The first question to ask yourself is whether you want your business to look like another business, or even worse, like one of your competitors? If the answer is no, then a custom logo could be for you.
This article will guide you through the typical components and processes involved in creating a bespoke brand or custom logo, and outline the pros and cons of having a custom logo designed.
Can I design my own logo?
Yes, but what are the drawbacks?
The first question is whether you want to design your logo yourself. Many business owners or marketers design their own logo or brand using free online graphic design software such as Canva, so the answer is – yes, you can. The more important question is whether you should, for a number of reasons.
Common problems with designing your own logo
The biggest reason why people design their own logo is to save money – especially crucial during the start-up phase. Here’s the feedback we’ve received from clients who rebranded later in their business journey.
They have often regretted designing their own logo. Other than the hours they wasted on indecision, they have often found that their DIY logo attracts the wrong customers. Instead of gaining customers who value their product or service, they’ve gained people who are looking for a budget product or a cheap service, which isn’t ideal when the business wants to scale.
Some DIY logo creators have chosen a colour that might have been popular at the time, only to then realise that it is impractical or unsuitable for achieving their overall business goals. It may not accurately represent the business.
Designing your own logo is likely to cost more in the long run when you decide it’s time to invest in professional graphic design services. By that point, the logo is everywhere. On company vehicles, uniforms, signs, brochures and a host of digital promotional materials. In this situation, it’s recommended that you rebrand over time rather than replace everything at once.
The benefits of a custom logo
Authenticity is a key factor
Having a custom-designed logo means your business and brand will be unique. It won’t simply be your company name typed in a generic font, with a symbol that thousands of other businesses and personal brands around the world have already used.
Longevity
When a custom logo is designed, there is always a reason behind it. A successful logo tells the story of a business and means something deeper and more profound. A professionally designed custom logo won’t be affected by passing trends or fashions, so you can invest in displaying it everywhere, confident that it won’t just last a couple of years.
Choosing the right font/typeface
The briefing stage
From the start, your designer will gather a brief from you and get to know the font styles you like and dislike. They must design something you like. There are many font styles, grouped into the following main categories: Serif, Sans-serif, and Script.
Serif fonts
Serif fonts have decorative finishes (fancy bits) at the ends of letters, which can look almost like brackets. They also tend to have different thicknesses running through them, with wider downstrokes and thinner horizontal strokes. These fonts are popular in legal professions and the finance industry because they convey trust.
Sans-serif fonts are very simple, without any decoration. Some sans-serif fonts have a geometric feel, as if drawn with a compass and set square, with symmetry running through them. Sans-serif fonts are very easy to read and often chosen by companies that wish to be viewed as innovative and forward-thinking.
Script fonts are the most decorative, with flourishes and usually with an italic (slanted) appearance. These can sometimes be difficult to read and not always the best choice for certain services, products or industries. Script fonts are popular in the beauty and wellness industry.
Customising a font or typeface
Font suitability check
When a designer starts creating a custom logo, they will spend time reviewing your company name across many fonts to ensure the lettering looks good and flows well.
Although a custom logo will be based upon a particular font, your logo designer will tweak it and customise the lettering to make it flow better and be more aesthetically pleasing.
Visual letter spacing
The designer will also customise the spacing between the letters. This action is known as visual letter spacing, a skill that takes a graphic designer years to master. It’s not obvious to someone without graphic design training or experience.
Perfecting the spacing ensures that when your customer looks at your branding, it looks right, is pleasing on the eye and is easy to read. Poorly spaced lettering can be the difference between looking amateurish and professional.
Choosing the right colours for your logo
Love your logo
Colours are probably the most difficult part to get right with a logo. Even the most professional logo can look bad if the wrong combination of colours is applied. Although colours are often selected to match a product type or the customers you are looking to attract, it’s important that everyone involved in marketing the product or service is on board with the choices. It’s incredibly difficult to get excited about promoting a logo and brand if you hate one of the colours involved.
Considering the cost implications
In addition to choosing colours that work well together, your designer will also take other factors into consideration, such as where the branding will be displayed. For example, if your company has dark uniforms and a dark-coloured fleet of vans, the colours chosen for the logo should take this into account, unless you’re willing to incur the expense of replacing your uniforms and repainting your vans immediately.
Colours and meanings
Certain colours also have different meanings. Red can seem quite salesy, used to display offers and discounting products and, as such, is rarely used in premium brands. It’s interesting that when people think of a Ferrari, they tend to think ‘red’, but you’ll notice that although it’s their most famous car colour, it isn’t the primary colour within their logo, because it is a premium product.
Blue is an excellent colour for building trust, which is why it is commonly used by businesses that provide services rather than products. It is also an excellent choice for companies whose products need to be reliable. As such, blue is also a favourite with automotive, technology and software companies.
Green is perfect for representing sustainability and eco-friendly products and services. Depending on the shade, it can also accurately convey a natural, earthy product.
Achieve brand consistency
Your brand guidelines
When designing a custom logo, an essential part is creating guidelines. Brand guidelines are a set of rules that ensure that the new brand that you’ve invested in is used consistently going forward.
It states the colour references for print and digital use, along with examples of how the logo’s variations should be used across different backgrounds and applications.
This ensures that your organisation looks professional and ensures immediate brand recognition, from a promotional pen to a website.
In conclusion
Now that you know more about what is involved in creating a custom logo, you might better understand its value. Here is a final summary of the benefits of a custom logo versus a DIY logo.
Benefits of a custom logo
- Stand out against competitors
- Unique to your organisation
- Stand the test of time
- Attract customers who value your offering
- Flexibility of application
Benefits of designing your own logo
- Saves money
- Complete control over direction
Is it time you reviewed your logo or branding? If so, take a look at our logo design and business branding services.
