Your company’s logo might seem like a little thing, but it’s incredibly important. Just think about this: how do you normally identify a business? By their logo, of course – and not only that, but memorable logos are connected in your mind with how you feel about that business. Your logo is what people first look at when they come across your website or social media, and it’s the thing they will remember the most. That means your logo has to be eye-catching and evocative, and it has to look good printed on business cards, swag, and more. You need to know what format/design and colors to use, so you can make sure it is the perfect logo for your business.
First…
Think about your business’s values, what you offer that’s unique to you, and what your customers are looking for. Logos are the first piece of branding that a potential customer sees, and make the biggest impression on people.
With that said, you’ll next need to think about the format and design of your logo.
There are 3 basic forms of logos:
- The icon or symbol– With this type of logo, people won’t be able to tell right away what the company is about just by looking at it, but they will usually guess the name of the company. Think: Nike’s swoosh, Apple’s apple, or Shell’s gas station shell.
- The combination, or traditional mark– This kind of logo is one that has an illustration that includes the company’s name. Examples include KFC, UPS, or Harley Davidson logos.
- The wordmark, or the font-based logo– The main design element here is the manipulation of a font. This could mean using a unique font-face, pattern, or color. Examples are: Pepsi, Coca-Cola, SONY, or Google.
Make It Versatile
Logos need to work across a variety of media, so you should be able to scale them up or down, as well as be able to use them in print or on the web, without them losing their distinctive quality. So make sure that you use:
- The correct font on your logo designs, whether it is an iconic symbol or brand mark logo
- Symbols if possible
- A simple design that is easy to work with: if there are too many confusing fonts and colors, or if the logo is too complex, the viewers might receive a mixed message
Let’s Talk Colors
Once you’ve settled on a design, you’ll need to think about color. You might want to design a black and white logo first, and then experiment with different color combinations: leaving color until later on in the process can allow you to focus on the design of your logo itself, rather than on an element that’s usually much easier to change.
When choosing your colors, keep in mind that studies have shown that there are certain feelings connected to color, for example:
- Red can feel aggressive
- Orange is energetic, happy, exciting
- Yellow is friendly and cheerful
- Green is versatile, natural, and calm
- Blue is classic and creates a calming and cool feeling
- Purple can be mysterious or luxurious, depending on the shade
- Brown produces feelings of sadness, or stability and reliability
- Black can feel sleek and luxurious; it also exudes authority, power, and strength
- White is clean and minimalistic, as well as pure and innocent
- Gray is mature, timeless, and classic
- Pink is gentle but can border on aggressive, depending on the hue
Trademark Your Logo!
If you have come up with a design that will work for your company, make sure to get it trademarked so no one can accuse you of stealing it from them. The steps to do so are:
- Complete a trademark search to make sure yours does not already exist, or is not similar to existing ones.
- Secure your rights- Statewide protection can be approved by the Secretary of State in your state. National protection must be approved with a trademark from the USPTO.
- Submit an application at uspto.gov on the Trademark Electronic Application System (TEAS). Be sure to upload the file of your logo.
- Submit an “intent-to-use” form, stating how your logo will be used.
- Pay the fees- This can cost anywhere from $275–$660.
On average, you should receive your trademark six to nine months after filing your application.
Your logo is your brand, it is what people will see over and over again, and they will form an opinion about your agency based on it. Does it seem welcoming? Helpful? Take the time to make sure your logo is the best it can be with the tips above, so you can put your best foot forward.
While you think about your logo, and execute it, Benepath can help bring in some leads and commission to keep your business going. We offer exclusive read-to-buy leads – all you have to do is tell us when you are available to work with them. Benepath will provide you with better tools, more guidance, unsurpassed sales training, and techniques from the most successful agents and trainers in the industry, not to mention the best leads available! To get more information, fill out the form above, or call 866-368-0377.