How Do I Create a Professional Logo?

Your logo is the foundation for all branding materials you need, including business cards, packaging design, and web design. It will set the tone for your brand, colors, font, and overall look. So it should be unique. How do you create a professional logo? Let me show you how.

Do you remember ever seeing a large brand without a logo? That’s rare. This guide will show you how to create the perfect logo for your business.

You might be wondering: How do I create my business logo?

8 Key steps in Designing a Logo

1. Create an Attractive Logo                           2. Define your Brand                                                                                               Identity

3. Get inspiration for your Design                  4. Create a Mood Board

5. Talk to your Designer                                  6. Assess your Options

7. Avoid making a bad Logo                           8. Integrate your Logo into                                                                                     your Brand

1. Create an Attractive logo

Your business is much like dating. You’re trying to attract the right customers to your brand and make them fall in love with you. Your logo is like your profile picture. It is what will make people want to know more about you. Or, swipe right if they don’t like you. So, you want to look your best.

Your logo can make a big impact on the first impression you give of your business. It will provide information about your brand and let your customers know if you are right for them.

It’s your chance to make it memorable! A professional logo design can communicate your values. Consequently, it will make a great first impression and help you stand out from your competition.

An attractive logo can bring you the attention that you want for your business. You will be easily recognizable on Pinterest, Facebook, and other social media and you can include it in your emails to your subscribers.

2. Define Your Brand Identity

Your logo should reflect your brand’s personality and to do this, you need to identify exactly what your brand says about your product and company. It will be easier to design your brand’s unique qualities once you have these answers.

These are some questions that you can ask to understand your brand’s identity.

• What motivated us to start this company?
•  Which beliefs and values are important for us to hold as a company?
• What makes us different?
• Which three words would you use to describe yourself to your customers?

3. Get Inspiration for Your Design

Finding inspiration for a logo can be one of the most difficult parts of the design process.

You might be a creative person who likes to begin with brainstorming. You might need to hold a brainstorming session to get the look and feel that you want.

These are the three steps to help you create unique logo designs:

• The rules of brainstorming: This involves generating all ideas (even the really bad ones) and putting them in writing. Even the most terrible idea can lead to a great conversation.
• Think like your audience: Make a list of words that best describe your brand.
• Involve the generality: A one-person-brainstorm is fine, but only diversity will make the magic happen. Invite people from all departments, friends, and even business partners. More perspectives are better. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box when brainstorming your logo.

Create a Mood Board

You can make a board by either cutting out and pinning printed images or make one digitally (Pinterest is the best option). Make a collection of images that draw your eye and seem to encompass your brand.

These could be logos, color combinations, or illustrations. In no time, your mood board will reveal the style and design features that you gravitate towards.

Looking for inspiration?

Consider how your business logo can represent your company. ‘Simply Rooted’ is very passionate about local and organic food. Their vintage logo perfectly captures that, with its hand-drawn root vegetables.

Consider a logo that has a luxurious vibe and reflective gold effects. You have the ability to bring all of these elements together with your mood board.

4. See the Competition

Where is the best place to borrow ideas? Your competition! Consider what is unique about these businesses and how your logo can highlight your uniqueness.

You might consider a different color if all of the businesses in your industry are using monochrome. A fun logo can attract attention if everyone else is traditional.

5. Talk to Your Designer

You are now ready to design! There are many options for creating a logo: Agency, logo contest, 1-to-1 project, or logo maker! You have many options available and each option has its pros and cons.

Different prices have different qualities. This comparison shows you the top ways to get your logo designed. Find out how much your logo design could cost.

Although I might be biased, I believe that the logo contest design is the best way of getting a logo. Communicate clearly with your designer to ensure your design is perfect.

You have the opportunity to communicate clearly with your designer by creating a creative brief. So they can make something truly unique for you, but be sure to tell them everything about your company and how you work.

It may be necessary to trust your designer at times, but it is important to remain open to ideas. Your designer is an expert in logo design and will know what makes a good logo.

Designers will benefit from your detailed feedback. Although it may sound cliché, the best design is achieved when you and your designer collaborate.

6. Assess Your Options

It can be difficult to evaluate your options for a logo. Get feedback from colleagues, customers, and friends before making a decision.

What makes a logo good?

A great logo is instantly recognizable and reflects the brand’s message. It makes you stand out. A professional logo blends seamlessly with the brand’s identity and looks professional. You should be able to use it at any size or location.

How do you create a great logo? These are some questions you should ask when considering your options for a logo:

• Can people instantly know the purpose of your business?
• Is it easy to remember? Are your customers able to recall it?
• Can it be used in multiple ways?
• Is it versatile enough to be used for all the needs of your brand?
• Is it timeless or do you need to redesign it in a few years?
• Does it stand out as unique? Is it different from other competitors?
• Is it appealing to your target audience?

When designing your logo, don’t forget about the bigger picture. It’s not about your personal taste. This is about what will work best for your brand.

7. Avoid Making a Bad Logo

When designing your logo, there are certain pitfalls you need to avoid. Do not succumb to the clichés of your industry.

Here are some ways to avoid generic logos:

• Do not make it complicated. Simplicity is the key to a memorable logo (and one that can be printed).
• Be trendy but not too trendy. While trends are great, make sure that your logo doesn’t look outdated in three years.
• Do not settle for a cheap logo to save money. You don’t have to compromise on quality when designing your logo. Often, you get what you pay for.

8. Integrate Your Logo Design into Your Brand

Your logo will serve as the foundation for all your branding collateral. And a designer can help you create a seamless look, or you can explore tools such as Canva to design a professional-looking logo for your brand. Your business will be ready to present its new look to the world and be something to be proud of.

If this has helped you in your research, I would love you to leave a comment, or a like and share. Don’t be shy, tell me what you think!

Thanks for visiting.

LILY