Your company’s logo is the visual embodiment of your brand and is how consumers identify and remember your business. That’s why it’s so important that your logo reflects your values and appeals to your target market. Brand values and target audience change and expand overtime, resulting in the need for a logo redesign.
The company you were 5 years ago is likely far different from the company you are now… but does your logo reflect that growth? Design trends change overtime as well and you don’t want your business to appear outdated. Logo redesign isn’t just for companies looking to do a complete rebranding. Even subtle updates to your logo can make a huge impact on the way the world sees your brand. Here are some of the first steps we recommend taking in any logo design or redesign
Define Your Brand in Words
What do you want your company to be known for? It could be technical innovation, unparalleled customer service or your brand’s unique personality. Whatever it is that you believe makes you stand out from competitors in your space, write it down and think about how you can visually represent those ideas in a logo. Consider the font and color scheme of your logo; could you guess what values your company holds if you didn’t already know? A strong logo communicates more than a name. Every aspect from typeface to color scheme should be carefully chosen to best represent the things you want to be known for.
Analyze Your Market
There are two groups you should think about when you analyze your market; your target audience (the people you want to buy your product/service) and your competitors. Different designs appeal to different genders, age groups, cultural backgrounds, incomes, etc. Your logo may be attractive to you, but does it appeal to the people you want to be your customers? Now, look at your competitors’ logos. Is there a shared theme? You want to differentiate yourself from competitors, but you don’t want your logo to be so far off-base that people don’t recognize what type of business you run. When you look at successful competitors’ logos, think about what emotions they evoke, what messages they send, and how you can communicate those same ideas without being a copycat.
Experiment with designs
Now it’s time to have your design agency whip up some options. It is important to choose a design firm that will take the time to get to know your business and discuss your goals for rebranding. You may find that the logo which works best for your company is not what you originally pictured in your head, but what someone else came up with after learning about your business. For each version of your new logo that you receive, look at it through the eyes of a consumer who is unaware of your brand; does it look like a company you’d buy from? Does it make sense for the product/service? What does it make you feel when you see it? Consider these questions rather than immediately picking the one that looks best to you.
Test for feedback
Now that you have options to choose from, start asking around. Sometimes the opinions of business owners and marketing experts don’t exactly match what consumers feel. Show your logo options to employees, friends, and family and get some feedback. If there’s a clear consensus among people that you believe fit into your target market, it’s time to get that logo formatted and applied consistently across all materials from your sign to your website to your business cards to your letterheads!
While these 4 steps are crucial in redesigning your logo, the most important piece of the puzzle is the design firm or marketing agency you choose to work with. Plum Direct Marketing boasts an incredibly talented team of in-house graphic designers that have tons of experience rebranding businesses and designing logos with specific goals in mind. You can meet with us or get us on the phone anytime to discuss your project and we allow for unlimited revisions when you have feedback for us. Get started with your logo redesign project today! Check out our branding services or contact us today at 1-(800)-992-9663.