Author: Kristi Woods
Article Source: MiNeeds.com, where consumers get competitive bids from Marketers and Advertisers. Read reviews, compare offers & save. It’s free!
Article Link: http://www.mineeds.com/Frederick/SmartMarket-Group/Articles/Building-an-Identity
Tags: designing a logo , logos , logo creation , starting a business , brand management , branding , creating a brand , designing logo , design , making a logo
You’re all excited about your new venture. You wrote up your business plan, got financial backing, picked out a trade name, filed the appropriate legal paperwork (with or without the aid of an attorney), and got back your tax ID numbers. You are for REAL–You just gave birth to your new baby and now you want to tell the world about it, such a proud Poppa (Momma)….
SO NOW WHAT?
Unfortunately, there are still some pretty critical pieces to the puzzle that need to be thought through when you are finally ready for the rubber to hit the road. Most important in getting started, is your logo. Everything begins with(and should include) the logo–it is what you hope will become widely recognized and respected, telling your story. It is going to be on your business card, your website, and even on the tag in your Fruit of the Looms (for some of us) – Important stuff! Good logos either draw the observer in to learn more or clearly convey a meaning without much analysis. You will be married to this logo for a good bit of time, so choose (and design!) wisely.
Important note: It can be really (REALLY!) tempting to call up a friend or relative that you think is a “good artist” and ask them for help in getting you off the ground with a logo. Why not? They might be just as excited about your new venture, they draw great Ligers with their trusty Crayolas, and we all know they sure come CHEAP (or so you think)! I can’t begin to tell you how many clients have come to me at the end of their rope for this very reason. They really thought that was the right way to go, to help spread out some of the emotional ownership and excitement of their new company by including artistically inclined folks from their camp in the process. But it can be a surprisingly frustrating, time-consuming task, and if someone has never created logos before, and are not students of the design game it can backfire horribly. Artistic ability and business acumen need to meet in the middle in this realm, and that takes a special kind of designer. So my advice, choose to KEEP your friends and family–outsource that logo!