Designing a logo

Ever seen a major brand without a logo? No? No? That's because there's none. A logo influences how your customers view your brand. You want the logo to be outstanding. But how you get there?

Don't worry! This handy guide will teach you how to design the perfect logo for you and your company. Learn how to design a logo, including identifying the essence of your brand and knowing what makes a perfect logo, making the right design choices and managing the design process.

Here are the key steps to develop a logo

Ask yourself: How do I design my own logo? Here are the steps to follow:

Comprehend that you need a logo. And why it must be perfect.

Business is just like dating — you're trying to attract the right customers and make them fall in love with your brand. Think of your logo as your dating profile image. It's what makes people curious and want to know more about you (or swipe left because you're not for them).

You want to look your best, right?

Your logo will significantly affect your business' first impression: it will give your customers knowledge about your brand and let them know if it's right for them.

Since your logo is such an integral part of your brand, make sure it's done well. All your branding products should include your logo.

Your website, packaging, and business cards should look back at your clients. Make count! A perfect, competent logo design will not only express what you stand for.

It will also make a strong first impression and help you stand out.

Establish the identity

You want your logo to reflect your brand's personality. And to do that, you must first recognize the core personality of your company.

When you have a good understanding of what makes you special and what your brand is all about, making design choices that complement and complete the image will be much easier.

Here are some questions to get to the bottom of your brand identity:

·         Why started this business?

·         What beliefs and values are important to us as a company?

·         What's better than everyone else?

·         What's making us special?

·         If we could explain our brand in three words, what 'd it be?

·         What are the three words we want our customers to describe?

Find inspiration for concept

Logo inspiration can be the toughest part of the design process. Fortunately, we have some tips for you to make it quick.

Start a brainstorm

Maybe you're a visual individual and start gathering verbal ideas.

A good brainstorming session can be just what you need to pin down the look and feel you're trying to do.

Three steps to help you create the best artistic logo ideas:

Employ Brainstorm's rules:

Brainstorming is about getting your ideas out (even the bad ones) and writing down. Even a bad idea can spark a discussion leading to a brilliant solution.

Think of your audience:

Create a list of words explaining the brand and how it is viewed. Think like a person in your demographic target, and remember what's important to them.

Engage everyone:

A one-person brainstorm is good, but only diversity can make it happen. Bring people from every department, friends and business partners. The better the chances.

When brainstorming the logo, don't be afraid to step out of the box and be a little different.

See how creative logos like those for Crypto Caveman and Nice Trip combine concepts you wouldn't normally associate with each other — including cryptocurrencies and cavemen, or a honey bee and a pin on a map? These logo options help them convey character and stand out from the crowd.

Create a frame

If you're a visual individual, a mood board can be the perfect resource for inspiration. You may create an actual board by cutting and pinning printed images or make a digital one (Pinterest is the obvious option here).

Simply gather all the things you are attracted to — these can be other badges, color variations, pictures or graphics, go wild! Your mood board will show your gravitational style and design features in no time. Want a good starting point? We recommend trying out the inspiration gallery logo 99designs.

Talk about visualizing your company in your logo. Simply Rooted is all about seasonal, down-to-earth produce, and their vintage logo represents that beautifully with hand-drawn root vegetables.

If you're searching for similar aesthetics, your mood board can include photos of retro logos, painted drawings, organic shapes and colors.

Or look at how the Rugged logo visualizes their "rugged" brand identity in a bold, rough-looking word mark, but still includes a luxurious gold-reflective vibe. Your mood board helps you to bring these elements together.

Test the rivalry

The safest place to borrow ideas? Your contest! Check out what's already out there for your audience and what you can stop. Think about what makes them different from you when stalking those other companies, and how you can highlight these differences in logo design.

Clearly differentiate yourself from your competition. If all other businesses in your industry are going monochrome, you may have to opt out for some color. If everyone else is traditional, a fun, modern logo can attract attention.

Test the three logos above and how they express their brand personalities. Orthrus Ventures' lion logo is traditional and reliable, while Tidy Finance's logo looks sleek and cool. However, if it's fun and available, let Hot Toast inspire you with its bright color and whimsical illustration.

Choose your look

Now that you have a simple brand concept and feel motivated, it's time to start turning it into production.

Many different elements come into play here, from colors, shapes and graphics to typography. Isolating each part and what it can do with your logo can help you do things step-by-step, rather than being frustrated with the whole design.

When thinking about your logo, the first thing you want to do is choose the best aesthetic template for your brand. There's no style for everybody, only what's best for your company.

Classics

Trendy logos can be fun and entertaining, but look outdated quickly. A classic look gives you greater staying power and lets you reach a wider audience.

This esthetic keeps things basic and doesn't venture into wild palettes, textures, or fonts. A classic style shows people you're honest, down to earth.

Retro and antique

Vintage and retro style have been on the rise for quite some time now.

They immediately remind you of the past, evoking nostalgic nostalgia. A retro logo tells customers that tradition is relevant and that everything you sell is done right.

Worn and hand-illustrated logos in brown and beige palettes suit this beautiful aesthetic.

Modern, minimalist

Brands also choose a crisp, streamlined look to express their freshness and modernity.

This style uses plenty of space, minimal detail and clear lines, often resulting in sleek, pared back logos. A sleek and contemporary design shows the consumers how up-to-date, trendy and knows what counts.

Fun and enjoyable

This is a common alternative for young (or young at heart) target brands. Pleasant and quirky style appears to be colorful and humorous, frequently using symbols or images to create a optimistic, friendly atmosphere. Go for a whimsical mascot or sweet illustration to shine through your brand's fun character.

Handmade, made by hand

Handmade style carries a simple message: this brand is individualistic and stands for handmade quality.

The design fits well with other styles, like retro, to really bring the message home. But it can be combined with minimal and fun styles for a simple, elegant or vivid, youthful look.

Can't pick one?

Naturally, these types aren't mutually exclusive: just mix and match them to fit your brand. For example, your brand can be both handmade and fun, just look at how the funky, illustrated logo for The Crafting Cactus pulls it off.