14
Nov
2020

Startup Logo Design: 5 Mistakes you Should Avoid

Logos function as the face of the brand. Every business has a mandatory requirement of a logo to ensure that their audience recognizes what they are offering and what their business stands for. It is estimated that about 5,000 logos are created per day. That is why the competition for each business to have a logo in their arsenal is so important, especially when dealing with a competitive field and vying to stand out among the competitors.

startup logo design

Since logo designing is such a sensitive process, many startups are prone to making a plethora of mistakes that can damage their entire brand in and of itself, resulting in a substantial investment loss. To avoid such a risky endeavor, it is recommended to startups that they contact top graphic design firms to provide them with the support they need to craft an effective logo. Decided to acquire the services of professional logo design company and created a new logo for themselves. Here are some of the primary mistakes a startup makes that you ought to avoid.

1. Drawing Your Logo Yourself

A business owner, especially one who is a startup, tends to make the mistake of designing his logo himself. He believes he needs to fast track this process, which is why he either creates the logo design on his own, or he collaborates with a friend. This increases his chances of failing in his endeavors and business altogether.

The thriving computer repair business called Upgrades, Etc. Serves as an ideal example of how this mistake can damage your business prospects. The owner of the company decided to design his logo as he needed to accelerate the growth of his business. Despite the high quality of their services, the customers did not appreciate the logo representing their brand. This resulted in the company’s inability to win over new customers and expand their clientele base as they did not take the logo seriously.

Noticing their shortcomings, Upgrades, Etc. Decided to acquire the services of professional logo designers of a well-known graphic design agency and created a new logo for themselves. Their new logo consisted of well-designed icons that were easily recognizable and updated color and font, which captured the attention of a new customer base. An unprofessional logo designed by the business owner can destroy his brand and lessen trust with his customers. The survival of an organization depends on a logo that is polished and sophisticated.

2. Forgetting About Your Customer

Businesses make the mistake of creating a logo based on their personal likings. They choose icons, fonts, and colors that attract them on a personal level. Their liking does not mean that it will be shared by the customers. If your logo does not connect with your customer, then the entire design is pointless. It would be best if you devoted your time to research your client base and conclude their general tastes and liking pertaining to colors and imagery.

You need to form a specific customer base to which your logo can be directed to in terms of age, ethnic background, or gender. For example, if you are running a women’s clothing like, your logo will have a more feminine color such as pink to cater to the female demographic. The more you understand what attracts your target audience, the better you can develop the imagery that will draw their interest.

3. Looking Too Much Like Your Competitors

This is a common mistake made by a startup business owner. It is one thing to be inspired by the logo designs of your competition, but outright copying their colors, fonts, and imagery and embed them into yours is cheating and plagiarism. What you need to do is take some semblance of inspiration from your competitors and analyze how you can gain leverage over them with the opposite imagery, color, and font usage. Coca Cola and Pepsi serve as the best example of such inspiration. Coca Color uses the color red to represent its logo.

In contrast, Pepsi uses the opposite color in blue to ensure that a unique space is set in the customer’s mind when identifying their brands. The same is the case for other competitive brands, products, and their logos.

Never mirror your competition. Select the elements and components of your logo that distinguish you from your counterparts. The distinct outlook of your logo will accelerate your recognition among your customers, who may relate with the familiarity of your logo owing to the inspiration it takes from the other logos. If your logo resembles your competitor’s logo, you will receive bad coverage and feedback from your critics and clients alike for being unoriginal.

4. Thinking That Colors and Fonts Don’t Matter

Normally, startup business owners don’t invest much attention in colors and fonts. They just pick out random choices of colors and fonts to make their logos look exclusive and creative. What they fail to realize is that every font and color is unique in its own way and displays different distinct characters. Color evokes different emotions in different people; the green color effuses a natural and fresh feel while the red color gives off passion and love. If you want your logo to display trust, you can opt for the blue color that represents responsibility and calmness.

It should be noted that your color usage needs to be restricted to two or three at best. Using any more than that will overwhelm your logo and make it look discombobulated to your audience. All in all, keep it simple.

The same is the case for fonts, especially if you intend to make it readable. Usually, Ariel or Time New Roman is the most sought-after fonts that companies adopt. You can use limited fonts ranging from one to two. Exceeding that limit will render your logo looking messy and unattractive to your target audience. You can pick out a specific font that you think will depict elegance, tradition, and originality. Avoid using a font that is too trendy. It will hinder its effectiveness.

The business owners often create a logo that can say a lot but never communicates with the audience. They are able to keep it simple but involve too much text or imagery in it that it becomes impossible to decipher. The better way to avoid this is by the inclusion of an icon that gives a sense of clarity to the viewer of what your brand is about. Small businesses also use terms such as Inc, Corp, or LLC on their logos to look more professional and official. This will make the logo hard to remember, especially if you include a tagline in it. Make your sole icon and imagery the only thing to communicate with your audience. An image along will have a remarkable effect on your client.

The creation of a logo is a process that requires mental, psychological, and emotional investment. Every facet of the process requires careful construction in terms of structure, content, and texture to convey the brand spirit to its audience. The prospects of creating a logo by oneself are never a rewarding endeavor, which is why it is preferable to seek the services of an authentic graphic design agency.

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