A well created and unique business logo can attract the customers and help in enhancing the image of the business in the market. While it is important to know how to create a logo, it is also imperative to understand how NOT to create poor business logos.

Rewards of effective business logos:

Effective business logos offer numerous rewards for small business owners. The prime reward is business success and status. Let us look at some of the benefits of effective business logos:

• Recognition and identity:

The most difficult task for small business owners is to get their business recognized. The business logo is a visual identity of the business. Since a picture is worth a thousand words, logos can speak volumes for the business.

• Credibility and Authenticity:

It offers credibility and authenticity to a business. Business logo gives authenticity and genuineness to your business. The business logo exclusively illustrates the theme of the business it represents

• Differentiation:

In order to succeed, you need to have a Unique Selling Proposition (USP). Company logos can help the business stand out from the rest of the players in the industry. A business logo gives your business a unique personality; hence your customers can easily identify and distinguish your business from the rest.

• Business Promotion:

Effective business logos help in making your business presence felt in the market. Logos are useful visual identities to use in advertising and other promotional activities such as business cards, brochures, websites for online marketing etc.

• Brand awareness and recall:

The biggest reward that business logos provide is that it enables long-term business success. This is because it increases brand recall in the minds of the customers who consider your business in the future as well. It helps you develop a relationship between you and your clients.

Business logos designed in the correct way can do wonders for the image building of the business. But a bad business logo can be a disaster to the business as a whole. A logo design is the first image of a company which is viewed by the customers. It is the first impression and as the saying goes…The first impression is the last impression.

However, if a business logo is not able to communicate the desired message of the company to the customers, then it poses a downfall for the company. A bad business logo can confuse them and they might drift aware to another company as competition is fierce in the market. Hence, creating company logos with a purpose is critical for every business.

So What Makes a Bad Logo?

Inappropriate symbols and colors: 

Ever wondered why the London Olympic 2012 logo was a disaster? That is because when it comes to designing corporate logos, appropriate use of colors and symbols is imperative in generating the right response from the target audience. The symbols used in the London 2012 logo designed by Wolff Olins were unsuitable and not according to the needs of the London 2012 brand name.

Too many details and confusion:  

A logo design crowded with too many elements spells trouble for a brand. Small business owners and other businesses cannot afford to create confusion among the minds of their customers as to who they are and what they do. Hence, logo designers must be careful of the risk of using elements imperfectly in corporate logos.

Inconsistent with the company purpose:

Sending irrelevant messages to your customers is the last thing that small business owners can afford to do. Hence a bad business logo includes a logo design with an inconsistent message that is not parallel to the vision and purpose of the company. This is one of the reasons why small business owners fail. It’s because they cannot express their company purpose to their clients.

Unappealing to the customers:

Company logos are useless if they do not have the power and charisma of appealing to the target audience. The major purpose of a logo design is to compel customers to retain your company name and recall at the time of purchase decision. If your business logo is not relevant to your target audience, it will not be appealing to them.

The biggest constraint that any small business encounters in its initial stages is advertising and promotion budget. The unavailability of funds immobilizes small business owners to launch their company identity through proper promotional campaign. What good is your business logo when it is not evident in the market?

Overcoming the budget constraint!

Lack of media exposure is a prime reason that small business owners fail to initiate their business. In this overcrowded world of media coverage, it is imperative to make your business identity noticeable. Social media is especially helpful in this cause for small business owners who do not have sufficient funds to raise an advertising campaign. In simple terms, social media helps small business in getting heard. It is the cheapest form of promotion.
With the increase in consumer awareness, it is essential for businesses to establish their names in the market. The mindset of consumers has changed drastically over the years. People nowadays emphasize on the brand name rather than the product itself.

The statistical facts:

Common sense apart, there are statistical evidence to proof that social media is gaining popularity among small business owners as well. Recently, The University of Maryland’s Smith School of Business in collaboration with Network Solutions published the Small Business Success Index (SBSI). It is a study that discloses the degree to which small businesses are accepting social media. According to the report, social media adoption among U.S. small businesses doubled in the past year from 12% to 24%.

The report follows a list of extensive figures. Following are the rest of the interesting facts of the study:

• 75% have a business page on a social network site like LinkedIn or Facebook.
• 69% enthusiastically post status updates and articles of interests.
• 57% are building networks through sites like LinkedIn or Facebook.
• 54% monitor customer feedback of their business on social networks.
• 39% run a blog on their area of proficiency or interest.
• 26% tweet information related to their area of interest or knowledge.
• 16% use twitter to provide customer service.

Social Media - Time to embrace:

With all logical and statistical information, it is evident that social media is the best tool in bolstering the image of small businesses. Social media is like a great conflagration that sprawls over the blogosphere within minutes. It spreads out your business information within the blink of an eye. Hence for those who haven’t yet embraced the blessings of social media should start using it right away. The results will be evident within days.

A logo design is the building block of a corporate brands. All corporate companies owe much of their success to their logo design. A corporate logo serves as an important pillar in establishing a corporate identity. In order to achieve recognition and gain corporate respect, companies must adopt an effective corporate logo design to reflect their image.

Real estate, construction, house-building finance business and other analogous dealings require utmost credibility and trust building in order to sustain their existence in the market. For that purpose, having a professional corporate logo design for your business is crucial. A practical design for these types of businesses is to depict buildings and edifices in the logo designs. Tall and sturdy structures of buildings in corporate logos signify the firm’s resolve and determination to climb the summit of success.

Here is a comprehensive collection of 30 inspirational logo designs that feature buildings and edifices.

Selestat Expo

House Rockers

Selecting a logo designer is never easy pickings for clients. Since a majority of business owners who want corporate logos are not familiar with the design community, they tend to stick with the first logo designer that they easily find. Usually, they end up with someone who is not capable and talented enough.

Finding a logo designer can be a very hefty and difficult task for business owners who are not well aware of perfect logo designers’ attributes. Sometimes, in order to avoid the burdensome process, many small business owners either make their own logo design (often amateur) or get it done from their relatives (mostly school-going kids).

The Decisive Factors:

The design world is flooded with logo designers varying in the level of experience and capabilities. For clients, it is never easy to hire a logo designer that can render them suitable business logos. In order to save time in selecting a logo designer, clients will benefit if they keep the following factors in mind while looking for a logo designer:

• Always inspect the design portfolio of the logo designer; a strong portfolio signifies a strong designer.
• Logo Designers should have adequate marketing skills; brand knowledge is crucial in logo designing for corporate logos.
• Avoid favoritism while choosing a logo designer for your corporate logo; never risk your business over personal preferences.
• Look at the identity of the logo designer; creative logo designers will have creative logo designs for their own identity.
• An experienced logo designer will effectively communicate with their clients; it is important that the logo designer understands what the client requires.
• Speedy client response is the hallmark of a dedicated logo designer.
• Read the testimonials of previous clients of the logo designer; also the referrals from other designers add to the credentials.
• Professional logo designers always work on formal contracts; both the designer and the client are provided guarantee through contracts.