It’s not about you
Certainly you’ve met a “frustrated artist.” Why are they frustrated? Chances are, their soul musings reincarnated to physical mediums aren’t keeping the lights on. Financially successful artists, be they painters, designers, musicians, actors, or whatever, must create things that other people care about and hence will pay for. The difference between a frustrated artist and a frustrated entrepreneur is about two bags of Ramen Noodles. The point is, if you just create things that are ultimately only admired by yourself, you’re going to have a very small impact on the economy.
It can be natural to focus on one’s own sensibilities through the logo development process. “I don’t like orange. I don’t like that style of lettering.” Business owners can have a very specific idea in their head about what their logo should be, and it can be frustrating when a designer presents something different. Though they never say it out-loud, the thought is, “We were expecting something else,” which typically means, “We’ve seen plenty of logos for law firms and that isn’t what they look like. I could easily draw one for you if I only knew how to draw, which is why we hired you.”
None of this means you shouldn’t have an opinion or that the work shouldn’t be something you can be proud of. Nor are we suggesting that a logo shouldn’t be appropriate to your business or category. Just remember, a strong brand experience is all about how your consumer thinks and feels about your business. Does it represent who they think they are or aspire to be?
We suggest that a business owner keep a few things in mind when developing a logo:
- At the end of the day, success is based on what a consumer ultimately chooses to do (i.e. decide to buy what you’re selling). Understand them. Talk to them. Be a champion for them. As soon as you start to worry more about you than them you lose. Your only objective should be to fulfill someone’s need as effectively as possible. It’s basically applying a customer service focus to your logo and other communications representing your company.
- Some things make great DIY projects. Other things like complex electrical issues, surgery, or logo design don’t. Hire a professional and work closely with them, but give them the respect and space they need to do their work.When hiring a professional make a good, thoughtful decision. Pick a creative person or group the same way you’d pick an accountant or heart surgeon. There are friends and family members that you may be able to coerce into helping you, and there are no shortage of mediocre agencies that will promise you they can do anything, but cutting corners is a decision that comes with it’s own consequences. Beware.
- Understand what the work needs to accomplish for the business at the end of the day. Part of that understanding is maintaining a realistic expectation of what a certain tool, like a logo, can actually do for you. Hammers are powerful tools, but they make terrible ladders.
That final point is an excellent launch pad for our next and final part of the series: What did you expect? Garbage in, garbage out.
Learn all you ever wanted to know about logos here: http://www.squidoo.com/logobliviexasperalysis
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