Logos and Branding-Maximize their Power

By: Jessica Dockter

Most of us know effective marketing is the result of consistent marketing efforts to target audiences, but it’s easy to forget about incorporating your logos (or branding) effectively. A few questions you want to ask before you start a massive marketing effort are:

1. Does my logo represent the services or products I’m trying to sell?
2. Is it appealing?
3. Is it easy to read?
4. Does it correlate to my website?

If you answered all these questions with a yes, it’s time to look at the many ways you can use marketing tools such as a logo to improve customer loyalty and increase your visibility. Everything you use should have some consistence. Is your logo the same on all business cards, letterheads, outdoor advertising, website, cars banners, etc? I realize this may seem obvious, but it’s surprising how often businesses and individuals may use a certain type of look for paper marketing tools, another look for web marketing tools, and still another look for outdoor advertisements.

There is a very successful landscape firm in my area. They use a large single (oak shaped) green leaf. Underneath their leaf they have attractive lettering in black giving the company name and phone number. It’s is easy to read. I can always tell it’s them. Their trucks, marketing flyers, newspaper advertisements, business cards and bus stop ads are all the same. During the summer, I may see their logo as much as three or four times per day; once when I read the morning paper, whenever a truck is working, or whenever I drive past the bus stop.

Experts who have studied advertising strategies understand that most human beings will seek comfort and familiarity. The more often the public is exposed to your logo, the more likely you’ll be able to sell your products once you have an opportunity to meet face to face.

To summarize, make sure your logo works for your business, advertise consistently using your logo consistently and then ask for a sale. Also, remember to build customer loyalty and increase up sale by using logos on all follow up correspondence. If the person you are talking to needs your product or service and they’ve seen your logo 10-15 times, it’s highly likely you’ll get a yes on your next sale.

About the Author:

Jessica Dockter is the owner and director of L.E.E. Design, a graphic design and marketing firm. She has helped dozens of clients create effective logos and branding material. For samples of their work please visit http://www.leedesign.org

Accounting Logos - Salient Features of Accounting Logo Design

By: Jahanzaib Hasan

There is a lot of consideration when being burdened with the complex tasks of creating and designing a logo, which not only reflects the image of the company, but will catch the attention of the consumer and client population. Logos need to be eye catching, and can be considered as tools which give positive first-time impressions of the industries or organizations they’re representing. Prior to a business promoting its major products and services in the market, its entrepreneur needs to be creative and design a logo, which is both innovative and creative.

For the purpose of his/her business making a ground-breaking presence in the market, it is very necessary for him/her to create a logo design which possesses originality, and has a mesmerizing effect on the consumers. Imaginative logos help in characterizing the nature of the business involved. In designing logos for accounting firms one need to pay close attention to both detail and creativity. Accounting is basically related to finance, so the inclusion of suitable accounting symbols such as ‘@’, ‘$’ into the logo design could help define the company name. However, they should be altered a bit to add that touch of individuality and creativity.

Consider the use of formal fonts

In designing accounting based logos, one must bear mind that the accounting company is formal in nature. In respect of this it is stressed that excessive use should be made of the more formal based fonts like ‘Times New Roman’ and ‘Arial’. As a common practice among accounting firms, it is also necessary that accounting based logos should be associated with the name of the accounting organization.

Focus on color and style presentations

Referring to color and style, accounting-based logos should be of a three dimensional nature. This could not only speak volumes for the accounting company, but adds a sense of professionalism to the designed logo. Don’t ornate on color depth when designing such logos. Accounting logos need to be as uncomplicated and formal as possible. Colors like light to bottle green, with a tinge of light blue or mustard yellow will most probably do. Don’t ornate on heavy colors as this will only destroy the company image and cause its clients to be repelled away from such a company. Remember, the more vivacious and in-depth the colors are in an accounting logo, the higher is the probability of attaining an unprofessional image among its solemn and serious clients.

In a nutshell, when it comes to designing accounting logos, a few salient features of accounting design need to be put into perspective. These include adding not too much color, sticking to formal based fonts, and most importantly, including the business name under the logo, in an endeavor to gain maximum exposure and recognition among clients.

About the Author:

Jehanzaib Hassan writes on Accounting Logos
For more information about Logo Designs please visit the website of Logo Design Guru

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jahanzaib_Hassan

Some 'Golden Rules' Of Logo Design

By: Wong Weng Chen

While the variables are infinite (that's a good thing - it means that every logo can be unique) there are certain benchmarks (I hesitate to call them rules) that if you follow, will pretty well insure that you'll end up with a decent and workable logo. While whether or not a logo is 'good' remains completely subjective, following these pointers will give you a logo that's usable, practical and promising a long shelf life.

1) Uniqueness
Your logo should be able to stand out as completely 'yours'. It's surprising how many times we get asked to 'copy' logos - we've even had clients request a 'version' of my brand. Not a good idea. On top of the potential legal complications nothing screams 'unprofessional' like a logo that's looks even remotely like someone else's. Do not copy. I'll say it again. Do. Not. Copy.

