How to Design a Logo in 7 Steps
Whether you are planning to start a business as a sole trader or are hoping to build your brand up, your company needs a logo. A professionally designed logo will make your company look capable and credible, ready to impress at first glance.
Designing a logo typically goes through several steps until the final design is ready to use for your business, a process that a professional will guide you through as you work together. Each stage is carefully considered and receives the benefit of their expertise so you receive only the best results. Read through to thoughtfully approach your own logo design.
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How to Design a Logo in 7 Steps
1. What is Your Business About?
Your designer will need to get to know you and your business in order to create a logo that accurately reflects what you do and what you care about. The more a designer knows about your business, the more likely they will be able to create a logo that resonates with yourself, your employees and your customers.
Typically, this is done with a meeting where you’ll discuss things like your business values, how you communicate and who your customers are. You’ll also want to touch on your company’s personality.
Is it more formal, or informal? Friendly or conservative? No matter how you visualise your company, this information is essential to create a logo that will be attractive to your ideal customer and help them understand who you are.
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2. What Are Competitors Doing?
Next, a designer will take a look at your industry and your main competitors. It’s important that your branding is not too similar to theirs that there will be any confusion, nor so much difference that they don’t recognize you as an option within the industry. This step can involve a lot of research into the key traits of the industry.
Financial organizations, for example, often use colours and designs that are restful and reliable so that customers will trust them naturally. While contrast can be done, it must be done well. Your designer will evaluate the options to come up with a good solution.
3. Where Will The Logo Be Used?
This is another critical step as it tells your designer how your logo needs to be designed. The applications — or uses — for your logo influence what can be done with the design. For example, there is a lot more flexibility with digital designs when it comes to colour.
It also needs to be designed with the placement in mind. Storefronts may have horizontal signs that need a logo that works in this instance, just like a logo for the back of a delivery truck works as a vertical design. Then again you might plan to use it on promotional materials like pens or mugs.
A professional will also consider if a different version of the logo should be created to work in different uses. By considering where you will use your logo, you can help your designer focus on the best ideas.
4. Creating Concepts
After a designer learns about your company and determines the scope of the project, they will move onto the idea generation stage.
They'll sketch out numerous ideas and then work with you to find the best ideas are worth pursuing. Of these sketches, a designer will select a few of the best designs to move onto the next step of preliminary design.
5. Draft Several Designs
At this point, a designer selects their best work to create an initial design for you to review as the client. This is typically a computerised vector drawing in black and white, giving an idea of the logo. Although still not complete, you’ll be looking at ideas that are more developed than the sketch stage.
Your designer will want your feedback on their direction and which concepts you like best. To help this process, look at the ideas in the logo to see what resonates. Narrow your options down to one or two logo drafts to have your designer refine into full logo samples.
6. Refinement
Here, you’ll be in close contact with your designer as they work on finishing the shortlisted designs. There will be a lot of messages going back and forth as they get input on different aspects of the designs and make their adjustments.
This step can take a bit more time as a result, but the end product will be worth it. If you favoured more than one concept in the previous step, you may find one is coming up as the clear preference here. This is completely expected, and means your designer can focus their energy on this one great design. From colour to the small details, you’ll see your final design come to life.
7. Build Brand Identity
This one isn’t a necessary step, but it is still helpful to help establish and grow your brand with consistent logos, colours and elements. It’s also important as you’ll need to inform your staff how branding should be used.
Your designer can help you create a brand book that establishes guidelines for working with the logo. This way, it will look the same no matter who is using your logo, whether it is a staff member or an agency you’ve hired for your marketing.
Your brand identity includes proper use of your logo and also outlines colours, recommended font faces and other elements you need to keep your company looking consistent and professional.
Summary
Building a logo is a demanding process, expecting everything from time to creativity to design skill! Thankfully, working with a professional logo designer means you’re going to receive a logo that will work in any instance or application. From business cards to letterheads, from a sign outside your office or retail location to your website, a logo needs to look equally great in all of these uses. With the guidance and help of an expert designer, your logo will be the perfect way to brand your business.
Looking for more information on the costs associated with hiring a professional logo designer? Read through our comprehensive Logo Design Price Guide for full details!
