I get it, some people don't just want a coffee, but they want a Starbucks coffee, with those cute cups with its logo and your name on it. However, we all know there are tons of coffee outlets out there, but when I say coffee, The Starbucks logo pops up right in front of our sight.
In this Millennial founders and small business era, the first impression of an individual is as crucial as the first impression of your business brand.
All these prominent brands Nike, Starbucks, Macdonald's, Apple, Adidas are well-known not only for their commodities but their powerful branding as well, I bet you could visualize all the logos as you read them consecutively.
Your brand is unquestionably also known by you, but it must have its identity as well. A brand identity has those elements which make your brand a reflection of your vision which is not only visible but experienced by the audiences.
Let's talk about you as a brand when you were just about to enter college with the perfect amount of excitement and apprehension, thinking to make the best first impression.
An individual like you who wanted to have a lasting impression might work on the smallest details possible like having the appropriate dress in the right colour, a good bag or maybe even a pair of footwear-which may help you grab the attention and help you establish that aspired best impression.
Yes, you're a brand and your branding has always been important to you from your first day at school to your first date and your first day at work.
Now think of you creating your first business brand. Wouldn't you want the same thing for your brand? The lasting first impression?
“Yes”, I'm aware that's accurately what you said after reading it.
To make your business brand one of a kind, you will have to create the branding which will support you to do it for you.
Now, I know you would say—"Okay I understand Branding is essential, but where do I start from? “
Let's start from a basic—Your vision, sit and think about how your brand should be known to your audience, what kind of vision statement you have and what people should be talking about when they listen to your business brand name.
Let me be a little more truthful here, you are going to rejoice in the branding process.
Start by those basics and decide on a Name for your brand with a tagline that will serve the purpose of your vision. Create a name that sticks.
Now, once you are there with a name, it's time to jump on the next important element.
Logo.
The logo is essential as you already sensed it right at the beginning of this piece. A logo is, But said, indispensable to your business because it disseminates ownership, quality, and values. It's imprinted on your products, your business card, website, social media, and most importantly, in the minds of your clients.
The correct logo comes with the proper colour and font to represent your brand.
Choosing a logo is not an easy process, you have to start by picking what kind of logo you want. There are 9 different types of logos available and I am leaving this for you to educate yourself with some self-research.
Similarly, there are other elements of branding, but the most two fundamental are the ones I touched on. You cannot continue without these two in position.
I wish you all the favourable but if you find it difficult or overwhelming feel free to reach out for a consultation.
Let me wind this up with a pointer which has always worked for me.
Pro-tip:Imagine your brand as the first time you were entering your college or your office and see how it will make things easier for you.
Cost Considerations For New Business Logos
Zaheer Dodhia, CEO of Logo Design, is an entrepreneur who’s launched multiple startups including ZillionDesigns, PCStore, CashforUsedLaptop.
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The need for great logo design is ever-present. As business owners and startup launchers, we need a logo to introduce ourselves to potential customers, clients and partners, make them a promise and show them what to expect. In short, logos are really important.
As an entrepreneur who’s launched a couple design startups, I know that the cost of logo design can fluctuate widely depending on a variety of factors. Since logo design is an important factor in the branding of any new business venture, it’s important to know how much to set aside for the creation of your logo.
On the other hand, if you’re a new graphic designer, looking to (literally) make your mark, then you may be equally interested to know how much an entrepreneur would be willing to spend for your services.
There are many factors that play a part.
Even if you have experience as a serial entrepreneur and could take an average of the logo costs from your own past, it can still be difficult to pinpoint exactly how much you should expect to pay for logo design. That’s because so many factors play a part in the final cost. Here are some significant factors to consider when pricing your logo design and overall branding budget:
- Location
Where you operate your business plays a part in how much to budget, and that includes for branding and logo design. In a world of online startups, this particular aspect may seem less imperative. After all, if you run a purely virtual company, does it really matter where you’re based out of?
In short, yes, it does, the impact of this factor still depends on the decisions you make. Let’s say you need a logo design: You have the choice of working with a local-to-you company (which is a popular choice in the era of celebrating small businesses) or opting for a designer you find online, possibly outsourced. As is true with many small businesses versus larger businesses, I’ve found the in-person local design team is likely to charge more and ultimately be more expensive. - Type Of Logo
Both the type of logo that you opt for and the type of business that you run can potentially impact the overall cost of your logo design.