2) Timeless
Every few years there's a trend, or fad, that new logos seems to embrace. A few years ago it was the 'swoosh' - made logos all hi-tech and 'internety'. Trouble is, everybody jumped on that bandwagon and the treatment rapidly became hackneyed and trite. Few years hence, and we've got lots of people stuck with out of date designs. The latest design logo trend is so-called 2.0, a technique that (like a lot of design trends) can be traced back to Apple Computers. Take your logo, add a 'gel' treatment, give it glassy reflection at the bottom and you're all set. (hey - the 3D version of our house could qualify). Web 2.0 is still going strong, but I'll go out on a limb and say it will be yesterday's news by end of summer.

3) Gimmick Free
Special FX and filters are usually applied, by inexperienced designers, to logos that are 'missing something'. Trouble is, what the logo is generally missing is any design integrity, and adding bevels, lens flares and drop shadows is the logo design version of 'putting lipstick on a pig'. While it certainly shows how cool the latest design software is, it doesn't do much for the professionalism of your mark. Such treatments are fine for glamour shots (used as display pieces on brochures and the like) but are only going to cause grief down the road, especially when it comes to application of your new logo on standard business material. Your logo should be as technically simple as possible for adaptability, which just happened to be number 4 on our list...

4) Adaptability
Over the life of your company, you'll want to plaster your logo over everything you send out. That's the point of having a logo in the first place. In order to do this, you'll need a logo that's adaptable to every occasion and while they may look 'pretty' , the design gimmicks we just talked about render your logo impractical for many of these uses. Some of these uses - checks, FAXes, embroidery, newspaper ads, invoices, letterheads, etc. Your new logo has to work on all of them. You'll also need a quality black and white version that can reproduce as a halftone grayscale, or in the cases of low-resolution BW reproduction, a linear version.

5) Scalability
When using your logo, you'll need to be able to use it small. Real small. Postage stamp size. Classic example of this - over the years, I've designed a load of sports event posters that feature logos from dozens of event sponsors. Space only permits the logos to be featured as very small images and it's always the simpler logos that stand out when viewed from a distance. The cluttered logos aren't recognizable to any great degree and the sponsors are probably wasting their money, especially if inclusion on the poster is the only benefit of their sponsorship. When it comes to scalability, the text portion of the logo is the most important, as that's the piece you want people to remember. Scrawny, sickly text doesn't read very well at half an inch high.

6) Color is Secondary
Colors are extremely important. Using consistent corporate colors will become part of your brand - that's understood. However, when it comes to the design of your logo, color must always be secondary. A logo that requires color to 'hold' the design together is fine when reproduction is optimal - websites, 4 color process printing and what have you - but even then only if the size is appropriate as well. Logos that rely too much on color tend to blend together when used small (see above) and unless the contrast between the two colors is pronounced, will be a grey mess if used in black and white. As for low-resolution reproduction (FAXES, checks, etc) you can forget about readability completely - logos that use color as a design cornerstone usually come out as black blotches on a FAX transmission and with all their money, banks still haven't figured out how to print a decent check.

7) Appropriate Aspect Ratio & Footprint
The aspect ratio of a logo is the relationship between a logo's height and it's width. Bottom line, you don't want a logo that's too tall, or too wide. Square'ish' is always best as this allows the maximum adaptability of a logo, especially when it's being used in conjunction with other artwork. The 'footprint' of a logo refers to the amount of physical space that's required to place a logo on any page. If the footprint is 'wonky' - trailing design elements 'poke' outside the footprint - it can greatly affect the size that the design can be used at, as well as the visual impact of same.

Like most 'rules' of design, not all of these will apply in every situation, and in many cases, we'll toss them out completely. However, they should give you a road map that will help you navigate the sometimes frustrating creative process to design your new logo.

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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Wong_Weng_Chen

Logo Design: Its History, Evolution and Future

The emergence of the word "logo" can be traced back to ancient Greece. A logo essentially referred to a form of cipher consisting of the initials of a name designed for easy recognition among the viewers. Such ciphers/ logos were widely used as monograms of the rulers and their dynasties in the ancient Greek and Roman coins. During the thirteenth century, the concept of logo design developed from ordinary ciphers to distinct trademarks for various traders and organizations.

The evolution of a logo as an indispensable branding strategy started of in the 1800’s. This was marked by the well-known story of a London based curio dealer named Marcus Samuel who used to sell shell-covered boxes. Over a period of time his business flourished and thus he started dealing in a variety of objects like kerosene, jewel and later on oil. By the year 1830 his company had a worldwide presence. Finally in the year 1897 his business was popularly known as the Shell Transport and Trading Company being visually represented by a simple seashell as its trademark/ logo, which later on became one of the most successful and probably the world’s best-known logo design. It was during this period, the very essence of a logo graduated a step further with the introduction of the famous “Rock of Gibraltar” logo representing Prudential Financial, Inc. This particular trademark served not only as a simple logo design but also projected the company as a powerful entity possessing the similar attributes of endurance and security as that of the “Rock of Gibraltar”. This is a classic example of how a relevant graphical image can communicate a message with a lot more impact that what mere words can do.

