Logos... Just Do It and keep it basic!

This is not a post on vision planning, branding philosophy, deep esoteric reasons on what logos really mean. It’s a post to encourage you to look around, spend time doing a little research... maybe less time on FB, and you will come up with good ideas and a solution.

Over a number of years I have witnessed many entrepreneurs struggle with the basics of  how to attract customers. One of the most confounding is the LOGO.

Stop spending days, weeks and maybe months agonizing over a logo!

I promise, if you read this and spend at least a couple of 30 min sessions going to the links provided you will be well on your way to your very own, pretty nice logo. And it's a heck of a lot  more productive than looking up cute puppy pictures or words to live by to post on FB)

You can get tons of ideas and even complete the design yourself. There is no need to spend a lot of time and a lot of money or go to some branding firm 800 miles away. However, when you have a concept you like you might discover you are not able or simply don’t want to do it yourself. That’s fine... Use your networking contacts or go online to find a company or individual to help you. And if at all possible STAY LOCAL! By staying local you have additional opportunities to network and besides that, it’s just common sense. Unless you live in the middle of, who knows where, why would you go 800 miles away to have your logo designed?

So here we go...

SIDE BAR... this is not how to design a logo.

It's just to give you ideas and to show you

it is possible to do it yourself.

Pick a letter in the alphabet (associated with your business name) “R” for example.
Do a Google search on the letter. After the search is complete Google gives you options to select the type of search you want to see. You can look at:

Web (results) Image (results) Maps (results) Videos (results) News (results) and more…Choose Image...

You may be amazed at the ideas you can come up with just from this very simple search.

This was done in 10 min with PicMonkey

Now you're on your way. Don’t stop and don’t get caught up in artsy, cool, esoteric creative stuff. Stay basic, keep it simple and easy to look at. See the examples on this page.

Do another Google search on “logos” (don’t forget to choose image). Do searches on various companies. Stick with the big names you (and everyone else) know. Try Proctor and Gamble.

They have 50 core products that each do a billion or more. Look at the logos. Most are pretty simple. Doesn't that tell you something?

Look at the examples on this post... the classic... m&m, originally written on a coffee shop napkin by the way. How about the Nike Swoosh? You can’t get much more basic... and you don’t have to go outside your own “community” for stuff like this.

Spend the few minutes suggested to look online. Notice magazine ads, watch TV commercials and program intros. The people who do that stuff get paid a lot to do it. Learn from them.

Here are resources (FREE) you can use to design your own.
Google Draw see the SafetSmart logo below
Google Picasa there are some very cool tools Watch this video
PicMonkey (ya, I know, dumb name) great stuff. I have used it a lot.
Pixlr (miniature Photoshop... will do lots of things)

I did this with Google Draw

so easy and flexible...from the TV show with  the same name

Love this!

Most importantly... Just Do it... Don't take months. Don't put off doing what you are supposed to do... And that's getting customers.

TWO TIPS...

1) Do not take offense. I am not trying to offend your religion, patriotism, personal philosophy etc. But unless your target market is a religious, patriotic, political or moral focused audience, don't use symbols that represent these areas.

2) If you need help I will respond. Just click on Your questions/comments TAB at the top of this page. Fill out the form and I'll get back to you, really.