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7 Secrets to a Perfect Logo

LogoDesign.com Staff

There are a lot of articles on logo design best practices, but we’ve never come across something that concisely states the secrets to creating mind blowing logos. So we decided to develop one ourselves, and here it is!

1. Design your logo using Microsoft Paint.
Microsoft has a plethora of design tools to design stunning logos. Microsoft Word is a great start. They have some amazing arrows, shapes and fantastic wingdings…not to mention their detailed clipart. But you’d be even better off with Microsoft Paint, as it provides you with a more technical set of tools.

2. Use Papyrus or Comic Sans font.
If there’s a more sassy and eye catching font than these two gems, we haven’t seen them. Papyrus looks like it was written on an old scroll, so it will make your business look like it’s been around a while, and plus, it’s really classy. Using it also makes you look like you’ve hired your very own calligrapher, and that’s big league!

Comic Sans shows your fun, creative side with its informal bounce and unique slant to the right. It’s like a cute little poodle that people can’t help but fall in love with.

The best part with these fonts is they’re rarely used.

3. Use as much detail as possible.
Show every detail you can about your business in your logo design. A good vet clinic logo will include images of all the animals the clinic has treated, not just dogs and cats.

Be specific and detailed. For example, if you are a library, you want to add as many elements as possible to attract the greatest number of patrons. Why just do a book, when you can do a book, a picture of your building, a librarian, a person reading by the glow of his living room fireplace, and an owl? Do this and the library card applications will come flooding in!

Got a fax number or license number? Demand that your designer squeeze it in to your logo. People want to know this.

4. What type of business are you?
LLC? Incorporated? Sole Proprietor? Always, always include this information in your logo, otherwise people will be thinking, “Is this guy a limited liability company or what?”

A designer might tell you differently, but remember, your designer doesn’t always know what’s best about marketing and design. Only YOU know what’s best for your company, and YOU are the one that got that company incorporated! So let people know!

5. Vote by committee.
Your logo is too important to put in the hands of one or two people. Include as many people as you can in the decision making process. If possible, make it a company-wide affair, and don’t stop designing it until everyone is satisfied. Have you asked your 2nd cousin twice removed what she thinks? Why shouldn’t she be involved in this important decision? She probably took a design class in high school.

6. Out of ideas? Add a swoosh!
Swooshes are the meat and potatoes of logo design. The swoosh represents speed, customer satisfaction, interaction and forward-thinking. Can you imagine Nike without their swoosh? Look what it did for them? Why shouldn’t you tap into that creativity?

If you don’t know what to do with the swoosh, take your competitors logo and add a swoosh. It shows you’re like your competitor, but better because you’re in motion.

7. The more colors, the better.
Why limit yourself to just one or two colors? You never know what your customer’s favorite color is, so play it safe and if possible, include the whole color spectrum. Leaving out that lime green stripe might cost you a sale.

Use these secrets and your logo will be looking fantastic!

38 Responses to “7 Secrets to a Perfect Logo”

  1. Steve Says:

    I think you’ve read the minds of some of my customers and managers! Now that that you’ve published it they’ll think they’ve been right all along — thanks a lot! :)

    The thing they never discussed in design class was how to deal with customers and supervisors — that should be a course in itself. At times one of the most valuable tools I’ve had is the jargon I got from school which, when used appropriately, has helped me reduce amateur meddling. Now to get back to adding dancing pink dinosaurs to my department’s IT Approval site….

  2. Chuck Reynolds Says:

    hahaha… thanks for the laugh! It’s just sad it holds so much truth.

  3. Alison Says:

    Nice. Thanks for all the great tips. I’m sure my graphic designers will be very open to these suggestions. They love design tips from non-designers. It’s their bread and butter- goes great with the meat and potatoes from all those swooshes they’ll be integrating.

  4. Benjamin Kudria Says:

    “Can you imagine Nike without their swoosh? Look what it did for them!”

    Brilliant.

  5. Jesse Says:

    At first I thought this was a joke. Being a graphic designer, my best advice is for everybody to steer clear of this advice. Logo design requires research and creative thought…it’s not a swoosh here and fancy font with as much detail as you can fit kind of work. This is all horrible advice..and by the way, use Adobe Illustrator, not Microsoft Word.

  6. Paul Says:

    What changed your mind that this was a joke?

  7. sye Says:

    freaking brilliant! lmao! i have had customers say/think some of this… it’s all too true… cheers!

  8. Owen Ingarfield Says:

    Dude? Cool podcast but the “steps on creating a logo?!” I mean WTF?

    Don’t use Paint, don’t use comic sans, don’t use as much detail as possible, don’t use swooshes (shudder) and don’t use too many colours!

