10 Reasons You MUST Invest in a Logo Right Now
So you’ve got a company name, the company itself, and things are starting to get off the ground; but how do you brand your product? How do you tell the world that it was all your idea or your merchandise that was sold? You need something you can put on pretty well anything; from as large as a tee shirt to as small as a pen, all in the interest of one thing: making your business stand out and be remembered. Let’s take a look at some of the reasons why a logo is worth investing in, and then go from there, shall we?
Brand Recognition.
You know when you look at a yellow ‘M’ with a raised middle (i.e. The Golden Arches), you automatically think ‘McDonalds’? That’s brand recognition, it’s a small but hugely impactful image that represents your company while catching the general public’s eye. It is your simplest yet most effective way of advertising your company. Why? Because it’s your icon, that symbol or image that represents your company; a small little thing that’s easy for people to remember and recognize
Marketing Scheme.
What would be cheaper and easier to print on a pen; your full company name and information including the nature of your business, or a smaller and more memorable image? The image of course, as it takes up less space and is easier to remember. As a result, you can fit it more cleanly on small giveaway items like pens, and it looks sharp on self-promoting merchandising such as tee-shirts and mugs. Think of your logo as the profile picture of your company, a face or image to put to a name.
Bring in More Customers.
Now that you have a ‘face’ or logo for your company, use it to advertise. People who see a logo automatically build an assumption from the image, and if they’re interested in what they believe the logo stands for, they will take the next step in the sales process. The cooler and more professional looking the logo, the better chances you have of not just bringing in the customer, but also in creating a little something called…
Brand Loyalty.
What we mean by this is if your professionalism and your logo both impress the customer, you have a chance at creating a loyal customer. Loyal customers are far more preferable to new customers, as they don’t require as much expensive advertising to draw them back in. Think of it this way, would a Coca-Cola fan buy a Pepsi hat? Probably not as the Pepsi symbol would be clearly shown on said hat and because they’re a loyal customer who supports their brand, they might buy a Coca-Cola hat. All because the 2 have different logo’s and brands.
Separate Yourself from the Pack.
At the end of the day, you are just one more company competing against a myriad of other companies; it’s how you choose to represent yourself and make yourself known that makes your business stand out in the crowd of businesses. A professional and creative logo will help with just that, and will continue to serve that particular purpose throughout the companies ‘life’. Having a professional looking logo versus one you drew up in paint and Photoshopped is like comparing resumes of potential employees. Employees who sound ideal on paper may not get the job just because their resume is wrinkled, folded and stained; and may be passed up in favor of someone with a clean, neat and pristine looking resume. Same goes for your logo.
Now that you have your logo, you may think your job is done. Not quite, you see, just like a person’s face changes as they age, a logo has to change every so often to keep up to a constantly evolving market. So now that you’ve invested in a good starter logo, in a couple years down the road you may want to consider investing in an updated one. “But I already have one! Why do I need a new one?” Here is exactly why….
Keeping up with the Competition.
Every few years, when their logo is starting to look outdated or less modern and sharp, a company typically updates it. Nothing too huge or major, as otherwise they’ll lose a good chunk of their brand recognition; but a decent facelift to re-pique their consumer’s interest and to draw in new business. Your logo is like a piece of art that advertises your company in a whole slew of mediums, and if that never changes, your customer may assume that nothing else has changed about your company; and as a result, they may lose interest in your company. Poof, there goes a loyal customer.
Advertisement.
As mentioned before, your logo is your easiest, cheapest and most diverse way of advertising your company, often starting at around $100. If a company uses the same advertisement repeatedly, and doesn’t change after a certain period of time, the person watching (or looking at) the advertisement won’t be as interested. Keeping your logo fresh and updated will keep the populations interest up, all while maintaining that ever important brand recognition.
Keeping up a Good Appearance.
If you’re in a meeting with two potential business partners, who would you choose to run the company with? A person who’s dressed in the latest fashions, looks sharp and shares in the interest of your company; or someone who’s less well dressed, comparatively less polished and doesn’t seem to share the same standards as you do in regards to your company? The populace views your logo in a similar manner; they’d rather go to a company that keeps up with trends and has a nice, modern logo that represents the company well, rather than trying their luck with a less refined business. This will show your customer that you care about your business and thus they will give you something really important… [ctt template=”5″ link=”Cbef0″ via=”no” ]The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little extra.[/ctt]
Trust.
That’s right, your logo acts as a focal point for customer trust. An example of this would be to ask who you would trust to do a job properly, more: a sharply dressed businessperson, or a person who runs around in jeans and a tee-shirt with their favourite band emblazed across the front? Same goes here, the more professional your logo looks, the more like a ‘real’ company your business will look. As sad as it is to say, a less appealing logo may actually drive customers away, because they don’t feel that it’s professional-looking enough and as a result may disregard your company altogether!
Show your Dedication to your Company!
At the end of the day, your company is like your child. By first declaring that you’re sticking around by having a logo, you’ll keep on assuring the populace that you’re here to stay by keeping up with modern trends. You’re telling the customer that you see things changing, and that you’re willing to meet these changes every time you update. That’s not to say you should change your logo every couple of months – as that’s expensive and confusing, but if you keep up-to-date on current styles, you’re showing the customer you’re invested in your company. You’re telling the customer that you’re still going strong and that you’re keeping up with the competition, making you an equally viable choice in their search for what they need.
So hopefully we’ve cleared up a few things, and shown you how truly important a logo is. That’s not to say that a logo is your only tool at hand (far from it in fact), as there are many other resources you can use to further your business goals but it is clearly very important. Be sure to check out our other posts in regards to these tools, and as always, we wish you the best in your entrepreneurial endeavors! www.sly-fox.ca
