Logos are an important part of a business. They’re the visual part of a company’s brand. They’re the symbols that represent what your company is about that people can relate to instantly.
You’re already familiar with the billion-dollar logos of Nike, IBM, Apple, Google, and Facebook. Did you know that Nike only spent $35 back in the 1970s to have the iconic swoosh created?
Today, the swoosh is one of the most recognizable logos in the world. There are ways you can use logo imprinting and other tips to replicate that success.
If you’re a small business owner, you know that you don’t have the big budget to create a billion-dollar logo. You don’t need to.
You just need to keep reading to learn the top tips to make your logo stand out from the crowd.
1. Know Your Audience
How well do you know your target market? This is one question that you can ask yourself before you begin to think about logos.
That’s because your logo is the connection between perception and your business. If you don’t know what your customers want or need, they won’t have a way to relate to your business.
Your logo and your brand won’t be worth much.
You need to make sure that your business offers the right products or services that your customers need. You also have to know what your customers need as you provide those products or services.
Look at the car industry. They all sell the same thing – a vehicle that gets you from Point A to Point B. Yet, when you look under the surface, each brand offers something a little unique.
Volvo offers safety. Lexus offers luxury. Porsche offers high-performance. Toyota has reliable and sustainable vehicles.
To figure out what your market needs, do some research. Look to see what your competition offers and how you can make your company unique. Then survey your target market and see if there’s a fit.
2. Keep the Logo Design Simple
It’s very tempting to create a logo that has everything, including the kitchen sink. You need to exercise restraint and limit what you put in your logo.
A complex logo is hard to use, especially if you plan to put your logo on promotional products.
How can you keep your logo simple? Only have two typefaces in your logo at the most. Logos that have three or more fonts look sloppy and no one knows what you’re trying to communicate.
Another way to keep your logo simple is to use one or two colors. More colors can be hard to separate on printed products and they can bleed into one another.
3. Put Your Logo on Social Media
In an ideal world, you’ll have several versions of your logo. You’ll have a version with an icon and your company name and another version with just the icon. You should also have a full-color and white version of each.
Examples of companies that do this range from Facebook to McDonald’s. That’s because there are different applications for your logo.
You can use the icon as a watermark in social media posts to reinforce your brand as your content adds value to readers.
The full logo can be used in lower-thirds where you introduce the name of the person speaking and your business.
4. Choose the Right Promotional Products and Apparel
If you want your logo to be seen, you need to turn to logo imprinting and put your logo on promotional products and apparel.
You can’t just put your logo on any old product. You need to be strategic about the products that you choose.
Go back to your target market. Think about what products they would find to be useful. For example, if your business is a gym, logos on products such as water bottles and hand towels are useful.
The next step is to find a printer that offers those products and quality printing. There are a lot of quality companies like Team Concepts Printing, Vistaprint, and MOO.
5. Deliver On the Brand Promise
Logos and brands are so valuable because they’re based on perception. Remember that your brand is the promise that you give to your customers.
Your brand is the one thing that you want your business to be known for. It can be for excellent customer service, safety, happiness, or cool. The brand is often a feeling that customers have when they work with your company.
Amazon’s brand is that it offers everything you need, delivered conveniently, at a low price. The company started with books over 20 years ago and grew to become one of the most well-known and reliable brands in the world.
What is your brand known for? Is it what you want your business to be known for? What would you like your brand to be known for 10 years from now? How can you start to deliver on that promise today?
These are some of the questions that you need to ask yourself in order to create a total brand experience for your customers. That will help you deliver on your promise to them.
Logo Imprinting and More Branding Tips for Small Businesses
Your logo is one of the best business assets you have. It’s how people relate to your business and how they perceive your business.
To make your logo stand out, you need to know your audience and understand their needs. You can create a logo that tells a story about your business and use logo imprinting to put it on promotional products.
Are you ready for more tips to market your business? Check out the other marketing articles on this site.
