Logos
and More: Designing the "Look" of Your Business
by Terri Lonier
It's one of the most fun -- yet challenging
-- tasks of your starting your new business. Once you've
named your company, how do you decide
on the right "look"?
When creating a visual identity for your company, the options
for design and color can be overwhelming. And if you don't
have a background in design, you can spend a lot of money
fast, and end up with a graphic identity that doesn't serve
you well in the long run.
Here are some tips to keep in mind, based
on my background in the arts and my experience working with
some of the top designers in the country.
1. Recognize that your graphic
identity is an investment.
The old saw about making a first
impression is even more on-point in our era of information
overload. Nothing brands a company as "homemade"
more quickly than graphics based on clip art or executed by
a novice. You need to build trust in your customers, and that
begins with giving them confidence that your business is a
professional undertaking.
2. Get it right the first time.
From the moment you start using
a company name and its related graphics, you begin to build
equity in your firm. It's a waste of time, energy, and money
to change your entire graphic look after a year or so in business.
Rather, take the time to think through what identity you would
like to project, and use it as soon as you can out of the
starting gate.
3. Start a "swipe"
file.
How do you get the inspiration for
the graphic "look" for your company? It's generally
not out of thin air, although many designers may like you
to think that it is. I strongly encourage soloists to begin
collecting examples of graphic styles and logos that they
like -- even if you can't exactly put into words why they
appeal to you. Is there a logo that has clean lines and a
modern sensibility that appeals? Or are you more drawn to
sepia coloring and an antique look? Tear out examples from
magazines, save mailing pieces that come via snail mail, and
bookmark sites and images on the Web. These will all come
in handy when you do the next step, which is...
4. Turn to the professionals.
Surgeons aren't allowed to operate on family members, and
soloists shouldn't design their own logos. There are hundreds
of thousands of graphic designers, and their talent can help you communicate in ways that words never can.
Many are solo professionals like yourself.
Your
swipe file will help you communicate your thinking and preferences
to the design team. In fact, going through the process of
creating a logo often helps you clarify important business
elements, such as your target audience and the variety of
places and purposes for which your logo will be used.
5. Get a reality check.
Before you sign off on your new graphic identity, be
sure to solicit feedback from peers and, if possible, some
customers. While it may be satisfying that you find the logo
and visual imagery strong and appealing, if it doesn't pull
its weight in the marketing arena, it's not a good investment.
6. Use your new graphic identity with
consistency.
There's a reason that many large companies devote significant
sums of money to creating graphic standards identity programs
-- specific guidelines about how a company's logo, graphics,
tagline, colors, and trademarks may be used. They recognize
that a brand builds over time, and that a company's graphic
identity is an integral part of communicating that brand.
So you'll never see the Coca-Cola logo in anything but that
distinctive bright cherry red. And the bite out of the apple
is always on the right side of the Apple Computer logo, and
the typeface is always Garamond in their printed materials.
Your budget may not be as large, but you can mimic these strategies
to maximize your impact by using your graphic identity with
consistency.
Copyright 1997-2008 Terri Lonier. All
rights reserved.
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