The clearest example of this is with a mascot logo. I’ve found that mascot logos are excellent tools for personifying a business and helping to create emotional connections between the company and consumers. But when compared to a simple text logo, a mascot logo is likely to require more time, effort and expense in order to do its job to the fullest extent possible.
Some graphic designers may charge more based on the type of logo that the business requests, or they may adjust the price based on the features and iterations that become necessary. - Designer Experience
In my experience, the biggest factor that plays into costs is the graphic designer. Entrepreneurs have several different options for sourcing graphic design, and the cost changes with each one.
The lower end of the price spectrum is the DIY option. With the help of logo design software, it’s possible to end up with a logo design that is virtually free. (Disclosure: My company provides logo design technology.) But, from experience, I’d suggest to save this option unless you have some knowledge of what constitutes good graphic design, as opposed to something that merely “gets the job done.” It’s a challenge to create good logos; it’s very easy to create a bad one.
Along with doing it yourself, a budding startup launcher may get help from a friend with graphic design experience or from someone else looking to network who may offer a deal.
Freelance graphic design can potentially be quite budget-friendly, too, though it can also be hit and miss. Look through the freelancer’s portfolio to ensure that previous work is technically adept enough to provide what you’re looking for. Remember that just because someone is a freelancer doesn’t mean that their work is less valuable or their experience less broad than someone who works for a design company.
Working with a larger design company provides yet another potential range of budgeting options, since the factors of location and detail level come back into play here. You’re likely going to spend quite a bit more for a larger design company in New York City than you might in, say, a small town in California. And there’s also a potential cost difference between a large professional firm and a smaller independent team.
Based on my experiences in the industry, the first set of options could cost between $0 and $200; freelancers may range more in the $200 to $500 category; and a larger design company may cost anywhere from $250 to $2000—or even more, if you land a deal with one of the more prestigious design firms. Of course, these numbers could change from category to category, but these are the average ranges that I’ve found to be common in the industry,
How much is too much?
We’ve gone through a lot of factors and information that impact the actual cost of logo design, but it’s probably pretty obvious by now that figuring out the average cost that entrepreneurs are willing to pay for design is easier said than done.
Overall, you could pay anywhere from $0 (for the extremely budget-minded, penny-pinching entrepreneur with graphic design experience) to thousands of dollars. But both of those extremes are relatively rare. For a well-designed logo from an experienced designer, I’ve found the average cost is likely to be closer to $250 to $500.
As far as what entrepreneurs should be willing to pay, however, I think the answer should be: “As much as it costs to get the right logo for your business.” Logo design is simply too important to leave it up to chance—or to a finicky budget.
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First Impressions: What Good Design Can Do for Your Business
A well-designed website is important for business marketing.
A company's website and logo design should communicate a message and make a good first impression.
When creating a website, designers should consider visual appeal, easy navigation and search engine optimization strategy.
This article is for small business owners looking to enhance their website's marketing potential.
Your brand's website communicates to potential customers whether your business knows what it's doing or not. That's why web design is important as a marketing tool. It highlights the need to invest time and resources into a well-built homepage so it doesn't appear you've settled for a default theme or an overly simple layout.
Why website design matters
According to a study from the Missouri University of Science and Technology, a person's eyes take 2.6 seconds to focus on a specific element of a webpage when it loads. The viewer quickly forms an opinion based on what they've seen, so it pays to influence that opinion with a smart design, said Adriana Marin, a freelance graphic designer.
Editor's note: If you're looking for information to help you choose the website design service that's right for you, fill out the questionnaire below to receive information from a variety of vendors for free.
What to consider when designing a website
Based on tips from the experts who spoke to us, here are a few things you should consider when creating your website:
Validity
"People have [feelings] about your company based on the experiences that they have had with a brand," Marin said. "A well-designed logo and website inspires confidence because it looks professional. If a company is willing to focus on creating a clean and functional design that is easy to use, then that could be an indicator of what using their product might be like."
First impression
"Good design helps to communicate your message, pulls weight to cut through the marketing chatter, and arranges information most effectively for the precise market you're trying to reach," said Lilian Crooks, graphic designer and communications specialist at Harcum College. "Effective design and messaging work in tandem to convey the value of your business legibly and, most importantly, memorably."
