Choosing a logo can feel personal. You need to like it, but it also needs to suit your business, speak to your customers and work in everyday use. Start with a clear brief, then compare designs against the same practical questions.
Start with your business, not a favourite colour
Write down what you do, who you serve and how you want people to describe you. Choose three useful words, such as welcoming, precise and dependable, or expressive, playful and bold.
Think about your position in the market. A premium salon, a friendly community business and a specialist professional service may need different visual approaches. Tell your designer what makes your business different.
Give your designer a useful brief
Provide the exact business name, any tagline, your services, intended audience and where the logo will appear. Flag long names or words customers sometimes misread.
Share a few examples you like and explain why: the clarity, lettering, simplicity or overall mood. Explain dislikes too. Use references to describe a direction rather than requesting a copy of another business’s design.
Mention existing colours, signage or printed materials that the new logo must work with. If you are updating an established identity, explain what customers already recognise and what needs to change.
Choose a style that fits the way you work
A wordmark puts the business name at the centre. A symbol with a name can give you an extra element for profile images and small spaces. An emblem can create a particular mood, but check how its detail behaves at smaller sizes.
You do not need an illustration of every service. A simpler idea may be easier to recognise and less restrictive if your services grow.
Avoid choosing only because a style is fashionable. Ask whether it still represents your business and will be comfortable to use for several years.
Test it where you will actually use it
View the design on a phone, at business-card size, on a leaflet and against light and dark backgrounds. Check that the business name reads clearly without zooming in.
Try a social media profile crop. A wide full logo may need a compact version or a suitable crop. Ask your designer what is included rather than assuming every layout comes with the package.
Check a single-colour version if you expect to use stamps, embroidery or simple printing. Fine lines, tiny lettering and subtle colour differences may need adjusting for those uses.
Compare designs against the same questions
For each option, ask: Does it suit our audience? Is the name clear? Does it feel distinctive? Does it reflect the qualities in our brief? Does it work in our main uses?
Ask a small number of people who understand your customers. “What kind of business would you expect this to be?” often gives more useful feedback than “Do you like it?”
Collect feedback in one message and explain the reason behind changes. “The name is difficult to read on a phone” gives your designer a clearer problem to solve than “Make it pop.”
Understand the files you will need
A web version is useful for your website and digital profiles. Print-ready artwork should be prepared for the printer’s requirements. A transparent watermark version can help you brand your photographs.
For signage or very large use, you may need a specialist vector file. Vector artwork can scale without the pixelation of an enlarged small image. Check format requirements with your supplier before ordering.
Verve Designs offers bespoke logo design with web, print and watermark versions, plus vector and watermark upgrade options. Confirm the files and versions included in your quote. Keep a backup of the final files.
Approve carefully, then use it consistently
Before approval, check spelling, tagline, colours, readability and agreed deliverables. Confirm any special production needs with your designer.
Use the final supplied files on your website, social profiles, leaflets, price lists and email signature. Avoid stretching the logo, adding effects or changing its colours each time you use it.
A logo is one part of your identity. Consistent colours, lettering, photography and tone help customers recognise the business around it.
Ready to create your logo?
Speak to Carl at Verve Designs about your business, customers and intended uses. You can start with the logo brief form or explore examples of previous work.