Creating an awesome logo for yourself or a client can be a challenge and there are several different approaches you take which are based on tried and trusted ‘rules’ which have become synonymous with successful logo designing.

1. A logo can quite literally make or break a company by the imagery, the letter font and the colours used; therefore the first aspect to consider is what type of message you’re trying to portray to your clients and consumers. Take the lead from some of the most famous logos which have become synonymous with a product or company such as the coca cola logo, with its red background and distinctive white font which can be translated into any language and still be instantly recognizable.

2. Whatever your budget one of the cardinal ‘sins’ of logo designing is to use ‘clip art’. As your logo needs to be unique there’s little sustenance or professionalism in using an image which is available to anyone; it simply implies that an amateur has created the logo, which is not showing any imaginative thinking, design flair or that you’re taking your public profile image seriously.

3. Make the logo clear and distinctive, too much fuss or overcrowding will simply confuse the viewers. You need the logo to be concise and yet providing enough interest to grab the viewers attention and leaving them wanting to find out more about the product or company. Remember that logos are not advertising flyers or posters. They are made to be placed on advertising materials to reinforce the product or company at a glance.

4. The colours you select should be reflective of the product or brand. For example, corporate colours of blue are popular as they signify stability and professionalism. Red signifies excitement, action and activity which is why it’s a popular colour to use on commercial logos, such as the aforementioned coca cola logo, while green is representative of nature, rejuvenation and growth. Orange is one of the latest colour trends for logos as it signifies freshness and good health. As you can see choosing which colour to use on a logo is as equally as important as the design itself.

5. You should also produce multi-media compatible logos and make sure that the colours used can’t be changed or altered, as well as ensuring the colours are multi-platform friendly. Always check that your awesome logo is positioned correctly for maximum affect and minimum intrusion.

6. Choosing which font to use is far more than pot luck! You need to consider the company or product the logo is being designed for. Capital letters are generally considered to be a ‘no-go’ area, however, some of the latest and instantly recognisable logos have used capital letters to make a strong bold logo which grabs attention. Rounded, cursive styling is associated with femininity making it the ideal font type to use if the logo is to be used on products used predominately by women. Alternatively, for great effective, if the logo fits neatly into the brand name a double impact can be created which makes it stand out from the crowd.

As you can see by these 6 tips to creating an awesome logo there’s more to logo designing than you may have imagined. If you want to design logos for yourself or your clients you need to be bang up-to-date with the latest design innovations and techniques being used at a global level. Think outside the ‘box’ to create an awesome logo that will be instantly recognisable and totally unique.

Guest post provided by Ben who works for Season Cars a Sports and Prestige car hire company based in London.