Over the years, rapid industrialization led to fierce competition, which in turn led to an increased importance of having a logo as the brand identifier. In order to stay and lead a competition, a distinct logo design is a crucial part of a company’s branding strategy. Today, there are thousands of logos around us and many more are added every year, out of which only a few stay in our mind. In such a competitive market, every corporate entity desires to have a distinct and powerful presence. A good logo design certainly helps in building up a strong brand presence of the company.

In the present context, a logo is not just a text or a graphical image designed to represent a company. A variety of factors are taken into consideration that finally results into a good logo design. A good logo design is the result of extensive research, which can only be carried out by professional logo design companies. Over the centuries, good corporate logo designs have played a vital part in scripting the success stories of various companies and organizations. In the coming years, with the introduction of many more brands and business entities, the marketplace will get even more competitive, and thus the services of a professional logo firm can only facilitate a company in carving out a niche segment for themselves.

Alfred Anderson has rich experience in the field of online brand marketing. His interests includes Internet marketing and research on emerging online business trends. Company Logo Design-Business Logo Design

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alfred_Anderson

Three Keys to an Effective Logo Design

By Steph Sonksen

Effective logo design can be crucial to the success of your company. Often good logo design is trumped by overly busy, "I want it to look that way," designs. The company does not think in the terms of the customer, but instead by what they think looks good. There are a few things to keep in mind when designing or redesigning your company logo.

First, keep it simple. People like logos that are clean and quickly understood. When you look at large successful corporations you will notice that they tend to have very simple and clean designs. These companies spend millions researching their identities and probably know what works and what does not work. Just remember clean and simple.

Second, use a limited color palette. This tip will not only help you develop a professional logo, but it will save your company money as well. The more color that you have in your logo; the more it will cost to reproduce your marketing materials. (i.e. business cards, stationery, and brochures) Limiting your color palette also helps in building a brand identity. Customers will be able to recognize your company as they recall your color combinations. When designing your logo with one or two colors you will have a clearer chance of conveying the correct emotion.

Finally, use clear and readable fonts. No one will remember your company if they can’t read the name. You will find that more logos use sans serif typefaces. This does not mean that you should limit your type choices to sans serif. There are many faces to choose from but remember to keep it legible!

Jonathan Munk writes articles for major Logo Maker companies such as LogoWorks.com and LogoMaker.com.

Read what ConstantContact.com says about LogoWorks

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steph_Sonksen

Logo Designing Tips: Win your Customers - Beat Your Competitors

By: Alfred Anderson

“A logo can make or mar one’s business.” A powerful logo can spell instant success for a corporate entity while, on the other hand, a bad logo can misrepresent a business altogether. Good business logos add to the face value of a company that gradually has a positive effect on the brand that in turn, influences the decisions of its potential investors, customers and the competitors. Following are 5 steps to a winning logo design.

Seek professional help: Designing an attractive as well as a meaningful business logo is a specialization in itself, which needs proper scrutiny, great designing skills and good business sense. It is always advisable to seek expert consultation from specialist logo designing agencies in this regard. A well-designed logo created by professional logo designers will surely boost its brand value.

Avoid complex designs: A logo should be designed to generate immediate attention and should convey the business message in the shortest possible time. Complex logo designs are time consuming and may even fail to render the message in the most effective manner. Short, simple and informative logos are easier to remember.

Uniqueness sells well. A unique logo design often helps the business to differentiate itself from its competitors. Uniqueness generates the much-needed distinctiveness that works wonders with the customers, clients, investors and can even leave the competitors guessing. A distinctive company logo helps the business to create an identity of its own.

Know the target audience: Colors convey messages. The primary objective of a logo is to convey product message to its target audience. The effectiveness of this message influences their response towards the product. For e.g.: A company selling toothpaste should ideally avoid an excess of dark colored shades in its logo. Toothpaste signifies cleanliness and thus light colors should preferably be used.

Keep the future in mind: Business and market trends change everyday. Consumers always demand the best, which results in continuous up-gradation of products. It is, therefore advisable to design your logo keeping in mind the changing trends and prevent it from being termed “out of date”.

The above tips are some of the necessary prerequisites that go into the creation of a successful business logo design. A good logo design facilitates a business to scale new heights and lends a unique identity to one’s enterprise. To wrap up, it’s just a matter of following some basic guidelines in order to touch the bounds of success.

Alfred Anderson has rich experience in the field of online brand marketing. His interests includes Internet marketing and research on emerging online business trends. Company Logo Design

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alfred_Anderson