When it comes to creating and designing a logo that stands out, it’s crucial that you’re also standing out to the right audience. Here are 8 tips to creating a logo design that’s effective, unique, and helps your brand stand out against your competition and reaches the right audience that’s ready to fall in love with your brand.

[If you’re not sure who your target customer is just yet, no worries check out HOW TO IDENTIFY YOUR IDEAL CUSTOMER IN 4 SIMPLE STEPS]

Before you can design a logo that creates the biggest impact, you need to understand that your logo is your first impression to your target audience. Your logo is not just a graphic with your name on it. It’s a stamp serving as your reputation, what you stand for and the reputation you have built among your customers. There’s a reason why a random cup of coffee somewhere will only cost about 75 cents, but thousands around the country will gladly pay $4 for a cup of coffee that happens to have a Starbucks logo on the cup. Why? Because they know exactly what they’re getting and the quality and service they’ll receive. And they know they’ll get it every time. That green siren logo is not just a graphic, it’s a reputation Starbucks has built that their customers will go out of the way to buy. That’s the power of branding.

[Have you read HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT LOGO STYLE FOR YOUR BRAND before you start designing your logo?]

8 TIPS TO CREATE A LOGO THAT STANDS OUT

Several studies have showed that all you have as an online brand is 7 seconds to make a strong first impression to your potential customer, and many times, you may not even have that long. That’s why it’s crucial to understand who your target audience is, what aesthetic catches their attention, and what will trigger their curiosity to follow your brand and ultimately purchase from you.

1. Evoke emotion: This makes the list first because this is what will guide you as you create your logo concepts and be your reference for the rest of the tips on this list. Before you begin sketching, have one single emotion in mind that you want your customer to feel when they’re using your product. For example, you may want your customer to feel glamourous in your bold and beautiful jewelry, or like a badass in your studded leather jacket, or maybe you want your customer to feel like they can conquer the world after drinking your protein shake. Focus on the emotion you are selling, not product features.

2. Create balance and proportion: Balance and proportion are the unspoken secrets of good design. You want your fonts and colors to complement each other, and any graphics to look proportionate to your logotype. Stick to the rule of thirds (or the golden ratio) since it’s the simplest and foolproof way to create a design that is always pleasing to the eye.

3. Keep it simple: It’s tempting to create something in your face and screams for attention … but DON’T. Simple makes it simple for your audience to understand what it is that you do (and when they understand what you can offer them, it makes it easier for them to purchase from you). So resist the temptation to have a really crazy font design just because you think it looks cool but your customers can’t read at all because it will absolutely turn off your customers instead of turning them into loyal fans.

4. Your logo should look timeless: Your logo should stand out but it should also stand the test of time. Don’t design a logo that is so trendy it becomes outdated within years (or worse months) because then you’ll have to pay a designer to create another logo yet again and that’s just throwing money out the window. Regardless of what industry you’re in, no matter how wild and crazy your brand is, it’s possible to encapsulate everything your brand is in a clean and timeless design. Also, please avoid Clipart like the plague.

5. Choose a font that matches your product: Several brand logos don’t even use a graphic icon for their logo. They focus on the font type to embody what their brand represents and stands for. Again, going back to the emotion you want to evoke, use a font that matches that message. If your product makes your customer feel bold and powerful, use a bold, strong font, not a dainty and thin little typeface. If you create delicate beautiful handcrafted jewelry, don’t use a harsh looking font because your favorite designer uses something similar. Remember your logo should be a visual representation of what your customer can expect from your product and it needs to match.

6. Choose colors that match your message: Besides the font, color is another aspect that can strongly increase recognition (think Tiffany blue or Starbucks green). There have been several studies showing the psychology behind the emotions customers feel when viewing different colors. Some colors evoke energy while others create a sense of calmness (which would be crucial to know if you’re selling energy bars vs candles to help you relax). Some colors increase hunger, while other colors increase trust and authority. So what message are you trying to convey to your customer most? How do you want your customers to perceive your brand? According to one study, 84.7% of consumers shared that color was the main reason they purchased a particular product.

[Want to find the best color for your brand logo? Check out HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT COLORS FOR YOUR LOGO]

7. Your logo should be scaleable: Your logo should be distinctive and unique, but be mindful of its design and technical details. Your logo should look fantastic on a business card, your packaging, and as large as a billboard. Can your logo be scaled without losing impact?

8. If you plan to expand your product line: Whatever you do, don’t design an icon for your logo so specific that if you plan to expand your product line your logo won’t make sense in the future. In this case, refer back to your brand values and emotion that your product line evokes in your customer. You don’t want to confuse your customers, so if you do want an icon focus on the feeling and the message you want to share with your customers instead of a more literal graphic that may not make sense in the future.

IF YOU ALREADY HAVE A CURRENT LOGO:

If you already have a logo and you’re reading this post, it’s probably a sign that you’re either not happy when you look at it or it’s just definitely time for an upgrade. Take a look at your logo and ask yourself if it measures up to these six guidelines from above. Do the color and typeface match the emotion and message you want to share? Does it give your target audience the right perception of your brand that inspires curiosity in them to learn more about your brand? Is your logo simple and stylish, timeless yet unique? Does your logo give you confidence and allow your brand to look professional and successful? You may need to just update a few elements or you may need to start from scratch. Whatever you choose, your final product should be a logo that gets your customer excited and helps you grow your brand to where you want to be.

DIY VS HIRING A DESIGNER

Of all the various aspects of your branding strategy, unless you are a skilled designer, this is one where I would recommend hiring a brand stylist/graphic designer to help you create a logo that truly embodies your unique brand and draws the attention of your exact target audience.