I have a confession to make: I’m a logo design snob.
There, I said it. Now that the truth is out, let’s talk about logos and how to avoid a logo that’s nothing but cringe. The majority of logos are poorly executed but yours doesn’t have to be. In today’s blog, we’re going to talk about what takes a logo from ok to amazing and how that directly impacts your client acquisition and retention. Let’s get to it!
Why You Should Care About a Quality Logo – Real World Statistics
Did you know that logos have been in existence for over 5,000 years? 5,000! The ancient Egyptian craftsmen used them to brand stamp their work. Logos (aka brand stamps) continued being utilized by all sorts of cultures worldwide throughout history. Fast forward to 1876 and we find the first documentation of an officially trademarked logo, Bass Ale, still going strong and the best-selling premium bitter in the UK. If you’re a nerd for facts of this sort like me – Check out this article for more about the history of the logo here.
Ok, so logos have been around basically forever. Maybe you’re thinking – Big deal, right? Well, that’s exactly right, they ARE a big deal. A major deal in fact. I say this all the time (I’m sure my staff is sick of hearing this mantra) but the numbers do not lie.
Here are some statistics to consider if you’re thinking I’m full of sales lady bologna and logos don’t actually matter that much:
- Up to 60% of consumers avoid utilizing businesses with logos they see as being poorly executed, outdated or unprofessional. 60%! Ask yourself this: What would you do with 60% more business? How much more money would you make? The answer in a nutshell: a LOT.
- A professionally designed logo can increase brand recognition & recall by up to 80%!
- Your ideal clients remember logos 3.5 times than text only names. Consider this: If they can’t remember you, they can’t spend money with you and they certainly can’t refer their friends and colleagues to your business.
- Trust is key and a well-designed logo increases consumer trust by up to 40%. You work hard at what you do, but if people perceive you as untrustworthy, forget it. They absolutely will spend their hard-earned money with that competitor of yours who invested in a professionally designed logo.
- The human brain processes images 60,000 times faster than text! You have an average of 1-3 seconds to make an impression that lasts on your ideal client and are blowing it with that text only logo, or worse, no logo at all.
Circling back to what I said earlier – the numbers don’t lie. Logos are a powerful marketing tool in your tool kit for your business. No matter how much money your business is making now, you could be making significantly more revenue with a dynamic logo in play – and isn’t growing your business and making more money kind of the point?
How to Tell if Your Logo Stinks or is Superb
We’ve discussed why logos matter (even the ancient Egyptians agreed!), now let’s discuss some key traits of a successfully designed logo and how to assess if you’re winning or losing the logo game at your business.
Start by asking yourself these helpful questions:
- Is my logo easily read & recognized at a glance?
- Is my logo both original and memorable?
- Is my logo text only or does it incorporate simple & memorable imagery? (remember what I said earlier about the importance of imagery & your limited time to make an impression)
- Does my logo scale effectively? Meaning does it look just as great on a pen as it does on a billboard and everything in between?
- Are the colors on-brand, appropriate for my industry & eye-catching?
- Does my logo feel up-to-date and relevant?
Did you say no to some or all of these questions? If so, you owe it to your business to seriously consider upgrading that logo today. Overwhelmed and unsure where to start?
Here are tips on what to include and what to avoid with your new logo:
- Follow the KISS rule (most people say that stands for “Keep It Simple Stupid” but that always strikes me as awfully harsh, so let’s channel my southern friends’ roots and say “Keep it simple, sugar”)
- For colors, I recommend sticking to 1 – 3 colors maximum.
- Avoid the obvious. If I had a dollar for every dental logo that was a smiling tooth (which is actually kind of frightening if you really stop & think about it), I would be retired on my mega yacht in the mediterranean, and you wouldn’t be reading this blog because I’d be GONE friends.
- Fonts are extremely important. Be mindful when choosing them. Choose a font that can be read at a glance, but that is also attractive & appropriate for your profession.
- Hire a human being to design your logo. Those AI “logos” aren’t fooling anyone and most of them are illustrations, not logos.
In summation, your logo is a critical part of your business brand. It serves as the first impression for your business and is the literal symbol for your success. You’ve worked hard to take the brave step of starting a business and owe it to yourself to invest in a logo that properly represents you and your business to your ideal clients.
Need a new logo for your business? We have design experts ready to make it easy for you. Contact VioletFig Marketing here today!
