This week on Twitter I asked logo designers for the #1 thing they wish their clients did before coming to them.
If you ask me what’s the one thing new businesses should invest in I’ll tell you a logo from a professional designer.
I understand the value in customising a free blog theme (which I’ve done for Stevie and Three – more on how later) and using off the shelf ecommerce platforms for the first phase of your online shop (did that too) but one thing you absolutely cannot compromise on is having a logo designed for your brand.
For a start – you’ll want it to help brand your free theme and off the shelf ecommerce setup and make it unique to your biz! Creating a strong logo and associated style guide will give you a headstart over those who don’t bother (too many people).
I could go on. Instead – here are 18 things logo designers wish you would do before you come to them wanting a logo.
- @traceygr: Prepare a mission statement describing their business, where it fits into their market, & competitor analysis
- @RajaSandhu: Know that designing a logo is a great investment with intangible ROI – unlike other ‘expenses’ such as new office chairs
- @TheRyanFord: Figure out their mission and what they represent
- @BrandMooreArt: Have a respectable time table and budget
- @Thinkory: I like clients to have learned how to answer 3 questions about themselves: Who are we? What do we do? Why does it matter?
- @im_zeeshan: Draw a basic rough sketch of how they perceive their logo – gives logo designer an idea about the expectations and boundaries
- @ShannonHatchNZ: Knowing what they want, you would think freedom is a gift when it comes to design…
- @jonwoodward: Nail other foundation elements of their brand including their mission & especially target market
- @nikkihassett: know the feel they want their business to portray ~ colour/style will just fall into place when aiming for correct feel
- @elifbb: Being sure about their message – message is not literally put into the logo, but it gives the designer the necessary vision
- @birdproject: Write a succinct list of their business’ core values, then think of tone ie casual/friendly/organic or formal/technical and swap fixed ideas of how the brand should look for how it should feel
- @kaos_99 spent some time thinking about what they do and don’t want, and understand that it takes time to design a logo
- @JenClarkDesign: Thought about their target audience(s) and long term biz goals in way more depth – not just favourite fonts and colours
- @lilmagoolie: Have their company name sorted – nothing worse than designing a logo and the name is already registered to someone else!
- @WeAreMessengers: Have an open mind and understand what graphic designers actually do – it’s not just pretty pictures
- @GoldenGooseAU: Know their point of difference, what sets them apart from other businesses in the same industry
- @creativehardt: Look at their business from their customers perspective and ask themselves what they want to communicate about their business. A bit of research into other logos what they like and don’t like and knowing why would help.
- @iusebiro: Realise that I’m good at my job and that they can trust me
Did you work with a designer on your logo? Any tips on the process you’d like to share? If you didn’t – why not?
SHOP HERE
November 4, 2011 at 9:54 pm
Be open-minded and prepared to work together with your designer rather than expect it to be perfect first time.
The first 3 designs I received from my designer were nothing like I expected and a bit underwhelming, but I talked to some friends, got some suggestions and asked the designer to combine aspects of two of the designs. It turned into something I adore.
November 5, 2011 at 2:47 pm
What great feedback – great idea to collect data like this. It can really be a controversial area and is so difficult at times because you cannot get into your clients head and know exactly what they are thinking – which is why communication and the RIGHT questions are so vital.
I don’t necessarily agree about getting the client to sketch their logo idea / concept – as most times, the client doesn’t really know what it is they want in a visual form – or have difficulty transposing their imagery in their mind with something concrete on paper. That is why we ask them to google and research other logo’s that resinate with them and that they like, so that we can be on the same page as them.
And I agree with Kirralee above, in regards to combining concepts. We provide a large range of concepts in the first stage of the project and design and ask the client to choose the ones they like best, and ask them to consider whether they like more than one of the concepts and whether elements can be combined.
At the end of the day, the most important element is liking your designers style, and clear communication. Research by the designer about the business, knowledge of the business, it’s target market, the image the business wants to portray, etc.
Thanks for sharing this collection Women In Business!
<3 The Agents @ Agent Morphe Design
November 5, 2011 at 2:50 pm
And most importantly, I forgot to mention that the most critical thing a client needs to do is value the importance of investing in their logo design, as RajaSandhu stated (2) above.
November 18, 2011 at 12:02 pm
Some great tips here.
Mine are:
1. Know who your target audience is – no point making a logo you like, but your customers don’t relate to
2. Look at your logo as your Brand, because that’s exactly what it is..
3. Provide a full detailed brief about your product/service and business. Include, how you plan to go about marketing.. This is important, if you plan to use the logo on promotional material – the designer needs to know.
4. Ask for design concepts on brief and free creative, you may see a design that the designer feels fits your business/customers. We do both on brief and free creative as a standard. The end results are better this way.
5. Try to be strategic about your logo. It does not have to
“spell out what you do.” Look at the top brands around the world – MacDonalds does not need a burger in the air – just an M.
It’s the marketing, promotion, sales service and reputation that will sell your products/service – not just your logo…