Your logo is your identity. It must be recognizable, readable at any size and represent your brand. A great logo can make a drastic difference in how a customer perceives your brand. On the other hand, a bad logo may dilute your brand and have negative effects on consumer perception. Here are three major things to avoid when designing your brand’s logo:

1. Over Complicated Designs

With today’s trends in design, keeping it simple is the way to go. Limit your logo’s colors to no more than three. Avoid gradients, they are not ideal for print. Keep font choices to a minimum by using only one or two. Lastly, make sure your logo works in black and white and at various sizes. You want your branding to look cohesive and recognizable, whether it’s displayed on a billboard, poster or business card. Here is an example of a logo we designed for a local business that is simplistic:

2. Clichés

We’ve already seen a million variations of the “X” logo design trend. To see what I mean, check out this Tumblr page that shows how overdone it really is. Avoiding clichés like this can help set your brand apart from the competition. Here is another blog about the most common logo design clichés; you’d be surprised how similar some of them are!

3. Plagiarism

Not only is it illegal, plagiarizing a logo shows a lack of originality in your brand. Stealing clipart, using licensed fonts without permission or even copying a logo’s shape are huge no-no’s. Make sure you and your designer understand basic plagiarism laws to avoid the possibility of a passive-aggressive cease and desist letter showing up in your mailbox.

Here’s an example of a logo that we completed for a client. She originally gave us a flower drawing with a ‘compass-like’ image in the middle. We played with a couple different formats and she finally decided on this more abstract version for her final product!

In addition, avoid using sites like Fiverr. You can’t get a great logo for $5. After all, you’re basically paying for generic clipart attached to some text. If you are not skilled in design, that’s okay! Outsource your logo to an agency (South Street & Co.) to get the most out of your branding. A great logo is worth the money since the value created by great branding is priceless!

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