A logo is the most powerful and recognizable element of your business that consumers will see. It is your logo that will immediately cause a positive or negative reaction and will influence people’s decision whether to buy or not buy from your company. 

A logo is also a visual representation of your brand and, if done well, it has the potential to communicate and reinforce your brand’s core values and principles. When consumers see your business logo, they connect in ways that are more immediate and compelling than words alone can do. 

The right logo can leave an enduring impression and become a symbol that people associate with. Your logo builds an image and a brand that is far greater than your individual identity. 

Ultimately, your logo is the foundation of your brand identity.

Benefits of a Successful Logo 

A well-designed logo offers numerous benefits to a business it has the potential to boost their bottom line. These benefits include the following: 

• Reinforces your brand identity 
• Separates your business from the competition 
• Fosters brand loyalty 
• Shows the personality of your company 
• Significantly increases brand recognition 

Now you may be wondering what goes into designing a logo that will resonate with consumers and super-charge your brand awareness? How do you set out to determine the right graphics, colors, and fonts that are sure to generate widespread familiarity for your business? 

Here we will present a guide that contains seven principles that will empower you to create a winning brand logo. From there, you may experience significant growth and an increase to your profit margin.

7 Principles for Creating a Winning Brand Logo 

1)    Make it Timeless

The main goal of a logo is that it should stand the test of time. As good as it may look today, you’ll want your logo to be stylish in 10 or even 25 years from now. It should never go out of style. 

In order to capture a timeless quality, your logo should not be modeled after what is extremely trendy. Otherwise, you risk having your brand logo out of fashion in no time at all. 

You might consider creating a logo that is quintessential typographic. A typographic logo is a logo that is text-based, though it might incorporate symbols or imagery. This appearance will ensure that your logo will be classy and timeless. 

You could opt for an epic logo. This type of logo will endure over a long period of time because it adheres to logo principles and rules that last, instead of catering to what is popular in today’s marketplace. In order to design an epic logo, you need to give serious consideration to the colors, fonts, and icons that will best convey the essence of your business. 

2)     Keep It Simple

The ultimate goal of a winning brand logo is to be immediately identifiable. A good logo doesn’t have to be complex. Brilliance can be found in exquisite simplicity. You should strive to have your logo be clear and visible while also showcasing your aesthetics and reflecting your business’s philosophy. An example of this is the Nike logo, which is made up of a monochrome swoosh. Their logo captures the concept of simplicity perfectly. 

You want to avoid the inclination to be fancy with your brand logo. For example, you don’t want to have your design distract consumers. You run the risk of your logo being difficult to understand. 

In order to achieve simplicity, be thoughtful with the graphics and color options you choose for your logo. It’s best to go with a small number of active elements for the design. Otherwise, you risk your logo appearing overcrowded with elements. 

A primary feature of a simplistic brand logo is a liberal use of white space. Think of it this way:  you want the elements of your logo to breathe so the design doesn’t get in the way of clearly communicating the essence of your brand. 

Simplicity makes it possible for your brand to stand out and it gets people’s attention, which is exactly what an effective logo should do. 

3)     Be Original

The more original your logo, the more likely people will remember it. It needs to closely reflect your values, work culture and your brand messaging. It is these qualities that make your business stand out from your competitors. 

Think of the world’s most recognizable logos. They would include: 

• Coca-Cola Company
• McDonald’s
• Amazon
• Starbucks

You most likely remember these companies because you see their logos so often that they

become ingrained in your consciousness. However, these brand logos are successful because they are highly original. An original logo will be easily remembered long after people view it. That is due to the logo expressing trust and reliability.

In order to achieve an original brand logo, it requires a unique design concept. This is where artistry intersects with grand ideas. It also helps to thoroughly understand consumer design. Take advantage of a skilled graphic designer to craft a logo that is aligned with your company’s goals. From there, you should be able to come up with a genuinely original brand logo. 

4)     Have It Be Memorable

A quality that is present for some of the world’s most recognizable brand logos is that they are memorable. The goal is to craft a logo that people will have in their memories for a long time.

A major step on the way to creating a memorable brand logo is staying away from motifs and symbols that appear in generic-looking designs. Examples of this are cityscapes, swooshy “V” people, and globes. 

Instead, when you design your logo, have the goal of drawing from your brand’s origins or essence. That will help to ensure your logo will always look fresh in the minds of consumers. 

Tips for creating a memorable logo: 

Know your Brand – Consider the audience that your brand targets with its services or products. If you’ve been in business for many years, then know your brand’s history. 

Create a logo that stands out – Consider a unique shape, or a distinct use of images and colors when creating your logo. You might create an off-beat logo that defies conventions. 

Select the Right Colors – This is an opportunity to lend personality to your business logo. Give thought to all facets of colors. For example, if you opt for bold colors, that will capture the attention of your target audience. Muted colors can give the perception of sophistication about your brand. 

5)     Utilize Colors Strategically

The colors you choose for your logo are critical when it comes to creating a mood and evoking certain emotions. It is not a coincidence that the typical colors used in logos – that you will see in the most famous brands – are blue, which evokes feelings of calm and trust, and red, which reflects passion and energy. 

Then there are other colors that you’ll find in some company logos. For example, take the color green. Green represents nature, health, and freshness. The color yellow connotes happiness, enthusiasm, and excitement. 

The vast majority of brands use just two colors for their logos. In fact, it is believed that a signature color has the power to increase brand awareness by as much as 80 percent. This is why it is best to take a minimalist approach when it comes to the use of color in your logo. 

Also keep in mind that your choice of colors will underscore the message you want to convey to your customers and consumers through your logo design. 

6)     Have It Be Scalable

What does it mean to have your business logo to be scalable?  It means that it makes sense, remains legible at any size, and it looks good. This would apply to your logo appearing on a business card, a poster, or on your website. By making your logo scalable, you ensure that it will be attractive at various brand touch points. 

In order for your logo to be scalable, your designer will create it in a vector format. Vector files are created to accommodate scalability. Again, the objective is to have your brand logo appear just as sharp when it is blown up to a larger size. 

7)     Have It Be Balanced

Humans are hard wired to recognize balanced images as beautiful. A well-proportioned design will strike a balance between the different elements that make up your brand logo. 

From a practical standpoint, if you want to have a logo that is balanced, and well-proportioned, then follow certain design rules. A couple of examples are the golden ratio and the rule of thirds. These rules will help when laying out your logo. Proportion refers to the weight of each of the elements that are in your logo. In practical terms, the right proportions will make your company logo whole and enable it to make sense. It brings a cohesiveness to it.

Let Lemon Head Design Help Your Small Business Succeed Online 

Lemon Head Design is a web services agency that has a proven track record of helping businesses – and dental practices – be successful with well-designed, money-making websites. Our award-winning designers produce websites with the user in mind so businesses can more easily connect with potential customers. 

Included in our digital media services are helping you create a memorable and scalable logo that will stand the test of time and enhance your branding. We have the creative experts at Lemon Head Design who can adeptly craft a logo that draws optimal attention and boosts brand loyalty. 

For more than a dozen years, Lemon Head Design has been the premier source for website design in Utah. We have helped hundreds of our clients succeed online.  Why shouldn’t our next client be you?