JUST A FEW POINTS TO HELP YOU DECIDE TO STRENGTHEN YOUR IMAGE AND POSITION IN YOUR MARKETPLACE

The logo designed for your company should represent and identify your organization, differentiate your organization from others, communicate the origin, value and quality of your organization and its products and/or services. Above all, your logo should add value to your organization.

One of the key functions of a trademark or logo is to identify your company and service. Therefore, your trademark should be distinctive, timely and appropriate for your type of business.

The time and effort that goes into the creation of a company's trademark means that the logo should not be misused by that company, its employees, or anyone who will recreate it.

If you are pondering a new logo for your business you should ask yourself certain questions, whether you are a new business or an existing operation:

Does your logo truly identify your company and what it does? Do your customers, and prospective customers, know who you are by just looking at your trademark? A logo is more than just a conglomeration of shapes and type styles. Your logo should elicit an emotional response (preferably a positive one) that reflects the professionalism and quality your company represents.

Does your logo differentiate your company from others in your business? Distinctiveness is key to the success of a company's trademark, and for that matter, the company itself. If your logo appears to be similar to your competitors', prospective consumers may mistake you for your competition (and thus lose that customer). Your organization's logo must elicit that positive response, and if your trademark looks similar to others, you may not be remembered.

Does your logo communicate originality, value and the quality of your company? Your logo needs to say to the consumer that you are an original, unique operation. Even if your business is similar to thousands of others, you want to be able to stand out. A company logo must tell the consumer that the company is there for them, and that the company will be around for years to come. That's the value a consumer looks understands. And finally, your logo must represent the quality of your company's products and/or service.

Does your logo add value to your organization? Your company logo is your packaging. The packaging of products adds value to those products, just as your logo should add value to your company. A logo that consists of plain type may not add the value to a company as a well-crafted logo will.

There are other technical considerations involved in a marketable logo. Your logo should reproduce well in both large (such as a sign) and smaller sizes (as on a business card). If your consumer cannot read your logo on a business card, that card may go straight to the trash. And, if the logo seems confusing or cluttered on larger formats such as a sign, then consumers may just head on down the road.

Your logo must also reproduce well in black and white as it does in color. In many cases, a logo that has a lot of detail in color may not reprint well when it is placed in a newspaper or yellow page ad (where choice of color may be limited). Those colored details may be lost in a greyscale version of the design.

Finally, your logo must be marketed. It must appear on everything that represents your company. Obviously, your stationery should have your logo on it, but so should every advertisement, flyer, invoice, estimate sheet, invitation, sign, uniforms, and so on (please see Corporate Identity for more information). You may have the most beautiful logo ever conceived, but if it is not in the public eye, then it is quickly forgotten.