HOW TO CREATE A CORPORATE LOGO THAT ENHANCES BUSINESS VISIBILITY

Corporate logos are symbols usually designed for easier recognition, that are used to represent companies. Indeed, logos are a ubiquitous presence on a wide range of materials distributed or maintained by companies, including store signs, business cards, major equipment, stationery, marketing materials, packaging, uniforms, etc. Effective company logos have been cited in corporate image-building efforts. Conversely, many marketing experts believe that poorly conceived or unattractive logos can have negative impact on a business’s appeal and hence, its performance in the market place.

Business owners and CEOs of major multinational firms alike are aware, corporate image is an important factor in business success. Companies that are thought of as innovative, smart, or stable in the marketplace have achieved that status in part because of the way in which they present themselves to clients and competitors alike.

Corporate logos are one of the tools that businesses have at their disposal in shaping that image. Corporate logos are potentially valuable visual symbols because they can express both the potentiality and the mission of a company.

Issues In Corporate Logo Creation

Business consultants , entrepreneurs, and designhers that specialize in logo creation all agree that several factors have to be weighed when creating a logo for a company.

Desired Image

This is far and away the most important consideration, and it can be of even greater importance to business star -ups, that they may not have the financial wherewithal to recover from early slips in logo choice and other marketing areas.

Entrepreneurs seeking to make or update a logo, then, should make sure that specific business objectives, target markets, and competitive image are all factored into the logo’s creation. For example, a new microberry would probably be more inclined to go with a creative, bold logo that features a stylized image of its product than would an independent insurance agency, which would place greater value on logo characteristics that connote stability and trustworthiness.

Industry

Many companies spot logos that reflect the industry in which they operate. Providing such associations often makes it easier to attract prime customers.

Cost

Creating a logo, or updating an existing logo, can be an expensive proposition affecting a company’s entire range of visual communications from business cards to truck fleets. Opinions vary about the financial emphasis that start-ups and established businesses should place on logos and slogans.

Some analysts believe that entrepreneurs sometimes devote too much energy and money to creating a distinctive logo at the expense of addressing basic financial and operational needs. Other consultants and experienced business owners, however, believe that a visually interesting logo can only attract much needed attention to fledgling businesses, but can also present businesses with opportunities to make additional sales, by making available clothing, gear and other merchandise in which the logo is prominently featured.

This phenomenon has been most evident on the national stage, as athletic shoe manufacturers and professional sports teams have proven quite adept at selling such wares to customers, but it can also be seen with local logos that are deemed trendy by young consumers.

Impact On Current Customers

Owners of established businesses who are considering changing their logo should weigh their potential negative impact that such a switch could have on existing clients/customers. Redesigning familiar corporate logos can be disturbing to customers who have established a certain comfort level with the old logo.

Longevity

Entrepreneurs should beware of using logos that are overly reliant on passing fads or marketing gimmicks. Communications cost a lot of money for a company, so they need to have the greatest longevity that they can.

Entrepreneurs should try to focus on timeless, classic design when making logos, leaving the trendier things to the more short-term tactical type of advertising media. Logos must stand the test of time.

Distinctive

Experts urge business owners not to us gimmicky logos, but they also tout the benefits of logos that are unique in some fashion. Not only do such logos enjoy a certain level of legal protection from infringement, they also catch the eye of the customer.

Flexibility

Logo designs should be made so that they can be used on a wide variety of promotional materials, from billboards and the sides of trucks to letterheads and shirt insignias