Logo Design Mishaps

A while back we posted the top 5 logo design tips for small businesses. This time around, we’re tackling the biggest logo design mistakes as a warning to small business owners on the verge of disaster. Suffice to say that you should steer clear of these common faux pas unless you’re writing a book about rebranding failures.

• Don’t Be Trendy – You want your logo to stand out, not follow the pack. Besides, trends come and go; your logo design needs to stay consistent for several years, even decades. Whatever’s in style now won’t be popular 5 years from now. For instance, the super glossy fad gave way to the flat design or minimalism craze. Now all those companies with ultraviolet logos are stuck scrambling for the opposite end of the spectrum. Avoid the trap of getting stuck with an outdated design cliché by going for a classic look.
• Don’t Focus on Color – Yes, you read that correctly. Color is definitely key, but color selection should be one of the finishing touches. Focusing on color too much in the concept stages often delays the creative process. It’s best to start with plain black and white, and fill in the rest once you pick a winner. As soon as you have a concept you like, you’ll be able to sample it in different colors to your heart’s content.
• Don’t Add A Tagline – Taglines are a fun, catchy way to sum up your mission, and it’s perfectly ok to put them alongside your logo. But taglines take up extra space and avert the eyes away from the actual logo. Taglines sometimes come off as a sales pitch, which may appear unprofessional at networking events. Plus, you might not always have room for the added text. Save your tagline as an afterthought, and make a separate set of logos with the tagline attached for marketing purposes.
• Don’t Forget Your Customer Base – Your logo should speak to your target market. Make sure you understand your customers’ style preferences and what they want from your brand. For example, a tech company should probably go for a modern edge that appeals to a younger audience. Remember, style is a matter of taste, and you will never please everyone. Still, try to find middle ground with a design that won’t alienate the people you’re trying to attract.
• Don’t Be Stingy – Too many small businesses focus on price, and try to save money by cutting corners. Unless you’re a graphic artist, don’t think you can get away with doing it yourself or hiring an amatuer for next to nothing. You don’t have to hire the most expensive designer on the market, but save the frugal attitude for unnecessary expenses. Your logo deserves a professional touch.

Did we leave out your logo design pet peeve? Do you have a logo horror story we can all learn from? Share your thoughts with our community in the comments beloW!