Is Your Logo Helping or Hurting Your Business?
By Nathan Cain
The
quality of your logo can mean the difference between success or failure. It
can be that simple!
Trademarks and Logos make up the
most international language in the world. An excellent logo can cross many barriers
and provide your organization with a means of delivering to your customers an
unequivocal and uniform message.
Every successful company has its
own "personality," and just as human personalities are complex, so
too is your company's personality. A successful logo is a means of condensing
a complex reality into a single, simple statement, one that can be controlled,
modified, developed and matured over time.
Your logo needs to be much more
than just a distinguishing mark for your company. It must be an indication of
quality, value, and reliability.
Does your logo do these things successfully?:
• IDENTIFY your company, product,
or service.
• DIFFERENTIATE it from the
mass of other
similar companies.
• COMMUNICATE information
as to your products
value and quality.
• ADD VALUE by causing you
to provide a quality service in order to maintain your company's reputation.
• REPRESENT potentially valuable
assets. When people see your logo, can they tell by the design that your product
or service is of high quality.
If your logo doesn't do these things,
then you might
need to update it, possibly seeking professional
advice.
Is your logo design really that
important?
It is extremely important! Your
logo is a part of the
foundation on which you build your brand. Especially since the recent explosion
of Internet businesses, but even before that, consumers have an overwhelming
variety of choices. Chances are that whatever you are selling, there is something
similar to it available. Chances are there is someone in direct competition
with you right now. Yes, there are very few products that are shielded from
direct competition because of a patent or for some other reason.
It is because of this that much
of your efforts in
marketing and branding should be concentrated on
building a distinctive and differentiated "brand
personality" for your company.
Take the success of Coca-Cola and
Pepsi-Cola. There is some difference between these two products, but this difference
is very subtle. Plus, there are hundreds of other brands of cola on the market.
Even so, these two brands, Coke and Pepsi, are able to dominate the world wide
cola market. What is the main factor for their success? It is the strength and
appeal of their brands.
And what is the foundation for their
brands?
It is their powerful Logos!
Your logo is the means by which
you can distinguish
your products and services and therefore serve both your needs and the needs
of your customers.
Ok, so what are the TOP 5 components
that make up an excellent logo?
1) Long lasting style.
It is often tempting to adopt a
design that looks
really cool at the time but that can become outdated
very quickly. This leads to the logo being constantly
changed. Your logo designer should resist the urge to change your logo unless
it is really necessary. It is only after consumers frequently see your logo
that
people may start to notice it. (Sometimes this is after you are already bored
with it)
2) Distinctiveness.
It is interesting to note that many
new companies adopt logo styles that are very similar to everyone else's. Don't
go overboard though, your designer should be sensitive to cultural norms. A
really wacko design wouldn't do well in funeral home. However, you should still
seek distinctiveness.
3) Appealing to consumers.
Your logo must be appealing to those
who aren't
affiliated with your company. This means you must
test your logo. Show it to your customers and see what they think. Ask them
what emotions it evokes in them.
4) Conveys the right image.
What image are you trying to get
across to your
customers? Corporate? Upscale? Franchise looking?
5) Legibility
No matter what you do, if people
don't understand your logo, then it will be ineffective. Who are you trying
to target? Where are you going to be displaying your logo other than your web
site? Will it be on your letterhead, business cards, auto signs? Does your logo
put out the same message no matter where it is displayed.
In conclusion, your logo is central
to your company's "personality". Even if your company has a great
personality, if your logo doesn't convey that, then people may get the wrong
idea and never do business with you. Within your logo and company name is held
all of your investments, because it is this clear, identifiable aspect of your
brand that the consumer uses in selecting your company or purchasing your products. About the Author
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The author, Nathan Cain has more ideas that will help your business marketing
efforts. Visit his promotional products web site at http://www.Web-Magnets.com
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