Don’t cut corners on the core of your business identity.
By Roy Harryman • Principal, Roy Harryman Marketing Communications
And now, a word about logos.
I am not a graphic designer, although I dabble in the trade when asked. I’ve been designing publications, brochures, posters and business cards for a few decades. But one thing I don’t – and won’t design – is a logo.
Why is that?
I don’t have the chops.
“There’s a lot at stake in a logo. Much more than meets the eye.”
This is why a logo, like many specialized tasks (HVAC, business taxes, network security) should be left to professionals. It may seem like a “soft” science. Maybe it is. But it still matters to your business.
Modern logos are distant relatives of cattle branding (which is still done, though in diverse ways). In the Old West, a hot iron left an impression on a cow that said, “Triple Bar Ranch.” This kept your livestock from getting confused with those belonging to others. Without it, how would you tell whose cow was whose?
Our purposes today are different, but the concept is similar. The logo has been substituted for a hot iron. Your icon is placed on storefronts, stickers, clothing, billboards, social media, your website … and on and on.
It not only designates origin, but projects excellence, uniqueness and even status. Call it crazy, but (some) people pay hundreds of dollars for a torn, white t-shirt with a logo on it.
Why logos matter
How big is a logo? Well, that depends on a lot of things. It’s less than an inch wide on your business card. Put it on a billboard and it’s a lot bigger. On the side of a building, it’s massive. The fact that it will represent your company ubiquitously in ways large and small should be the first thing to give you pause.
The second factor is the weight a logo carries. One small (or large) mark is intended to convey the essence of your entire business. That’s a lot of responsibility for a symbol.
And a logo will undoubtedly be part of a prospect’s first impression of your business. Will that impression be positive or negative?
The purpose of a logo is to provide an instant, memorable, visually pleasing representation of your brand. Most non-designers do not have the skills to pull this off. And I include myself in this disqualification.
Your logo can be placed almost anywhere. Make a strong impression. (Note: This bicep is not mine and it’s also not endorsed by Microsoft.)
The science behind visual brand identity
There is far more to the science of logo design than whether we like the logo personally. After all, the logo isn’t for you, it’s for your customers and prospects, right? I’ve yet to see a logo created on the cheap that’s turned out well. It looks like someone created a logo on the cheap.
Logos require a knowledge of typography – a science in and of itself. They also require an understanding of the science of color. Yes I said science. A color is not merely a matter of subjective preferences (“I love red!”). Colors communicate information to our brains consciously and subconsciously:
Green communicates environmental preservation and organic practices.
Blue is the color of many financial institutions because it communicates stability.
Yellow is the color of warning signs on highways.
Red is the traditional “look out!” color of fire engines.
There’s a reason traffic signs aren’t pink, day care centers aren’t painted black and women’s brands often (but not always) use pastels. But this knowledge is not intuitive.
In addition, the color of the logo should complement any color scheme your already have. If your store, for example, is yellow, then your logo should complement it, not clash.
There are infamous stories about governments and corporations spending six figures and more on logos. Sometimes this expenditure may have been justified. Rest assured, however, that spending this amount is not necessary for a small business.
I hesitate to list specific prices here because the market fluctuates and there are so many “it depends” factors. But your cost – depending on exactly what you’re asking for – can run from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars. And of course you can pay an outrageous amount for anything if you want.
“Just remember, you are paying for a distinct representation of your brand that will be displayed on objects ranging from a pen to a billboard. How much is that worth to you?”
If you have to choose between using a free, do-it-yourself logo maker and having no logo, my counsel would be to skip the logo until you have the money. You can certainly do business without a logo, and it’s better to wait than to promote yourself with half-baked clip-art.
The goal should be that your brand’s visual identity represents and complements the excellence of your core business. And no less.
Roy Harryman doesn’t design logos, but he collaborates with talented designers who create memorable visual branding for small businesses as part of the overall business branding process.