The short answer: honest. Here's why.
I got you. You've skipped countless nights of sleep thinking about your business. Dozens of questions pop into your head.
- Is this really going to sell?
- Will people trust me enough?
- Will I fulfill their expectations?
Once you, somehow, figure everything out while keeping your sanity (most of it, at least), comes another challenge. It's time to put your thoughts on a piece of paper. How do you do it?
At this time, most entrepreneurs start to think about colors, fonts, symbols, shapes, etc. Today, I invite you to think differently.
This is not another blog post with dozens of tips/tricks/hacks about how to design the perfect logo (we will have a post for that).
For now, let's think a little about something more important, shall we? Something more important than shapes and colors.
Your logo should be honest.
Dieter Rams, one of the most influential designers in the world, is known not only for his huge contributions to the creative field but also his famous ‘10 Principles Of Good Design‘.
Here's an amazingly produced video about the 10 principles. It's 4 minutes long and I strongly recommend you to watch it.
https://vimeo.com/304626830
Honest means not trying to make a product look more innovative, powerful, or more valuable than it really is.
Dieter Rams
The 6th principle is all about honesty. The design should not look more expensive or cheaper than it really is. It should be "just right".
The same could be applied to your business. And not only in the price factor. Here are some easy examples:
- If you plan to open a restaurant, please don't use a healthy-looking logo if you are not a healthy-focused restaurant. Are you specialized in pasta, perhaps? Then use that in the logo instead. People will love it.
- Maybe you are a travel agent. Does your typical customer hire an 80-foot yacht for a weekend in the Bahamas? If yes, great! If not, you might be scaring them away. Try to focus on the "family" theme instead if that's your typical customers.
- This is my favorite: Are you the owner of a car dealership? For God's sake, don't use a Ferrari picture in your marketing materials IF YOU DON'T HAVE A FERRARI TO SELL. Instead, use high-quality and well-produced pictures of cars you sell. This will create way more trust than the previous. Trust me.
Focus on your customer.
Do you see how honesty is important? First, you need to understand your business and what is, honestly, your part in the world.
More importantly than knowing where you are, is knowing where YOUR CUSTOMERS are. Do that and you will see how easier and faster you'll reach them. Once you tailor your logo, your brand, your website, and your copywriting specifically for them, some sort of magic happens.
They feel comfortable, they trust you more, and are way more inclined to buy from you. Because, at the end of the day, among dozens of businesses, at least one was thinking about them. That should be you.
Colors, fonts, and shapes come and go. Companies go through brand redesigns all the time. Trends change every year (and then come back again 10 years later).
But a solid and honest foundation? That can last forever.
Your challenge is: put your customer first. Be just right for them and you'll see the results.
If you got interested, just book a completely free consultation call with us, will you? We specialize in creating perfectly honest logos for entrepreneurs like you.
