Think about the first time you met someone. You may have assumed they were happy, secretive, honest or untrustworthy simply by the way they looked and overtime your opinion may have changed. Our brains naturally do this all the time; it’s just how we are programmed. Your product or business is very similar, the first impression it sends to the world comes from your logo. Before people even hear what you have to offer, they see your logo. Logo design is one of the most crucial components of your product’s success and is often overlooked by thinking that the product is “good enough.”

We hate to break it to you, but even if you have the best problem-solving product in the world, customers are unlikely to find out if they don’t feel drawn to your business. A well-developed logo is an easy way to spark curiosity, bring in business, and sell product.

So How Does Logo Design Help with Marketing?

Your target market are visual creatures. At a glance, customers are drawing all kinds of conclusions about your product or business. To make things more complicated, every person perceives those visuals through their own unique lens. With that in mind, there is one very important thing to remember when it comes to designing logos; know your audience. Birds of a feather flock together (and think alike). You won’t be able to please everyone, but with a little research, you can learn who your audience is and what they’re looking for; crucial to your business’s survival and logo development process.

Based on some research done by Cathrine Clifford (Senior Entrepreneurship Writer at CNBC) 93% of purchasing judgments are based on visual perception. This is why logo design and brand development are so critical; if it is not visually pleasing, customers really don’t care. Our brains are constantly processing visual information and without a basic understanding of how this works, designers can make some big mistakes. Even just having a design that’s too cluttered can cause a customer to feel distracted and uninterested. This may sound overwhelming, but even just knowing a few simple elemental principles can help your logo development process.

Designing Logos

Colors

Colors are the most visually recognized element of your logo. If you fail to identify what colors mean to your audience, you may end up sending the wrong message. For example, when it comes to colors, they have general meanings, but they can differ between groups and cultures. One article noted that in Japan, blue symbolizes happiness but in the United States, it is often used in connection with sadness. The color red is often used to express love and affection but can also be used to symbolize violence. There’s a big difference between Valentine’s Day and Halloween. Not knowing your audience can send out some very confusing signals and lead to a disconnection with potential customers.

Along with other design elements, color can invoke emotions and memories quite easily. Think about some of your favorite brands and what they symbolize. Apple often uses black, white or silver as part of its infamous apple icon. Just like their products, this usually brings a sense of elegance or professionalism. Another example comes from Google. Their logo is very dynamic and takes many forms, but the color scheme typically follows a theme that excites creativity and learning.

When designing your logo, ask questions like, “What does my business stand for? What colors correlate to those values? And, does our target audience think similarly?” These will be a great guide in the logo design and brand development.

Shapes

Shapes are not always as obvious as colors but they can have just as powerful influence on us. As mentioned earlier, our brains are really good at recognizing and organizing things, but that doesn’t mean we are fully aware it’s happening. There have probably been times when you looked at an image or piece of art and felt certain things without really understanding why you were feeling them. This has to do with our subconscious mind’s ability to connect what’s happening to a memory or emotion, shapes are something like graphic design secrets. We can’t always identify why a memory was triggered or why we got upset all the sudden, but shapes can play a big part in that.

Research has shown that triangles represent things like achievement and success. That’s why mountains are often used to depict challenges and progress like in the famous Paramount or Patagonia logos, they both create things that push human limitations and strive for the next level. Squares are commonly used to express a sense of security and trust. Their hard corners give people feelings of organization and structure. When designing your logo, look for ways to incorporate shapes that are consistent with your values.

People also read: To-Do Lists vs. Calendars: One, Neither, or Both?

Need Help Designing Logos?

This is really just the tip of the iceberg, there is so much more to learn and understand when it comes to logo and brand development. It can be a challenge to come up with a great design and look when you have to run a business, especially if you are beginning with a small startup. Thankfully, there are professionals, entire teams in fact, ready to assist with your design needs. Agencies like Jupiter Design are a great source for design, product, and logo development processes. They provide a number of services and have a blog full of helpful tips.

You can also read: Creative marketing tips that every blogger need to use

Yes, there is a lot to remember, but the most important thing is to know your audience. You might be full of great ideas, but you need to know how to communicate those ideas before you will find success, and your logo design is a huge part of your communication. Learn some design basics so you can make a great impression and send the right message.

About the Author

Kirk Grathwol is VP of Design at Jupiter Design and has over 25 years of design experience with companies both large and small, including Hasbro and Sevan Design & Marketing for many years. He is a leader in cutting edge packaging, product and branding design trends and has led the development of thousands of successful current and past products in retail.