The logo of your company is the face that consumers will associate with your brand. This makes it a crucial part of your business image. Unfortunately, business owners sometimes fail to choose or design a logo that effectively promotes their brand and company message. Here are some of the biggest mistakes that companies make when choosing a logo design, and how you can avoid them.
Your Design is too Complex
If the design of your logo is too complex, it loses its effectiveness. While people may focus on it longer in an effort to understand it, a complex logo is not as effective when used on billboards or in television commercials where it may only be seen for a few seconds. An overly-complex logo also is difficult to incorporate into marketing campaigns, frequently distracting from the message.
The Design Isn’t Memorable
This can be caused by the design being too complex or too simple, possibly a result of being unsure of what you want from your logo in the first place. It could even be an issue of your message not appealing to the target audience. Regardless, if your design doesn’t hold a place in someone’s mind, it won’t result in any sales.
It’s too Pretty
When the focus of your design is the appearance of the logo, rather than the message and how it communicates to your target market, your logo becomes ineffective. Think about the logos for Harley-Davidson, or Toys “R” Us. They effectively send a message without invoking a pretty visual. The Harley-Davidson logo focuses on a “cool” appearance that is associated with owning a motorcycle while the backward “R” in Toys “R” Us sends a childish message associated with fun.
The Background Adds Clutter
An effective logo should be able to stand out against a black or white background. When you add patterns, textures, or even other images behind your logo, it can make the final result cluttered, confusing and in the end, ineffective.
The Logo Isn’t Unified
Every element of your logo design should work together to send a message about your company. You can use more than one element, such as text and a symbol or character. However, if you do use more than one element in your logo design, they need to be incorporated in a way that unites the message as a whole — each part needs to contribute something to the same message.
The Font Is Hard to Read
The idea of decorative or fancy fonts can be very appealing to some. However, when the font is too decorative, it becomes difficult to read. This will cause the same problem as an overly-complex design—it is impossible to recognize the logo when it is flashed for a few seconds on a billboard or a television screen.
How to Avoid These Mistakes
If you are designing the logo yourself, then you should evaluate your logo with the common mistakes listed in this article in mind. If you don’t believe these are the problem, search for other elements on the Internet that you may be missing. Consider asking a professional graphic designer to look over what you have so far or consult with a service like Quality Sign Designer, who can help you every step of the way right up to printing. Be sure to include information on the message you are trying to communicate and the elements that you would like to use.
If you are designing your company logo with the help of a logo design company, then the most important tool in your arsenal is communication. Before choosing a company, write out a brief of what you need your logo to communicate. You should also include information on your competitors and their messages, so the designer you choose knows what your logo must compare against. Finally, be clear with your budget. Having clear communication with your logo designer is essential if you want the final product to be just right.
Lautaro Martinez is a freelance writer and professional student who contributes articles and advice on a variety of topics affecting the business community and the challenges of the small business operator.