This is not a how-to design a logo. This is a guide to educate you on how an experienced designer can help you through a project whose outcome you will need to live with for years. Learn how greatly the symbolic significance of your corporate identity can impact your Business. To say anyone can design a logo is to say anyone can design a 53 story high rise. Here are some key lessons that will tell you if you're choosing the right architect for your corporate identity!

Simple Definition- On The Surface

A logo design is composed of one or more elements of shape, type, and thematically chosen colors. In a glance, it conveys a substantial amount of information to the viewer, much in the form of short gut feelings that aren't vocalized -good, hesitant, authoritative, dignified, classy, upscale, expertise, cheap?the list is endless.

Your logo is a symbol that will stand on every piece of printed or electronic collateral for at least the next 10 years. Remember that thought. Changing your logo in a year because you don't like it breeds confusion and mistrust that spreads like weeds within your audience. Many people over look that fact when they have a logo designed from the Internet for $25.

Your identity is an extension of your Business that communicates visually, through appearance, and emotionally, through symbolism. Curtailing or ignoring thought, revision, and growth in the design process will hurt your finished product and corporate image. A good graphic artist will lead you through the design process. He or she will help visualize your company as the world sees you.

"I'm not creative," "I can't draw," "Make it green cause green is my favorite color and I'm the boss and it's my logo!" If you find yourself thinking along these lines, you're pretty normal so don't worry! If your passion and talent lie in matching the perfect violin to a young blossoming talent that walks into your music store, you're probably not going to do your own corporate tax returns.

Tax returns are done every year. Your logo, the heart and soul of your business is created once. It's part of you, and is the face of your Business the world will see. Let a graphic artist, whose own passion is design, help you with what they do best. It's well worth the investment. Let's look at why?

In the following we'll discuss some obvious and not so obvious things a logo communicates and illustrate by examples you'll recognize. You will have a greater understanding of how much power your little icon can potentially have.

Logos: The Obvious Characteristics

From a usability and visibility standpoint there a several key factors that must be built into the design. Your logo must be clear and simple enough that it does not lose meaning when reproduced at different sizes, specifically smaller. If it is too cluttered and muddy on your Business card your first impression will be a disappointment to a potential client.

It must not lose meaning when reproduced in one color. The Internet and online marketing let you produce things in blazing colorful glory without extra cost. However, don't forget those equally important other places your logo will be seen like packaging, shopping bags, faxes, Xeroxes, newspapers, Business cards, brochures and letterhead. Those are important items in building brand loyalty and recognition to your product. If they don't look sharp, neither will your image, and neither will your sales.

Logos: The Quiet, Harmonic Subtle Qualities Often Overlooked

Your logo is a symbol of your company's ideals, practices and missions. A well- developed, carefully sculpted logo can inspire vision, stability and comfort. Your image can make a viewer feel he or she is in the best, most experienced hands. With this visual interaction you are building a trust with your audience.

Instill trust and a solid foundation