sure that the font you choose is readable. It is also important that each letter is well balanced with the others because sometimes some letters don’t jive well together. You can download fonts for free by searching “Free Fonts” on Google. There are many websites that you can sample the fonts by entering the name of your company to  see how it looks. Also, make sure that the font is readable when you go very small  because sometimes you will need your logo to be just an inch.

3- Integrate a catchy tagline with your logo. Although not necessary, using a catchy tagline or slogan with your logo adds extra information that defines who you are. It also helps your company become memorable which can make you stand out among your competitors. Even though a tagline evolves with time, it should reveal your companies best attributes.  Example: Nike uses “Just do it!”  McDonald’s uses ” I’m loving it ”

4- Be smart with your choice of colours. Using the right colour combination for your logo is an important part of your branding process.  Choose not more then two or three colours that are suitable to your industry.    Example : If you’re opening a SPA, don’t use dark colours or reds, use soothing light colours that represent cleanliness and serenity.  Don’t under estimate the power of colour. Your colour selection and the way you use it can totally “make” or “break” your overall branding strategy. And, it can make your logo look cheap.  Also, your logo must be effective with and without colour.  You must test to see how it looks in grey scale and  black/white.  Sometimes you will need to provide the grayscale version for  black/white print.

5- Your Logo must be scalable. Its important that your logo is just as effective small at an inch then big because you will be using it for different purposes.

When starting a new business you have to be at the forefront of your competition, you have to be better , smarter and effective at attracting your market. You need to look like you’ve been in  business for years and your image has to be flawless.

To design an effective logo that represents well a company takes skill and knowledge  it’s our job as designers to create an identity that will do its job. Unfortunately to many new business owners take it upon themselves to design their own logo, thinking that it will save them money but it the end, they fail miserably due to  a poor image they created for their business.

Check out our Portfolio for more logo design ideas

“Discover the secrets on how you can turn your corporate branding into a powerhouse.”

When you are starting a business, Corporate Branding is by far the most important piece of the puzzle. In fact, your branding strategy is critical to your business long-term success. A corporate brand is so much more then just a logo, it establishes your business relevance and credibility and determines how prospective customers perceive your business. A brand is also the uniform of your emblematic agent who represents the desired attributes of your company’s products, services, and initiatives that visually communicates to your market who you are, what you do, and how you do it.

These 10 strategies will help you lay the right foundation to turn your corporate branding into a powerhouse.

1- Choose a company name that is relevant to your business. Your business name should define the nature of your business and should be self-explanatory. Choose wisely as it will stick around forever.

2- Understand your target market and your customers. If you want to build a brand that effectively targets the right market, you must know whom you are targeting, as well as who your customers are. This step is crucial and must be well defined otherwise the market you wish to target with your brand, might not be the one you attract.

3- Set yourself apart from your competitors. Competition is fierce. Knowing your business offerings and understanding your competitions will help you to differentiate yourself and to position your business on the market.

4-Write a powerful mission statement. A mission statement reinforces and defines a company’s core values and commitments. Keep it clear, simple and short. Focus on “What you can be” rather than “what you want to be.” Your brand should reflect your mission statement.

5- Create a professional logo that represents your business. A well-designed logo not only gives recognition but, also, provides a powerful and instant image of whom you are to the outside world. It’s truly the emblematic agent that represents your business attributes. Having a remarkable logo that reflects the professionalism and trustworthiness of your business will definitely give you a solid foundation for your branding with a clear advantage over your competition.

6- Integrate a catchy tagline with your logo. Using a catchy tagline or slogan with your logo adds extra information that define who you are. It also helps your company stand out among your competitor. Although a tagline evolves with time, it should reveal your companies best attributes.

7- Choose a colour scheme that suits your industry. Choosing the right colours for your identity is an important part of the brand process. Don’t underestimate the power of colours, your colour selection can totally “make” or “break” your overall branding strategy.
8- Be consistent with the usage of your corporate brand identity. To build strong brand recognition, you must remain consistent with the usage of your logo, colours, and tagline by standardizing all marketing materials, signage, website, and other projects. Even your phone mannerisms and your customer service must reflect your brand so that customers can have a consistent experience and build trust in you. Too many companies neglect to put this point into practice showing clients a lack of quality, consistency, and professionalism.
9-Never compromise your branding to save money. The most common mistake new entrepreneurs make is to believe they can save money by creating their own branding or having a friend of a friend create it for them. Of course, you can save money by doing it yourself, but if don’t have the skills required to create an effective brand this will translate into a loss of sales. Corporate branding should be the core of your initial investment because laying the right foundation to build you brand right the first time can mean the difference between “failure” or “success.”

10- Monitor, refine, and maintain your Corporate ID. Branding is not a one time deal, it’s an ongoing process to keep up with your market’s expectations. After being launched, your branding and marketing communications must be continually monitored and refined to ensure that your message resonates with your market at all times. Entrepreneurs that understand this concept and whom evolve with their market’s demands will be the ones that survive and prosper.

As you can see corporate branding is more then just a logo and when you’ve successfully built an effective corporate brand, it can only translate to more business for you.