If you are a small or medium size business looking at commissioning a new logo design there are a few things worth considering.
If you already have an existing logo design you may want to consider how well recognised it is. If it is already quite well known it may be worth considering evolving your existing logo rather than starting from scratch. This can bring your logo up to date whilst still retaining its recognition. There are different ways this can be done from using more modern typography to refining the image/icon if your logo has one.
If you are looking to commission a new logo try to get a clear picture in your head what you would like the logo design to portray. A questionnaire can be helpful to help you decide what you want. Take a look at the Roskell Design logo questionnaire which may help you clarify your logo design requirements.
A logo design can give a good first impression of a company and can create perceptions of a business. For example a small company which has a well designed logo can (if they wish) portray the impression of being a larger enterprise. This can also work the other way round if a large company deliberately wants to appear a smaller friendlier company.
If you do want to commission a logo design, make sure you use a reputable designer and be wary of designers offering cheap logos. A reputable designer will spend time thinking about your design individually, your logo design will be tailored specially towards your company. I have recently heard a horror story from a fellow freelance designer who took over design work from a company that had previously commissioned a cheap logo designer. The logo designer had used bits of clip art to create their logo which he had also used on other local company logos. It was only after the company had had their logo printed on all their stationery and vehicles that this was discovered. What was first considered a cheap logo had turned into an expensive mistake.
Your logo design will appear on all your literature, stationery and livery so its well worth making sure it’s right for your company.
The logo is one of the most important elements of a brand; perhaps it is the most important after the product or service itself. Consumers, or the target market, know the brad by the logo, and the more they see the logo they more they will buy the product or service. When companies change their logos, the target market cannot keep up. When the marketing concept gets to complicated, the result is usually failure. Good logos express the brand simply and effectively, and remind the consumer of the brands consistency and likeability. By the logo staying the same over the years it anchors the target market to the brand even as improvements occur.