Logo Checklist

A solid logo design is a lot more than just creating cool art. A logo has to symbolize what your business provides, how it works, what it stands for and then it needs to stand out from your other competitors — a tough request on a little icon and some type treatments. That’s why it takes a solid plan which includes a creative brief. An integral part of this is making sure to define your logo’s unique marketplace. This will guide the process in the right direction.

What does that process look like exactly? Creating an effective logo requires 1. EXPLORING to find the right solution for the project. 2. DISCOVERING the best solution to that answer. 3. BUILDING it with a craftsman’s perfection to get a result that will last for years to come in the marketplace, attracting the right audience along the way.

This is not a simple journey, but worth its weight in gold with what it does for your business and brand for the future. Here are a few things to keep in mind when thinking of developing a new logo.

– Construct a creative brief

The creative brief is the heart of every project — the path that guides you through your logo roadmap. A well-constructed brief is used to describe your target audience, how you’re going to reach them, and how you’re going to define your marketing objectives and establish the core values of your brand. It is the living document that we refer to throughout the process to ensure we are reaching your goals at every step of the process. A great logo is one that visually represents your company’s ideals for years to come. With a strong creative brief, you can establish A REASON WHY every idea execution matches up to your marketing and brand objectives for consistency.

– Let the brand’s vision guide you

Cut through the clutter and focus on what it takes to stand out. In this digital age, competition for attention has never been more fierce. That’s why hiring a professional who understands the constantly shifting marketplace is so important. Visual brand strategy is about more than throwing together a few fonts and graphics to make a pretty first impression. Your logo needs to speak to your target audience in a way that is engaging, enticing new visitors to take notice and act. This takes market research, creative exploration and development with precision craftsmanship. SMC’s tagline includes it all… EXPLORE. DISCOVER. BUILD.

– Start with a solid black and white version

It’s an instant red flag if you are presented a color logo first. You will see this being done with many design crowdsourcing websites. This is a backwards process that can lead to many problems in the future. The logo needs to be built from the ground up thinking though all the aspects of its usage. The logo will need to be legible at both large and small scales and clearly readable in any media, including digital, newsprint, fabric, billboards, promotional materials, store signage and for some… even a fax machine.

– Ask yourself, would you wear it on your T-Shirt?

It may sound obvious, but would you wear it…with pride?  You want your target audience to positively respond to your logo and embrace it as a brand they would want to be a part of and identify with, a brand they would confidently sport on their T-Shirt. Through research, trial and error, craftsmanship and a bit of gut instinct, a logo can develop into a brand that will find your market.

-Follow a logo style guide.

A style guide will provide you with all you need to print or post your new branding elements. Without a well-organized style guide, serious headaches can occur when working with other vendors. If you can’t get it to print, it’s not going to do you much good. The style guide must work with all the accepted formats and will provide you with a seamless integration system you can use with any vendor you choose to meet all your marketing objectives.

These are some good things to keep in mind when starting a new logo process. With over 20 years experience I have adsorbed a wealth of big agency knowledge that I can bring to the table to answer all your marketing and branding objectives in a more affordable, timely and highly professional manner.

My goal is to use all my experience and craftsmanship to to find the best possible solution to your logo and branding objectives.