A logo may be a small thing but if you make it memorable in a customer's mind, it is you that will stick in their mind when they're looking for your product / service and not your competitors, so how do you ensure you get the right one for your company?
We believe that there are four main questions you must ask yourself when considering design, in order to ensure you get the right logo for you?
Is the logo design you're considering distinctive enough?
Is it right for your company?
Is the message your logo is trying to portray clear?
Is it too “funky”? - Will it be outdated by next year?
After you have decided on the basic design, you now need to cosnider colour. Why? Because whilst it is nice to have a colourful logo, it is important to remember one thing, if it doesn’t look good in black and white then there is no point in having it. You may be thinking you don’t want it in black and white and you probably won’t the majority of the time, but think about the times you need to fax or photocopy something with your logo on. If people can’t see your logo they aren’t going to think too highly of you.
Alongside it is important to think where you want this logo. If the logo is only going to be seen on the internet you have more freedom with colours and effects such as bevelled edges and drop shadows, however once you want it put on paper, then the issue arises, firstly of whether it is reproducible on paper and secondly if it is how much it will cost.
How do you ensure it is suitable for printing? The best way to ensure this is make sure you get a designer who will provides you with a CMYK version and / or a spot / Pantone colour version. CMYK means that the design is broken down into four standard colours - Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black, Pantone is where the design is broken down into three colours or less. Both of these will allow the design to be achievable in many different media types, but Pantone will always be more consistent.
Michelle Penny is a graphic designer with Grounded Vertigo (www.groundedvertigo.co.uk) , a design agency specialising in web and graphic design for small businesses. |
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