  9. Jonathan Says:

    This is a joke people! Can’t you see it?!

  10. Vincent Says:

    Lol this is a joke. Or titled how to be the worst graphic designer ever. Or tips for someone that never wants to be a designer.

    Logo design is about simplicity.

    If you have employees working for you and read this. And actualy thought it would help the designer. You better smack yourself realy hard. And wow if you can make it anyone can make it.

    The swoosh logo was made by a art student randomly. Not in clip art lol.

  11. Peter Says:

    Don’t stick yourself to much on the rules, folks. If it looks good and fits your needs, everything will be perfect!

  12. dona Says:

    Lol…This is some funny stuff. At first I thought cool, I get to learn something new! The first tip threw me off a little, then I thought …heck maybe some designers do use Microsoft paint…kudos to them. Then as I read on I realized that it was a joke. Good one!!

  13. Damien Says:

    They forgot to mention the black stick figure people w/ the long noses that MS has in their clip art collection. How cool are they? They have the one where he has a bright idea, illustrated by an index finger pointing upwards and a light bulb above his head - how cute & lovable! Use that one everywhere!
    They should make a cartoon with those guys, that would be so cool!

  14. inflatable Says:

    Nice post,thanks a lot! :)

  15. song Says:

    out of all, I like the idea of number 6.
    upside down, inside out or in every angles!

  16. Tammy Says:

    you should be ashamed of yourself..This is NOT good logo advise..
    you have just posted just about every element to avoid..
    try another job sweety logo designing is not for you.

  17. hesukristo Says:

    good god this is hilarious, but its a decent take on how a client’s head works.

    Money is money but it of course, likes to think that it can think. And it can think of course, but money thoughts are different. :D

  18. Kurt Says:

    The best part about this article were the ridiculously naive commments by Jesse, Owen, and Tammy. Wow. No really, wow.

  19. Renee Says:

    The people who thought it was NOT a joke obviously don’t design for anyone but themselves (and maybe other designers). Co-workers 3 cubes over could hear me giggling over this gem!

  20. Design Whore Says:

    Actually you missed the cream on the cake:
    To really impress your clients…always make it bigger.

    Rules to live by.

  21. Paul Says:

    I nominate Tammy for the Awesomest Comment Award. And hesukristo for the Best Name.

  22. Ani Says:

    IT’S A JOKE, PEOPLE!!!
    Excellent, whoever wrote it.
    Excellent.

  23. Ani Says:

    BTW, I’m an American designer living in the UK. I am ashamed of the Olympic logo. UNbelievable how that thing made it so far.

  24. kingvao Says:

    WHAT!? You mean I’ve been doing logo design wrong this whole time?

    /sarcasm

  25. Neubreed Design Says:

    This is absolutely hilarious!!! well done on such terrible advice, hehe.

  26. Neubreed Design Says:

    This is absolutely hilarious!! Well done!

  27. Bart Says:

    i think that if you combine all your tips you would end up with the new Olympic London 2012 logo….

    is that bad? ;-)

  28. sunhongjun Says:

    c

  29. Ervins Says:

    ahahaha ROFL this is great!!!! WE WANT MORE!!

    creative group from europe

  30. Ladd Woodland Says:

    This is of the same tone. Someone sent it to me recently. Take a look.

    http://www.makemylogobiggercream.com/

    P.S. I’m a little worried about some of you.

  31. Doodee Says:

    Thanks for sharing

  32. BomBenebymn Says:

    I’d prefer reading in my native language, because my knowledge of your languange is no so well. But it was interesting! Look for some my links:

  33. BomBenebymn Says:

    I’d prefer reading in my native language, because my knowledge of your languange is no so well.

  34. MAB240976 Says:

    I’ve never read so much crap in all my life.

    There is a reason why Comic Sans isn’t used widley… it’s a rubbish font and looks very amateurish. Voting by committee also leads to delays, basically your saying people are unable to make decisions, if this is the case then their business will fail! Adding swooshes and lots of colours just because you can it rediculous. The only true way to design the perfect logo is by building a relationship with the chosen designer(s). Letting them know everything about your business and through good research and strategy build a brand. Yes changes can be made but having round and round of changes based on 30 people deciding what is best is stupid. Who ever wrote those tips obviously is no designer.

  35. Paul Says:

    MAB24097, don’t be hatin’. Print the tips out (in Comic Sans) and hang them up in your office. Do it now.

  36. Andy Says:

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  37. logo design Pilbara Says:

    Your blog is very much good.
    I am very much impressed by your blog content,
    i also come across number of sites finding tips in creating a logo…. thank for the tips! Cheers… you can also check these are also very much useful for everyone.

    http://www.marketcreations.com.au

  38. inflatable tents Says:

    That is great, thanks a lot!

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