The Logo Low-Down Series: Tip 3

Logo Tip #3: Research & Plan
A logo is much more than clip art and your business name. A successful logo requires planning and research by both the business owner and logo designer. As a business owner, you should reflect on your company’s core values and how you want to be perceived by the public. Do you want to come across edgy vs. traditional, artsy vs. corporate? You should also research existing logos either by flipping through a logo book at your local bookstore, or viewing some online. Two great online resources for logo samples are LogoPond or LogoGala. Pick out the logo designs you like vs. those you don’t—try to determine why—and make sure to convey these thoughts to your designer.

A professional designer will also do their homework. A designer will interview you to get an in-depth understanding of your company. They will research your competition and will also consider your target audience base, making sure to use colors, fonts, and graphics that will be appealing to your market. At Kalico, we do an in-depth, free consultation with each of our logo clients. We go through a series of questions that are designed to help us get to know your company better—how it is run, who your audience is, and how you want to be perceived by that audience.

As I mentioned before, a logo is so much more than just your favorite font or a piece of clip art you found online (which gets into a whole other issue of copyright law, but I digress). Your logo needs to be carefully planned, researched and executed. Be sure to hire a professional!