The bigger picture behind your logo
Let’s clear something up right from the start: a logo is not your brand. It’s not even your entire visual identity. Your brand is the full experience you deliver—how your business is perceived, how it communicates, and the emotional connection it creates with your audience.
Your logo is just one element of your brand’s visual identity—a broader system that includes typography, colours, imagery, and more. To dive deeper into how these elements work together, check out our blog The Building Blocks of a Brand’s Visual Identity for a comprehensive breakdown.
Think of your logo as the face of your business. It’s the first thing people see, but it doesn’t do all the heavy lifting. A strong brand relies on everything working together: your messaging, visuals, tone of voice, customer experience, and more.
A logo alone won’t turn your business into a household name, but it can make a powerful first impression and set the tone for everything else. To create a logo that works, you need to approach it as part of a bigger picture—not the whole picture itself. This is why preparation is key. Ready to dive in? Let’s break down the six things you need to know before starting a logo project.
1. Know thyself (and thy brand)
It sounds obvious, but you’d be surprised how many people skip this step. If you can’t sum up what your business is about in a sentence or two, your logo has no chance of doing it, either.
Why this step is important
Your logo is the shorthand for your business—it needs to communicate who you are and what you do without a single word of explanation. A clear understanding of your brand helps you and your designer create something that resonates with your audience. Without this foundation, you’re essentially building a house without a blueprint and hoping it doesn’t collapse.
“If you don’t know who you are, your audience never will.”
— Marty Neumeier, Author of The Brand Gap
What can go wrong
If you don’t have clear answers to these questions, you could end up with a logo that doesn’t represent your business at all. Imagine a luxury spa that opts for a loud, comic-style design because they didn’t think about their brand’s personality. It’s confusing at best and brand-damaging at worst. Spa clients are expecting “zen,” not “Saturday morning cartoons.”
Pro Tip: Write a brand statement—a simple paragraph that defines who you are, what you do, and why it matters. If you can’t articulate it clearly, neither can your logo.
2. Check your expectations
Spoiler alert: your logo isn’t going to solve all your problems. It won’t instantly make your business world-famous or convince Karen from accounting to finally take you seriously. What it will do is give your brand a professional, cohesive look and help build trust over time.
Why this step is important
Understanding what a logo can and can’t do helps you appreciate its real value. A strong logo is a cornerstone of your brand, but it’s not the entire structure. It supports your marketing, messaging, and customer experience—it doesn’t replace them. Realistic expectations keep the process productive and help you focus on what matters most: a logo that fits your brand like a glove.
“A brand is not just a logo. It’s the perception people have of your business.”
— Jeff Bezos, Founder of Amazon
What can go wrong
Setting unrealistic expectations can lead to disappointment. Take the case of a small tech startup that invested in a logo thinking it would immediately drive customers to their website. When the flood of traffic didn’t appear, they blamed the logo instead of realizing their marketing strategy needed work. A logo isn’t a silver bullet—it’s the front door, not the whole house.
Pro Tip: Instead of asking, “Will this logo make me famous?” ask, “Does this logo represent my brand clearly and effectively?” Success is built over time, not in one design file.
3. Understand your budget (and be realistic)
Designing a logo is an investment, not a quick trip to the dollar store. If you want quality work, be prepared to pay for it. That “friend of a friend who does graphic design on the side” might save you money, but you’ll probably end up with something that looks like clip art from 2005.
Why this step is important
Your budget shapes the level of quality, expertise, and time your designer can dedicate to the project. A realistic budget ensures you get a logo that’s unique, professional, and tailored to your brand—not a generic template slapped together in an afternoon. It’s like buying a car: you get what you pay for. Skimping might save you cash upfront, but it can cost you in the long run.
“Cheap design is like a bad haircut—it costs more to fix it than to do it right the first time.”
— Michael Bierut, Designer and Partner at Pentagram
What can go wrong
Cutting corners on cost almost always cuts corners on quality. Take the story of a small café that hired the cheapest designer they could find. The result? A logo that was nearly identical to a chain restaurant’s design. Legal threats ensued, and they had to rebrand within months—paying twice the cost they tried to save.
Pro Tip: When budgeting, consider not just the design itself but also its application—website, packaging, signage, etc. A cheap logo can quickly cost more when it doesn’t scale or adapt properly.
4. Do some competitor stalking
Let’s be clear—this isn’t about copying your competitors. It’s about understanding the landscape. What colours, styles, and trends dominate your industry? What’s working (or not working) for other brands?
Why this step is important
Your logo needs to stand out while still feeling relevant in your industry. Competitor research helps you avoid overused design clichés and ensures your logo doesn’t feel out of place. It also gives you insight into what resonates with your audience so you can craft something that grabs their attention (for all the right reasons).
“Brands that ignore their competitors are just asking to be ignored.”
