It's no secret that attention spans are short nowadays. This is especially true when it comes to consumers. It is said that as a business, you have around two seconds to convince a potential consumer that your products are worth their attention. And what will they be looking at to determine if your company is worth their attention? Your logo of course. Logo's are the best way to quickly grab the attention of potential customers and give them an idea of what and who you are as a business. If this is done in the right way, it can help draw in new consumers, and encourage brand recognition. If you are not yet convinced, keep reading to find out more about why logos are especially important for small businesses.
Introducing Yourself to Customers
Your logo is going to be the first impression you give to your customers. A well-designed logo can help get people interested in your company. It will be the first thing people see on your brick and mortar storefronts, on the homepage of your website, on any online advertising you use, and on the packaging of your products. It will become the all-encompassing symbol for what you have to offer potential customers. Therefore, it needs to be something that makes sense for your brand. For example, if you see a logo that incorporates the shape of lips in the design, you can safely assume that the company likely sells makeup. Or, if you see the use of a lotus flower, you may assume it belongs to a wellness company. Make sure your logo gives people a glimpse into what you do and who you are as a brand.
Creating Your Logo
There are several different ways to go about creating your logo. You can use an online logo maker or you can hire a graphic designer to help guide you. If you are a smaller start-up, using a logo maker is a great option as they are usually free and include unique design tools to help you make a logo that will represent your company perfectly.
When it comes to choosing a design, it can be helpful to start with a symbol that represents what you do in an obvious way. For example, this would be something like a rose for a florist or a slice of pizza for a pizza restaurant. Then you can begin to differentiate your logo with unique design elements. This way you can easily get your point across while simultaneously setting your business apart from others. This is what makes a logo effective and identifiable.
Then you will also want to include the name of your business in the design of your logo. This is important for small businesses or anyone who is using a new logo. This is called a combination mark.
Choosing a Type of Logo
When it comes to choosing your logo, there are five different types of logos that you can use to represent your business. All of them can be equally effective if executed properly. They can incorporate your company's name, or a recognizable symbol. Here are the five different logos that you can use:
Wordmark: A wordmark is a logo that uses the company's name as a standalone symbol. It doesn't include any imagery outside of the word or words. Examples of companies that use a wordmark as their logo would be Coca-Cola or FedEx.
Lettermark: Similar to the wordmark, a lettermark includes only one letter or abbreviation to represent the company. Examples of this include the double C logo that Chanel uses or the single A that Adobe uses.
Symbol: This type of logo only includes an image or symbol to represent the company. There are no words or letters included in these logos. The Nike swoosh or the Mac apple are good examples of this.
Emblem: This logo includes a word, letter, or symbol that fits within a specific shape or design that is essential to the layout of the logo. Sports leagues often use this style. You can see this style in the NFL or NHL logos.
Combination Mark: A combination mark contains a symbol and a wordmark, or a letter and a wordmark. Adidas and Dunkin' Donuts use combination marks in their logos.
Many start-up or new companies prefer to use a logo that includes some portion of their name to help consumers identify their symbols early on. Many larger companies that once used a combination mark drop the words in their logo to eventually just include their symbol once it is more easily recognized.
Being Identifiable to Return Customers
In addition to your logo being your introduction to new potential customers, it is also what will help to bring previous customers back to your brand time and time again. It has been proven that easily identifiable logos help foster brand loyalty by creating repeat customers. Consumers often value companies that they perceive as trustworthy and accessible. If someone has had a good experience with your brand in the past, they are more likely to seek you out for purchases in the future since they now view you as trustworthy. And the way that they do this is by looking for your easily identifiable logo.
Additionally, your logo is what people will look for when seeking out communications from your brand. They will notice it on your social media accounts, on your website, and on advertisements. Use this to your advantage by utilizing your logo when announcing new product releases or discounts.
Create Your Logo Today
All businesses, regardless of size, can and should benefit from the use of an expertly designed logo. Logo's help your customers create connections to your brand. This helps not only to bring back repeat customers but can also help you draw in new ones. Make sure you are using a recognizable logo to represent your business.
