Thriving businesses know that good branding is important.
Branding distinguishes your company. Today’s customers may not trust your company if you are using comic sans or an inappropriate font on your signage. Stores and businesses are quickly judged before anyone even decides to walk in.
Graphics are highly important to today’s customer. The business, regardless of product or skill needs to look like they are the masters of their industry. Brands should be similar enough to be thought of when looking for that type of business but different enough to stand out.
They say “You shouldn’t judge a book by its cover” but isn’t that the point of a cover? Covers are visuals to entice people to take a look inside. Your business should do the same.
There are lots of mistakes you can make with new graphics, but since we see this stuff all the time, we are going to try to help you avoid the dreary logo and signage doldrums and as Ace of Base would say open up your eyes and help you see the sign (or signs) that could be.
SOME MISTAKES BUSINESSES OFTEN MAKE:
A complex or extremely detailed logo.
A logo should be simple. This is supposed to help identify your business quickly and easily. Logos should be easy to recognize so they can become better known in time. Can your logo be quickly described in a few words and be or easily sketched out. If not, it may be too detailed. Think about most of the most famous logos, they are fairly easy to draw. A swoosh sign? An abstract Peacock? A bullseye?
An outdated website
Online real estate is basically online signage. Yes, you have a website but if it looks like the plain content box in the middle with the buttons on the top… where have you been?! This was okay 10-20 years ago but there is no reason not to look more modern. There are modern and beautiful templates everywhere you turn, so there is really no good reason to look like your website hasn’t been updated since 2001. If you’re unfamiliar with parallax scrolling (one of the hottest types of websites currently) check out Rimmel’s website. They won an award for it and it looks awesome! Some really wild parallax websites to also check out are: Scroll for your health, Flat design VS. Realism, and Nintendo Game Boy. They’ll blow your with how interactive they are. For more awesome parallax scrolling sites check out: Creative Bloq. Also remember amongst all this fun, keep it simple –don’t be too chaotic and don’t be too messy.
A too close to another logo, logo.
Most likely your ideas have been thought of before, with millions of people in this world thinking and feeling the same way you do about certain services or businesses. Even if it looks totally new to you, always try to think in a way that asks “what else can I do to really make this my own?” To take a look at a long list of popular logos that look similar, check out Logodesignlove.
The wrong font
Some small businesses rely on their service to speak for themselves. While this sometimes works it is important to make a conscious effort in the psychology behind a font. Fonts and colors often have a big psychological influence on us. They also show us who takes the time to make sure every part of their business is taken care of and looks professional. You wouldn’t want a cursive font for subway store hours (which we have seen before).
The feel should match your business as well as be quick and easy to read. Font seems like a simple task but there are often lots of things to think of. Does the color or look fit my business? Will it read well far away? Can people read this 2ft away? 10 ft away? Should my font be sans-serif (without any little feet on the bottom or kicks along the bottom or sides of some letters) as it is often easier to read? Will the font I chose be able to be perfectly replicated on an illuminated or cut vinyl sign? Sometimes fonts need to be manipulated or rounded to be able to be cut properly.
For example. Papyrus has parts that does not connect which makes it a terrible font to try to physically reproduce.
There are many other fonts out there. If you’re new to all this, you can download many fresh new fonts that are not on your computer for low to no cost. You don’t have to settle for Helvetica, Times New Roman, or Impact. Often times a brand new look is just a search, download and install away.
Just a few other examples of fonts out there, not already installed in your computer.
We hope you’re now ready to sing Ace of Base…
I got a new life…You would hardly recognize me I’m so glad.
I saw the sign and it opened up my eyes, I saw the sign.
by: Apryl Cave
