41 Thoughts on Logo Design Your Small Business Needs to Know

Do you ever look at your small business’s logo design and feel that something about it isn’t quite working for you?

Do you ever wonder how some logos seem to be more memorable and distinctive than others?

When you see big businesses with a mark that looks like your “three-year-old could have created it”, do you ask yourself why they spent all that money on something so simple? But then do you secretly wish that your logo could have the same impact?

If so, below is a collection of ideas on logo design you can use to help assess your company’s logo and see if it’s a mark that stands the test of time or needs an upgrade.

1. Simple logos are often the strongest and most memorable.

2. Creating a logo in black and white first helps focus on the form without the distraction of color choices.

3. If a logo works well in black and white, it will work well in almost any color.

4. Multiple versions of a single logo concept help it achieve versatility.

5. A logo is meaningless without consistent marketing.

6. The best logos to work with fit into a circle, square, or rectangle shape.

7. Loss of detail at small sizes hurts the recognizability of your logo.

8. Asking for many opinions on your logo weakens the outcome.

9. All parts of a logo should feel like they belong together.

10. A logo is not a brand; it is an identifier.

11. Your logo cannot summarize your business.

12. A good logo is appropriate for the business it symbolizes.

13. Logos evolve.

14. Most companies are reluctant to change their logo, even if they desperately need it. (If you’re unsure yourself, let’s talk.)

15. Logo design is an act of discovery and exploration.

16. Too many logo options create confusion.

17. Your story and history are good references for logo ideas.

18. A good logo is easy to draw in the sand.

19. Logo generators, stock art, templates, and crowdsourcing don’t result in distinctive logos.

20. We encounter logos all the time, every day.

21. Too many logos look the same.

22. Logos mostly never work alone.

23. A logo helps add value to context.

24. A logo doesn’t need to be clever.

25. Having one distinctive feature about your logo can help it stand out.

26. Make a lot of sketches before designing your logo.

27. Protect your logo by following your brand guidelines.

28. Learn the basics about trademarks and copyright.

29. Be mindful of other cultures.

30. If you have a distinctive logo, you don’t need to make it bigger.

31. A logo does not always need a symbol with it.

32. The most well-known logos did not happen overnight.

33. A logo is an investment in the public face of your company.

34. Outside of graphic designers and marketers, logos are looked at for only a couple of seconds.

35. A professional graphic designer should send you all the proper file types of your logo so you can reproduce it in any format you require.

36. You should always own the full rights to your logo, even if someone else creates it for you.

37. Nobody cares more about your logo than you. (Well, except for me.)

38. Trends do not make for a lasting, memorable logo design.

39. Before critiquing a logo redesign, learn about the reasons for the change.

40. Think first, then design.

41. If you’re struggling to create something you like, hire a professional to help you out.

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