Have you created an official logo for your business? If so, yay, great for you! If not, it’s time to seriously think about one. I’ll be completely honest with you – I’m not a fan of DIY logos. So many people pay too little attention to their logos and try to get one the cheapest way possible. If your business is new and you don’t have the cash, I can understand being budget-conscious and taking some shortcuts, but really consider the importance of a logo and where its priority ranks next to the rest of your expenses. Lots of business owners say they have so many start-up expenses and it’s just not that important. I totally disagree. If you’ve gone without or DIY, at least do your brand a favor and go back and update later when you have some more cash and can work with a professional.
Do you realize that your logo is so much more than a cute little graphic and a way to display your name? It has the potential to create an emotional reaction in the mind of your customer. Affecting emotions is the way to get people to buy from you. If they subconsciously don’t like your logo, they’re going to subconsciously not want to buy from you. Whether or not you know it, or believe it, we are influenced by what we see. When the first representation of your business is your logo, shouldn’t you be investing in it?
Professionals who design logos (at least the good ones) are trained to analyze the impact your logo has on the audience. Make sure you work with a logo designer who knows marketing. Not all pretty logos are good logos.
I encourage you to take a few minutes and study your logo. You spent valuable time designing it, but don’t let that stop you from looking at it objectively. I see so many clients make choices about their logos because they feel a personal connection to it: Purple is my favorite color, I love to look at pretty flowers, or my favorite, My family convinced me this one was best. Ok, it’s great your family is supporting you, but are they your ideal customer? (I’m not saying it’s bad to choose your favorite colors, just be sure your ideal customer would also like those colors.)
It doesn’t matter what your family or your best friend thinks, or what your personal interests outside of your business are. What matters is what your CUSTOMER thinks when they see your logo. Does your logo represent something that’s special and important to you? If so, is it also special and important to your customer? Who does your logo appeal to? You and your family, or your ideal customer? Think about making some tweaks. The best logos are ones that can be tweaked and modified over time. Think about big brands like Pepsi, Coke, etc. Their logos have been updated to current styles, but still have the same general look as they originally had.
Is it time to update? I want to hear from you. Leave a comment below and let me know how you chose your logo. Need some help updating or creating yours? The design team at Ekcetera may be a perfect fit – contact us to get started.