— David Ogilvy, Advertising Tycoon
What can go wrong
Without competitor research, you could end up looking out of place—or worse, irrelevant. For example, a tech company that uses earthy, muted tones in an industry dominated by sleek blues and bold typography might send the wrong message. Instead of looking innovative, they look like they belong in the gardening aisle.
Pro Tip: Use competitors as a jumping-off point, not a destination. Ask, “What are they doing right, and how can we do it better or differently?”
5. Prepare to trust the process
If you’re hiring a designer (and you absolutely should), remember this: they know what they’re doing. Yes, your input is important—it’s your brand, after all—but micromanaging every pixel or skipping steps won’t lead to better results.
Why this step is important
The logo design process is built in stages, and each one plays a vital role in creating something that’s not just visually appealing but also meaningful and functional. Discovery, conceptualization, construction, and colour are not just buzzwords—they’re deliberate steps that ensure your logo communicates effectively and stands the test of time. Skipping or condensing these steps might save time up front, but it often leads to a logo that falls flat or misses the mark entirely.
Key steps in the process:
- Discovery: This is where the designer learns about your brand, audience, and goals. Skipping discovery is like trying to write a novel without knowing the plot—there’s no direction, and the final result will feel random or disconnected.
- Conceptualization: Here, your designer explores different ideas and directions. Without this phase, you risk ending up with a generic or uninspired logo because no time was spent finding the concept that best represents your brand.
- Construction: This step focuses on refining the logo’s structure, ensuring proportions, alignment, and spacing are on point. If this is skipped or rushed, you could end up with a logo that looks unprofessional or doesn’t scale properly for various applications.
- Colour: Choosing the right colours is critical for communicating emotion and meaning. Skipping proper colour exploration might result in a logo that doesn’t evoke the desired feelings or lacks contrast and accessibility.
- Finalization and guidelines: This step wraps up the process by preparing the necessary file exports (like PNG, SVG, and vector formats) and outlining basic usage rules. Skipping this phase leaves you unprepared for real-world applications and opens the door to inconsistent or incorrect logo use.
“The process is where the magic happens. Skipping it rarely gets you the results you’re dreaming of.”
— Chris Do, Founder of The Futur
What can go wrong
Over-controlling the process or rushing through key steps can lead to disastrous results. Picture a client insisting on a logo “just like their cousin’s bakery logo, but with a star”—uninspired, predictable, and doing nothing to set their brand apart. On the other hand, skipping phases like discovery or construction can leave you with a logo that’s completely off-base. Imagine a high-end jewelry brand ending up with cartoonish fonts and clashing colours or a tech startup with a logo that distorts in small sizes. Either way, the result is the same: a logo that doesn’t work, and the cost of fixing it will far outweigh any time or effort you thought you saved.
Pro Tip: Be clear about your goals, then step back. Trust your designer’s process, and focus on giving thoughtful feedback instead of dictating every detail.
6. Align on creative expectations (A.K.A. taste matters)
We all have personal tastes, but your logo isn’t about your favourite colour or that cool font you saw on Instagram—it’s about what works for your brand and audience. Aligning on creative expectations early on is crucial for a smooth process and a successful outcome. Think of it as setting the GPS before the road trip, so you don’t end up at a destination no one asked for.
“Good taste is subjective, but effective design is always rooted in clear brand goals.”
— Stefan Sagmeister, Designer and Founder of Sagmeister & Walsh
Why this step is important
Your designer needs a clear understanding of your preferences, but those preferences should be rooted in strategy, not just aesthetics. Discussing likes, dislikes, and inspiration helps your designer gauge your taste and avoid hitting creative roadblocks. It also prevents unnecessary rounds of revisions because “it just doesn’t feel right.”
What can go wrong
Skipping this step can lead to mismatched results and frustration. For example, imagine a bold tech startup expecting a minimalist, cutting-edge logo but failing to communicate that up front. If their designer presents a playful, hand-drawn concept, it’s a waste of time for both parties. A little clarity early on saves a lot of headaches later.
Pro Tip: Bring examples of logos or designs you like (and even ones you don’t). This gives your designer valuable insight into your aesthetic without requiring mind-reading skills. Just remember—it’s about what resonates with your brand, not just what looks cool.
A stronger brand starts here
Starting a branding or logo project can feel like a big leap, but with the right preparation, it’s a leap in the right direction. Taking the time to clarify your brand, set realistic expectations, budget thoughtfully, research your competitors, align creative tastes, and trust the process will save you from headaches—and maybe a few awkward explanations about your logo at networking events.
Remember, your brand is more than just a logo—it’s the story you tell, the emotions you evoke, and the trust you build with your audience. A great logo is just the spark that lights the fire.
If you’re ready to invest in a branding process that delivers more than just “good enough,” we’re here to help. Let’s collaborate and create something you’ll be proud to show the world. (And no, we won’t just “make the logo bigger.”)
Contact us today, and let’s get started.
