Your company should never underestimate the sheer power of a fantastic logo, but while your brand is more than just your logo, a logo is a vital part of a company’s brand; think of it as the face of your company. And though it may seem pretty darn obvious to some people why it’s important to invest in a well-designed logo, many entrepreneurs and small business owners don’t get why logos are so important, and that’s not good for business!
Close your eyes for a second and think of the infamous golden arches at McDonald’s. What comes to mind? For many, it’s a mouth-watering burger, fries, a nice iced cold soda, and all of the wonderful smells and sights that go along with their favorite fast-food chain experience! Or, think of the ubiquitous Lululemon logo that looks just like the Greek letter “Omega”. When people see this, many will immediately and positively associate it with their favorite upscale yoga and athleisure brand they love to wear. A ton of research though, and energy goes into the cultivation of these images to make them successful. In fact, “A company’s logo is its shorthand, a visual cue that tells a story of the brand’s culture, behavior, and values” according to New York-based brand strategy firm senior advisor Su Mathews Hale in a recent article on logo design.
Face it, it’s a visual world with an ever-decreasing attention span (studies show the average length a potential customer will look at your logo is under four seconds!), so your business’s logo design can be all the difference between success and failure. A professional-looking, well-designed logo will help your business build trust, and gain new prospective customers If, on the other hand, your logo looks like it was hastily designed in Microsoft Word, these potential customers may very well question how well your company delivers your business products and services. Let’s look at why a great logo will make your company stand out in a very crowded marketplace:
Help customers identify your company.
For new potential customers, your logo will help set you on the path to success, but they first need to understand what your company does, and why it stands out above the rest. Think, for a second, that your clients don’t know you or your business yet. Your logo will help you connect with your clients and convey to the world what your new business is about. Are you selling software products? Are you running a local brewery and bar? Are you operating a real estate agency catering to beachfront properties?
From the second you get your first client, your logo will help you define your business identity. So don’t just settle for a cheap logo template, rather, invest in your logo and it will bring you the customers your business deserves.
Draw attention and build trust.
When you’re starting a new business, it can be a challenge to get others (potential customers, vendors, or even investors) to trust you. And before they even try your product or service, they assess appearance (including your logo). Think about if you visit a website that looks like it was designed straight out of 1999, It doesn’t exactly instill trust or confidence, does it? You’re probably more likely to keep searching until you find a competitor with a better site.
In contrast, a great logo can inspire someone who doesn’t know anything about your business to start to gain trust and interest in what you do. It can also help build loyalty over time, as your business grows. For example, think of how seeing a Starbucks logo on someone’s coffee cup first thing in the morning makes you feel. It probably makes you want to grab a fresh cup of their coffee, right?
By designing a great logo and putting it on your website and other business materials, you’ll convey that you are a serious and professional business, and people will trust that. Also, because 70% of companies say it’s cheaper to retain a customer than acquire a new one, the more you can do to build trust, the stronger your business will be.
Differentiate your company from competitors.
In an endless ocean of competition, every business is trying to make the largest wave in order to be seen. Because of this, you have to assume that all of your competitors are working to have the very best logo designed for their company. Therefore, you need to stay ahead of the curve with a logo that blows the rest right out of the water!
Regardless of what industry your company is in, you’re going to find yourself facing some serious competition. And if you want to succeed, you have to make yourself different. While obviously the most vital way you can make your business superior to others is by offering the best value, products, and services to your customers, you still need a logo and brand that people trust and like so that they can associate it with you! Basically, you’ll still need to grab your customer’s attention, and you’re never going to get to show them the value you can add if you get lost in this endless ocean of competitors.
Your logo is a prime opportunity to stand out. A unique and attention-grabbing logo is a great way to set yourself apart from the competition and stand out to your customers, and get them to explore and see what makes your company different from your competitors and why they should work with you above other competitors.
So in a nutshell, a great logo will help your company establish an identity, draw attention to and building trust towards your company, and help to differentiate you from your competitors. But be warned, not just any logo will suffice. Like we’d said, a bad or shoddily made logo will not be looked highly upon! We highly recommend using a group of professionals who can help you design an excellent logo.
So let’s get started! Reach out to the team of logo and brand experts here at Hashtag Creative, and we’ll work with you to create a stellar logo design that you’ll love. We also specialize in print materials – from brochures to invitations to annual reports and everything in between. Let us wow you with a design that looks great and reaches your marketing goals!
