A logo is the first impression a customer will get of your business, your brand and your product, and so a logo matters.
Many people confuse a logo with ‘branding’, and while a logo is a central and essential element of your branding, it is only one element of it, and branding is a much wider marketing concept. However, few things impact on your branding like a bad logo, and a DIY logo that goes badly is one of the most elementary mistakes made by a small business.
It is easy to see why a start-up business or any small business would put their own neck on the line with a DIY logo. Of course it is cheaper to design a logo yourself rather than employ a professional logo designer, but there is also an element of a small business owner wanting to control everything themselves. They are a lone wolf and no one else quite understands their vision and ethos and they want to live and breathe every part of the journey, so they won’t relent and sub-contract any small part of the ride out to someone else. This is very common, and understandable, but it also very often leads to costly mistakes.
What a business wants from a good logo
Yes, a logo creates a positive first impression, but a logo is much more than that. It represents your brand and in one simple image tells a customer and the market a little of what you are about. A good logo is unique, original and recognisable, it makes your product or service stand out against competitors, and it is attractive and appealing, suitably representing colours and styles that relate to your market and reflect current trends. A good logo is scalable also, which means it can be used in different formats and in different sizes, without losing impact or quality.
As a result of this, a good logo instils trust in the customer, which in turn provides a connection and helps to convert a lead into a sale.
How DIY logos can go wrong
It is not just a case of a poor logo being the opposite of what you want from a good logo, we need to understand why:
- Unprofessional
It is unprofessional to simply copy or mimic a well-known logo, but an unprofessional logo mainly relates to poor quality. Put simply, you think you have the IT skills to design a logo, but there are vital things you have missed. Even if the image itself is good, and that is often best judged by other people, is it in a file format that is scalable while retaining quality of print? Does it look good in different sizes or in different colours, or on different mediums? (i.e. digital and print)
- Unappealing
A good logo stands out on the shelves or anywhere in the marketplace, and it is easy to misjudge this. A poor logo can look basic, unimaginative and drab and unfortunately that will be reflected in how people view your brand.
- Outdated
Have you researched current design trends? Have you got a close eye on your market and what other successful brands are doing? Have you used design ideas that have been done to death when your market is sharp, innovative and fashion-led? It is very easy to have an idea and run with it, but in reality, the resulting logo looks five years out of date, or even more than that. In a fast-paced market this can be a costly misjudgement and can permanently damage your brand perception.
- Wrong values and ethos
Your DIY logo might represent your business or a certain product or service, but it doesn’t suitably represent your brand. If there is a conflict between your logo and the values and principles of your business, then this will cause confusion and will be off-putting to your customers.
- Negative brand perception
This is the ultimate outcome of a poor DIY logo. There is a huge amount to balance and consider when designing a brand logo, but if you get it wrong you may end up with an indelible stain on your brand.
The cost of a poor DIY logo
A poor DIY logo will result in a negative brand perception, and this means customers will lose trust in your brand and this will influence their buying trends. If the market is not connecting with your brand and not engaging with your products this could result in poor conversion rates, and promising leads will flounder and not result in sales. Ultimately this means you will lose business to competitors, and you will also lose the loyalty of customers going forwards.
Designing a successful logo with a professional logo designer
Sometimes a small business owner has to concede that expertise lies elsewhere. It is true that no one else has the same personal insight into the values and ethos of your business, but this is transferrable information and professional logo designers are successful because they can pick-up and absorb the message a brand wants to present, and can convey this in a scalable and relatable image. At the end of the day, a successful logo is an opportunity to present your brand in the best light and to do a lot of the selling legwork for you, and a DIY logo is a missed opportunity.
The Rebus Design and Branding Agency has vast experience in working with small businesses to bring their brand alive. Get in touch today and your brand can have a professional logo that works successfully for you.