Why Your Logo Design Should Not Be An Afterthought

by Alycia Gordan, Guest Contributor

A symbol, a brand promise, and a representation of your business - a logo is by far one of the essential elements of any brand.

​Try to recall the logo of different famous brands. Nike. Mcdonalds. Starbucks. The chances are you can easily picture their symbols in your mind. This is the power of branding. A logo acts as the perfect stimulus for brand recall and recognition. It should never be an afterthought. Here is why.

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It helps reveal the brand identity 
Quality products and services are necessary but not sufficient to ensure the success of a brand. Why? This is because there are various other businesses within the same industry that might be offering excellent products and services too. Then how can you differentiate yourself from others? 

You do so by creating a strong brand identity. And a professional logo is the first step to doing so. A logo, if done right, can help in building and relaying the business message effectively to the target audience. It helps your business in being more than just a service or good provider. 

Instead, it becomes a strong persona. The fact that a logo appears in an array of marketing tools, ranging from the website to the brochures mean that it is one of the most consistent things your target audience will come across, in connection to your brand. 
This is why it is often stressed that you opt for quality custom logo design services. Merely opting for a service is not enough. You need to select the best one. This is because good logos are much more likely to be retained and recalled by customers. There are various statistics that back this claim. 

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It drives recognition 
Unless your business is able to generate recognition among current and potential customers, you are missing out. After all, lack of recognition means lack of conversion. And if people don't purchase your product, you can't survive. 

For instance, let's say you are an FMCG company who produces a wide variety of goods ranging from soaps to washing powder. While your customers respond well to your marketing efforts, when exposed to the brand in the shelves of stores, they don't recognize your goods. Why? Because they are unable to connect the communications with the packaging.

Here, something as simple as shop merchandise featuring the logo that has been profoundly communicated to the target group can do wonders in boosting recognition. 

And regardless of what business you are in, recognition is one of the most critical elements. Without recognition, you can't expect to sell your products repeatedly. And without repeat purchases, you won't be able to meet your bottom line.

The question arises, how does a logo design come into the equation here? Well, just like you remember the logos of all the major brands of the world, all businesses strive to attain such recognition. 

Every consumer forms different associations with the brand. These associations may remain dormant at times. But, with the right cues, they become activated. And professional logo design is just the cue customers need to connect their mental nodes together to form a strong perception about the brand. 

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It allows you to showcase your professionalism
Apart from your brand message, your logo also plays a role in showcasing your professionalism to your audience. The image of the brand is very crucial. People wish to associate with professional businesses.

Why?

This is because professional businesses are much likely to deliver high-quality matter. And a professional logo is just one of the many signals of quality. But, it is vital to make sure that in trying to look professional, you don't forget about the other vital elements of logo designing.

 Apart from ensuring the professionalism of the design, you must also create a design which is memorable, timeless, simple, versatile, and appropriate. 

It helps you stand out from your competitors
There are a plethora of businesses that deliver the same services. After all, there is seldom such thing as a blue ocean now. You will find it almost impossible to locate an industry where various other players arenn't already thriving. 

At such a time, you need to make sure that you don't exist among the crowd but stand out from them. And a professionally designed logo can help you do that. How? By helping you catch the attention of your target audience.

In the long-run, when benefit-based competitive edge fades away, your brand identity (strengthened by your logo) might remain as the only point of difference. This is why all the big names have stuck with a logo since their inception. Even though they have modified it to ensure that they win the test of time, the essence of the logo remains the same. 

It can foster brand loyalty
Merely getting people to purchase your product once is not enough. Success is driven by repeat purchase. Brand loyalty ensures this, which in turn is fostered by a good logo. This is because a logo breeds familiarity that helps drive loyalty. 

If you are good enough, you can evoke strong feelings in customers. This is what Starbucks and Costa Coffee, which might be comparably good in terms of quality, have been able to do. Both brands have memorable logos that their loyal customers can easily visualize. 

People are brand loyal, not product or service loyal. And creating a unique brand is one of the key steps to building a unique yet relevant brand for customers.

Final Thoughts
In today's competitive landscape, standing out is no piece of cake. It becomes even more difficult if you treat something as important as your logo as an afterthought. Because if you do, you are bound to accept subpar symbols to represent your brand. And this is where the havoc starts. Make sure you use quality logo designs. Incorporate the right elements. Stay true to your brand essence. Watch as your logo drives your company to great success.

Author bio:

Alycia Gordan is a freelance writer who loves to read and write articles on healthcare technology, fitness and lifestyle. She is a tech junkie and divides her time between travel and writing. You can find her on Twitter: @meetalycia

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