You've started a brand new business and you might be wondering why you need a logo. It would be easy to say, "Because you do, that's why." But there are so many other businesses that compete in your space (even if you've built your own niche); you will need to find a way to stand out! One of the best ways to do that is visually. Enter the logo.
What can a logo do for my small business?
The most obvious benefit to having a logo is that it will make your business recognizable once you've gained market awareness. Market awareness is the amount of audience that your company has captured. This audience can include anyone who has seen your logo, heard about your business, seen an advertisement, or talked to someone who has utilized you before. The more aware a person becomes of your business, the more likely they will convert into a regular customer.
In the marketing world, we call these "touch points." The more touch points you have with a person, the better for your business. You're building trust with a person. It's much easier to gain work with a prospective client who views you as a trustworthy investment than someone who stumbles across your business randomly.
Ready to get cracking on your brand? Check out this article about what to do now that you've got your logo figured out!
I see a lot of free logo makers on the web. How do I know which is the best for me?
As much as I would like to bash every free logo maker out in the world, I will avoid doing that in this blog post. OK… I'll say it just this once… I hate free logo makers. (How would you feel if someone was offering the services you provide, undercutting your years of experience, with lower quality work? End rant.)
I understand the value of offering logo graphics as a free resource to people who may not have the startup funds to complete a professional design. However, understand the risk you're taking when utilizing these platforms. Most of the time, millions of other people have access to the same files you're using, which means that you are not being unique. That being said, some very clean designs can come out of these platforms.
Canva is a very popular option these days, not just for logo designs on the cheap but for other graphics as well. The paid subscription can offer options that integrate reasonably well into most professional design software or give you a semblance of the correct file types needed to create branded items.
Depending on where you've started building your website, they might also offer free logo options. Check into your web host account and see if any options are available under your subscription. Check out WIX or Ionos.
As a professionally trained designer, I will never encourage an individual to move forward in any meaningful way with one of these free logos. However, if you find a style or graphic you like but want to customize, I can work with you to make it more representative and unique for your business.
Do I have to work with a graphic designer?
No. You do not have to work with a graphic designer. However, it will make your life easier.
There are times when you'll need specific file types for printing or web purposes, and a professional graphic designer will know how to create these files. In fact, they'll likely already have them on hand when they design your logo. At least that's how I work: when I create logos for my clients, I build out several different file types, color options, and implementation guides that I can use as a refresher for future projects or that my clients can use when building out their own documents.
Have questions about how to work successfully with your chosen graphic designer? Check out my article on the 7 questions you should ask before hiring a graphic designer!
I see a lot about "building your brand" out there. Do I need a "brand?"
A lot goes into a brand. It's not just the visuals that accompany your logo. It's everything out in the world that represents your business: your social media posts, your public relations articles, the way you answer the phone, the things you tell your clients, and the descriptions that accompany your products are all part and parcel of your "brand."
Your company might have a brand, and you don't even know it! I encourage people to take stock of their efforts to promote their business. Doing a small audit like this can help point out areas you need to develop more or where you are already creating a solid presence.
Ready to conduct your brand audit? Click here to read about my recommendations of what to look for among your current assets.
I hope you've learned enough to get you started on the right track to answer any of your questions that you might have, such as "How do I get a logo for my small business?"
If you have any more questions after reading this post, please browse my other blog articles, including the ones linked throughout this page. I cover the topic of logos and branding quite extensively. But if you have more specific questions, I'd love to hear directly from you! Please fill out the contact form, and I'll get back to you as soon as possible; just reference this article in the body of the form!
Cheers!
Jeanette