Unfortunately, for small and medium sized businesses their parenting equivalent is having a strong brand. Just like the average teenager who thinks independence and autonomy are the ultimate achievements, many businesses mistakenly believe that they can determine their brands by themselves. However, such a belief is far from the truth.

A business’ brand is dictated by the perception of its current and potential clients. Constructing a brand takes a holistic approach so all aspects such as the way the marketing messages are structured, how the messages address customers, and the attractiveness of what is being conveyed online are intertwined. Moreover, an important feature of a company’s branding is a strong, stand-out logo, so the effective use of such a vital branding tool will be discussed further.

Firstly, business owners must be cognizant that a logo is neither a business’ brand nor its identity. A logo simply identifies a business via a mark or an icon. However, logos play an important role by forming a perceived image of a company. If you decide not to shower, remain ungroomed, and wear the same unwashed clothes for a month, you may have the greatest personality and under normal circumstances you may be the considered as the reincarnation of Mother Teresa or Gandhi, but in such a case the average person would just think you stink and you’re disgusting. They may not care to know about you, the person; instead, they would most likely formulate an opinion based on your external appearance and worse yet your scent. Logos have a similar effect. Generally, logos don’t necessarily explain what companies do, but they symbolize the businesses they represent influencing consumers’ perception in the process.

As explained above, a logo in its simplest form identifies a brand and proudly displays what the brand represents. Would you feel comfortable wearing a full vampire outfit to a Christmas themed party? If you replied yes, consider yourself to be in the minute minority. However, the average person wouldn’t be at ease seeing others dressed in their ugly Christmas sweaters while he/she rocks his/her vampire fangs and a cape enjoying gingerbread cookies under the mistletoe.

Therefore, similar to picking the correct outfit for a particular function, many factors have to be considered before making an appropriate logo to satisfy the needs of a company and to ensure it portrays the intended message. Entrepreneurs need to pay attention to the shape, size, font type, colors, and the image that will be used. Additionally, to garner the benefits from the design of a proper logo, individuals need to also understand the five principles of an effective logo. Logos should be simple, memorable, timeless, versatile, and appropriate. To get an idea of logos that fulfill all the criteria, one can look at some of the most successful company logos that exist such as Apple Inc., Shell Oil Company, Jordan, Mercedes Benz, and Adidas.

One of the most important aspects of creating an effective logo is its color scheme. To help decide on the appropriate colors, business owners need to know the emotions they intend to evoke in their present and potential customers. It is also important that entrepreneurs are aware of the colors’ meanings to avoid conveying contrary messages. Picture an army private kneeling and handing his/her drill sergeant a $50 bill when the individual says to drop down and give me fifty. Preventing misinterpretation is paramount.

Generally, the color red stirs up excitement, boldness, and youth. Green exudes a feeling of peacefulness, and it signifies health and growth while brown relates to security, protection, and comfort. Blue on the other hand implies trust, strength, and dependability. Purple suggests creativity which represents imagination and wisdom. Yellow gives a sense of optimism and cheerfulness while gold is the color of success, sophistication and prestige. A logo’s colors should also function in a dual capacity since it advised that they are used to represent the business also; therefore, entrepreneurs should choose their companies’ colors wisely because they will contribute heavily to the representation of their brands.

As the old adage goes, the first impression is a lasting one, so it is imperative that entrepreneurs make a significant effort when designing their companies’ logos. If necessary, they should hire professional logo design firms to create effective logos with the most appropriate colors that will send a compelling message to potential and current patrons. Logos are crucial tools for branding; therefore, businesspersons should invest enough time and effort into them to ensure that they are done well to properly represent their brand.