SEO strategy
Ramon Khan, a freelance marketing consultant, explained that Google is making a big push for Core Web Vitals. He added that the company focuses a lot on intangible aspects of a website – such as how quickly it loads and how well formatted it is for mobile – which are all part of search engine optimization.
"The on-page content you're utilizing and the keywords you want to rank for in SEO are significant factors to consider," agreed Andrei Kurtuy, co-founder and CCO of Novoresume. "Prior to creating a website, conduct keyword research and organize your content such that each page caters to a single long-tail keyword."
Consistency
"When it comes to the design and aesthetic of a business, this is a prime example of the importance of first impressions," said Annie Everill, digital marketing executive at Imaginaire. "Creating a strong, recognizable, and original brand identity is key in the success of a business – not only linking all your accounts together, but also forming a community feel for your team and audience. This brand identity can be present through a logo, website, layout, packaging, social media and graphics."
Simplicity
Your landing page should set the tone for your company and provide important information, making it easy for your audience to understand what products or services your business provides.
"Figure out what the most important information is that you need users [or] customers to take away from that page, and make it extremely easy to find and understand," said Christina Coviello, head of user experience research at Noom Inc. "Then identify the most important action you'd need users to take on that page and make it prominent and easily accessible."
Particularly, Coviello suggests adding a purchase button on the homepage as a call to action. Whatever call to action you choose, it should engage your audience with your services or products.
Key takeaway: Your website design should prioritize simplicity over complicated strategy, with explicit and concise information, a clear tone, and a look and feel that is true to your business's brand.
Visual appeal
You might have a great story to tell, but no one will want to read your About Us page or explore your social media posts if you don't immediately engage your audience. How can you accomplish this?
Cole Sletten, creative director at digital branding agency Ready Set Rocket, said strong visuals do the trick.
"An image can communicate even complex messages quickly, concisely and memorably," he said. "It's this same drive for fast consumption that has evolved the internet from its text-centric roots into an image- and increasingly video-centric [medium]."
Marin added that eye-catching visuals will set your brand apart from others. The imagery you use should be relevant to your brand and engage your target audience. When in doubt, she said, keep things direct and simple.
Crooks added that "stock photography and illustration looks like stock photography and illustration." To avoid using the same visuals as another company, consider supporting local artists and designers to create unique, innovative designs.
Competition
"Monitoring your competitors' websites can help you identify trending design strategies," said Chelsea Cohen, co-founder of SoStocked. "An outdated website gives customers the impression that you either have an inactive online presence or aren't interested in creating more convenient opportunities for them. Your competition will have insight into what attracts similar customers, especially if they've had a long-standing digital presence."
Cohen noted that researching competitors isn't the same as piggybacking on their site architecture or color scheme, but you can use them as a filter to determine which elements work. Exploring industry websites will also add to your site's uniqueness.
Tip: Look at your competitors' websites to determine trends that you might be missing.
Readability and usability
The biggest piece of advice experts give about designing a website is to make it easy to navigate and not give visitors – and hopefully future customers – too many options.
"The fewer options you offer per page, the easier it will be for visitors to choose and convert into customers," Cohen said. "I recommend following the rule of three throughout your website. One element may be too few and lack enough detail to compel your reader to take action. But listing three elements at once is enough to create a balance and instill interest. Anything more risks overwhelming your audience and losing them altogether."
Examples of the rule of three, according to Cohen, could be shortening your bulleted lists or designing a less complicated, three-tiered pricing model.
Mobile viewing
"Many users today browse the internet using their mobile phones," said Jeff Zhou, CEO of Fig Loans. "With a limited real estate view, you need to make sure that visitors can easily navigate throughout your sites and find the information that they're looking for. Just like how it functions on a web browser, your website should also function well on mobile devices." [Learn how to optimize your website for mobile devices.]
Bottom line: Compelling, unique website design
When you're deciding what your online brand presence should look like, remember that it's important to be consistent, but not repetitive.
"The best brands ... feel more like real, multifaceted personalities than collections of graphical elements," Sletten said. "Think about the qualities that are unique to your business and that could attractively represent your brand. Then let those qualities drive your logo and website to your Instagram feed and even your storefront, packaging, and customer service."
Jennifer Post and Nicole Fallon contributed to the writing and reporting in this article. Some source interviews were conducted for a previous version of this article.