What you need to know when choosing a logo

Logos may be small, but they say a lot about your business. Color choices, fonts and shapes all represent your brand. For this reason, choosing a solid logo is an important step in building your company. After all, the image will live on your business cards, website, packaging and more. Here are some tips to use when designing a logo:

Work on a lot of ideas
When you meet with your graphic designer, start by brainstorming. Your first idea often won't become your final logo, so throw as many out there as you can. After all, your initial ideas are likely ones other people have thought of, too.

Jotting down your company values, mottos and goals can also help you brainstorm a design. Thinking about what your business stands for can inspire an image that supports it.

Provide feedback
Creating the perfect logo is an iterative process, so feedback is necessary. Whenever your designer presents you with a logo, be prepared to give constructive feedback. Avoid vague statements like "That doesn't work," and instead say what specifically you liked or did not like and why. For instance, you might say, "That color is too subtle. I want our logo to stick out more." This type of feedback gives the designer a clear next step.

Keep it simple
Complicated logos are harder to remember and don't stand out. Seek simplicity as you create your design – not only will that make a cleaner, more concise image, but it will also save printing costs. Think of well-known logos like the McDonald's M or Nike's check mark; both are recognizable and uncomplicated.

Think emotively with color
Colors are known to affect people's moods, so you want your logo palette to move customers in a certain way. If you want them to have an appetite, red is a good choice. If you want them to associate your business with calm, go for blue. Research the impressions colors make, and use that knowledge when selecting the ones you want in your logo. Here are some color associations:

• Green: Safe, fresh, balance, clean, outdoors, growth.
• Blue: Serenity, trust, stability, wisdom, truth.
• Purple: Royal, creative, ambition, luxury.
• Red: Passion, anger, romance, courage, warmth.
• Orange: Joy, success, communication.
• Yellow: Positive, happy, warm, intelligence.

The shade of each color matters, too. For instance, while yellow generally invokes joy, certain tones suggest caution or decay. 

Customize the font
If you choose to include letters in your logo, create your own font to go with them. This will give your logo a more unique and custom look that will be easier for your clients to recognize. What's more, it's difficult to copy a font your designer fashioned and owns the rights to. Think of it as a little bit of brand security.

Make it versatile
Your logo will go on everything your company produces, including business cards you hand out to new acquaintances. As such, you want to make sure you can scale it to any space, be it online or in print. Additionally, you want a logo you can alter for special occasions. For instance, around the holidays, you may want to swap your normal colors for festive ones.