A logo epitomises everything a business stands for; the services or products offered, reliability, consistency, trustworthiness, anything that makes the business distinctive.
It’s a promise to the customer about what your business represents.
And it’s what links you to the customer and what the customer will use to recognise your company.
But before you can come up with a brand logo that is going to stand-out from the rest and have a lasting effect on your customers you need to have your brand strategy ready. Bear in mind that your logo is only a part of your overall branding strategy, albeit a very important part.
Building a branding strategy
Branding is a crucial aspect of any business no matter how large or small. It is basically how your business will be perceived by the customer – what they can expect from you – and can be the major factor in whether your business will strive or fail.
To ensure your success in branding, the most important factor is understanding your customers – and potential customers – needs and wants. It is essential to invest time researching. Defining and building your brand is going to be the foundation of your whole marketing strategy so you want to do it right.
A clear brand strategy can help you stay focused on your mission and general vision for your company and what message you want to put out there.
Let’s examine why branding is so important:
Familiarity
Customers are always happier and more inclined to do business with companies that they are familiar with. Having a brand that is easy to recognise and consistent will help them feel more comfortable when purchasing one (or more!) of your products or services.
Awareness
With the constant growth and development of businesses, having a brand that stands out from the rest is imperative to your success. Your brand creates awareness for your customers and as long as you have created a brand that tells your story and is consistent, you’ll put your customers at ease as they’ll know what to expect.
Representation
Knowing that your brand represents everything your company stands for is another vital factor in the success story of your company. Everything about your company is represented through your brand; what your company stands for, what you do, what you say, who you are, what kind of people work for you and what your customer can expect from you.
Eliminating Competition
Your brand is something that can be a very powerful tool; something that will make your company stand-out from the others. By creating a brand that is unique, meaningful and sends out the right message, you will eradicate the competition and ensure a higher rung on the ladder of success.
These points are just a few important factors in why branding is so important – there are many others – but acknowledging these is enough to get the general gist.
So why is your LOGO so important?
Well, your logo is the face of your company. It is the first impression the customer will have of what kind of company you are and what you represent. It should be distinctive, simple and effectively express the message of your brand.
Now let’s take a quick look at what features make for a great logo:
- Uniqueness
- Portray you company goals
- Easy to Identify
- Easy to read
- Complement the company name
- Convey the correct message
- Be memorable
- Make a great impression
- Be distinctive
Your logo should reflect the growth and professionalism of your company. When deciding on the actual design of your logo, have a clear focus on what message you want your brand to convey. There should always be a strong association between your brand and your logo.
In conclusion
Logos are the principle visual components of a company’s overall brand identity; the first thing that gets the customer to notice you. They can appear on websites, business cards, buildings, stationery and any advertising so it is very important to have a well-designed, well thought-out and exciting logo; a logo that will catch the customers attention and make a lasting impression.
Your brand is your company’s face to the world. It is the company’s name, how that name is expressed visually through a logo and how together they form the basis of what your company represents and how it can communicate the right message to your target audience.
The greatest branding is based on a strong idea, something that everyone involved can understand and believe in. A successful branding strategy uses a logo to communicate a message that attracts the customers you want to attract by creating confidence in your brand whilst setting you apart from the competition.