written by Maaike Boot / Founder Little Smilemakers Studio
Since Little Smilemakers Studio started we mainly focussed on creating surface pattern designs. But every now and then we love to create a logo for fellow entrepreneurs and creatives. And since we notice a logo is always a struggle, we wanted to give you 5 tips to get this process started and make it a smooth one. Hopefully this will give you some insight.
I am a big fan of hiring the right peep for the job instead of choosing cheap or quantity over quality. And when I stared my business I didn’t have to worry about the logo, branding and other graphic elements; I could do these all myself. I studied graphic design and worked in the industry for a couple of years before starting my own business, and back in the day I made a bunch of logos. I think my style was already the same mix of minimal quirky as it is right now. But since I have worked with so many new businesses on their logo. I do have a broad experience you might be able to learn something about my experiences.
1 // A logo as a reflection of both you and your business
What is a logo? And what should a logo do for you? Logo’s in business can be a way to catch a quick glimpse of what you’re doing. They usually contain a small visual element, mixed with text. You can also create a full typographic logo of course and skip the illustration. Or go non-text. That's all up to you. An illustration might be a fun way to hide a message. A strong visual speaks louder than any text. A good example it the Nike logo. But if you are not as 'famous' yet. Text might come in handy.
The first question you’d like to ask yourself is simple, who am I? If you start a small business this is a great way to start showing the world what you are doing. Who are you? What is your style? Do you enjoy new trends? Or are you more a contemporary style kind of girl? Do you love a rainbow of colors or would you choose a crisp black and white over color? Try to implement all of you into your business and logo. If you are working with a skilled designer they will filter any color doubt or color mayhem overkill to create something professional.
2 // Make a list
What used to be very helpful for me as a designer to start the logo design process, and I still ask this to new clients when I start custom projects on surface pattern designs: lists. Make a list of the things you really don’t like. Colors you have, fonts that make you go iek. Making a list of what doesn’t work is a great way to tackle any drafts that would never work for you personally. This makes the process a whole lot easier, faster and more cost-effective.
3 // How to find a pro
Ask yourself what is important for you and your business? Does your logo have to tell a story? Consider thinking about your branding and marketing, should your logo be a main visual for this? If you are running a product-based business the product is usually the thing to sell. But a logo can be the start of an entirely new branding strategy and visual language. if you want to set up your business as a whole, considering hiring a designer that knows about marketing and positioning. Look out for the way they present their logo designs: is it just a logo, or do they have advertising, folders, web included in their portfolio? If they have a range of graphical elements and they are coherent: this might be your designer to plan your visual strategy with. They most likely have thought about how to implement your logo and style into more than just the right corner of your website. They’ve done research on you and your customer, have the insight and knowledge how to use image, type & color for your target group. Look for the logo designers that hide a message in the logo, or tell a story.
4 // Logo on a budget
I understand most businesses that start out might not have the resources to splurge on too pricy things. Oh I sure didn’t when I started out. But I did do my research and set up a financial plan in order to have a little bit of an idea of how much I would spend the first year: webdesign, software, fonts. Don’t be too quick to save on a logo though. I do want you to consider saving up a little, even if you don’t have much cash, there’s always a way to not buy that pair of jeans or skip some lattes to save up for the future. Your business is worth it. Because outsourcing a logo is one of the best investments to building your future for you and your company. There are a lot of ways to create something. Even if you are on a tight budget. You can use an app like Canva to create something yourself, or put your job on the 99designs website and let designers pitch designs to you. But if you are willing to look beyond the logo, let a pro handle your visuals. Just to have an idea about the costs; our logo design process is around €1200. Including of course the logo design process, implementing the design on 4 graphical elements and building a branding language to use for your socials etc. This strategy is presented in a report. You can call it a little branding manual.
5 // Definite don’ts
Make sure to tackle these rookie mistakes. If you are creating a logo yourself keep in mind the legals! If you are using stock vectors: most stock websites don’t allow logos to be made from their images. So make sure your ‘images’ used to create your logo are originals and ask permission to use these for your design. Stay away from the competitor, and don’t copy something because you just like it. Don’t be ugly! The grass is not greener on the other side. Do your own work and trust your own way to success. Don’t just copy. Up until today, I have to explain this to my clients too when they tell me ‘we want a print design like this.’ If you like to copy something that’s already there, use an illustration or font: ask the original creator for permission. Be chic! You don’t want your logo to say: I stole this but please trust my business anyway. Trust is everything.
