As a designer, one of the topics I get to talk to clients about most is the importance of branding. When it comes to branding, logos are the face of the body of branding. They are often the first item of your business that your audience will have an experience with, and you don’t have to take a marketing class to know how much first impressions matter! There are countless small businesses that go go unnoticed simply because they fail to use a professional and enticing image to the outside world. How many businesses do you dismiss because your first interaction with them is unprofessional?

If your brand was a book, your logo would be the front cover.

It’s hard to convince someone to pick up a “book” if the cover looks unprofessional, outdated, or unoriginal. Current research has shown that you have 8 seconds to get your customer’s attention, 3 seconds if it’s on a digital platform. Are you using each of the seconds well to convince your audience to open your “book”.

As a brand designer, when I evaluate a brand and specifically their logo, I ask three questions–

Is it Timeless?

Is this logo going to look outdated in 3-5 years? A great way to test this is to ask, “Would this logo have looked good 10 years ago?” Rebrands are an investment, make sure it will stand the text of time and trend.

Is it True to You?

Does your logo have a unique look amongst your competitors or does it blend in? A logo should nod towards your offerings and brand values. If you are a luxury florist, does your logo look like it belongs to a luxury brand? If you are a realtor, does your logo give a trustworthy impression that someone would trust their life savings with? Remember, logos are the cover of the book of your brand, make sure it illustrates what is promised inside of the book.

Is it Inspiring?

Great art makes you feel something, great design inspires action. Your logo should inspire action. Inspiring design is the thing that makes your brand go from good to great– generic to memorable. Your brand has a story to tell and we want to use every aspect of your visual identity to tell it.

How many clients are you missing simply because of a lack of intention when it comes to your logo?
Bad book covers leave a lot of great books unread. Don’t let your logo be the bad over to a great business.

Happy branding!