In the majority of cases, a strong impact from your logo is essential for your business to stand out from the crowd of competitors. It needs to be eye catching, flexibly and legible from a distance. when working with a logo/brand designer, it can often be a little overwhelming and as a result I have added 3 simple tips that have served me very well over the past 15 years. These concepts should help you to commute with your designer and get the most out of the project as a result.
1. Write a brief
Don’t panic, a 50 page branding document isn’t essential for a small business. I recommend drawing up a list of bullet points with a set of questions you want the final logo to be measured against. This can comfortably fit on a single side of A4.
Some examples I have used in the past include:
Mission, vision & culture: What are the key ideals or values that drive your business?
What is your customer/client demographic (e.g. “20-35 year old male in urban area”)? There could be multiple examples so I recommend using bullet points to separate.
Are there any constraints or colours/styles to avoid?
2. Get feedback from customers, friends and family
It’s always a good idea to obtain feedback from multiple sources. In the past I have gained valuable feedback from friends and family and clients. It is however important to phrase the questions correctly to get a balanced feedback.
Do you feel the brand is suitable for the target audience?
Can it adapt to multiple formats/scenarios (e.g. website, large banners, letterhead) whilst maintaining the core theme?
When possible try to get feedback from existing customers or potential customers. Their feedback can be incredibly useful as they are often part of your target demographic (see point 1).
3. Analyse and prioritise the feedback
Of course I have just stated that you should get as much feedback as sensibly possible, however it is equally as essential that you analyse the information you receive and grade it accordingly. Try to take on board whether the observation is personal taste, for example “I don’t like green” or factual, for example “The font is more difficult to read when the logo is reduced in size”. The best way to prioritise the feedback is to order them in a quick list.
You then have a useful feedback document to discuss with your designer. If the feedback is organised and neatly presented, the designer can spend more time working on the creative.
Following the above steps can really help you to streamline the project and provide essential information to your designer. In the majority of cases this can result in a successful outcome at a lower cost.
Elwyn Davies
The PixelHaze branding workshop
Through one of my signature workshops I cover all of the above points in a series of options ranging from 0.5 days - 2 days. If you are interested in discussing further feel free to contact me for an accurate quotation. Alternatively if you are in the Builth Wells area we can arrange for you to pop in for a cuppa while we discuss your requirements.
07929 550595 | elwyn@pixelhaze.co.uk
