5 Tips for Designing Your Logo by @skleberdesign

by Stacy Kleber Jensen | Featured Contributor

Your logo is one of your most important brand assets. It is your first impression, and how people will eventually start to identify you in every aspect of your advertising – from your website to your social media accounts to your brick and mortar store.

With that said, designing your logo can be a stressful process, but it doesn’t have to be.  Here are 5 tips to help make designing your logo a more successful process.

Tip 1: Audience first.

Your logo should represent your brand, and that brand needs to appeal to the audience it is trying to connect with. You should always keep that in mind when making brand and logo decisions.

If your audience is a 6 year old girl, then your logo might be pink, even if pink isn’t your favorite color. Put your own feelings aside and try to see through the eyes of the people you are appealing to.

Tip 2: Keep it simple.

Your logo should work well at every size, as you will likely use it on a variety of materials. It needs to read well as small as 1 inch on a business card, and as large as 3 or 4 feet on a sign.

With this in mind, the best tactic is to keep it simple. While large amounts of detail may look wonderful on your screen, much of this will be lost when the logo is shrunk down to a small size.

This does not mean your logo can’t be smart and complex in its message.  Take FedEx as a wonderful example of this. The logo is simple and works well on every surface, from a business card to a truck, yet the hidden arrow in the logo is brilliant.

Tip 3: View it in one color.

I see so many beautiful logos out today that simply can not be printed in one color due to all the gradients and complex patterns. They look wonderful on screen, but fall apart when they are translated to collateral.

You should always make sure your logo works in one color.  This does not mean greyscale.  This means black or white.  If your logo works in one color, you can rest assured that you won’t run in to issues when printing on collateral such as pens, balloons, notebooks, etc.

Tip 4: Get an eps file.

When a logo is delivered, the designer should offer you a variety of files – jpeg for print, png for web, greyscale, one color, etc. Make sure that when they deliver, they offer you a vector eps as well.

The vector eps is the only file that will be able to be scaled infinitely without losing quality. The eps will also be what any designer will ask for in the future, should you change agencies or use different companies for your design work.

Tip 5: Be wary of trends.

While you should definitely consider what the current design trends are, particularly if you are dealing with certain audiences such as technology enthusiasts or teens, you should also make sure you aren’t be ruled by the trends. Trendy designs will have a much shorter shelf life than a logo that is built to last using more classic design standards. You want your logo to last for a few years before you need to invest in rebranding again.

These 5 tips will help you when you decide to invest in your first logo, or even in a new logo for your business.  Has anyone out there been through a similar experience? What tips would you give?

——————————————————————-

Stacy Kleber Jensen (Washington, DC) – Founder and Chief Creative Officer of the graphic design studio, Stacy Kleber Design, LLC

Stacy Kleber Jensen is the Founder and Chief Creative Officer of Stacy Kleber Design, LLC (www.skleber.com).  She is a graduate of the University of Delaware with a BFA in Visual Communications and a concentration in Graphic Design. Stacy is currently attending the Johns Hopkins Carey Business School to obtain a Masters of Science in Marketing.

Stacy founded her graphic design studio, Stacy Kleber Design, LLC, in 2008. Since its humble beginnings, Stacy Kleber Design, LLC has grown to specialize in branding and design for growing businesses and start-ups. Projects range from logo design and business collateral (business cards, stationery, etc) to websites and social media assistance. The greatest part of owning Stacy Kleber Design, LLC is helping businesses to establish their brand and their identity as a company, as well as find their voice in an ever changing digital world.

Notable clients include ASRC Federal Holding Corporation, Marriott OceanWatch Villas, Myrtle Beach International Airport, Horry-Georgetown Technical College

Please connect with Stacy on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Pinterest.

Stacy Kleber Jensen