Your Organization Is As Renowned As It's Logo Design

Your organization is as famous as its logo design. If you are one of the lucky ones you might have seen a famous ad that was released by a world renowned Japanese transistor manufacturing organization way back in the mid eighties. This organization had booked 8 pages on a world-renowned news magazine. The ad occupied 3 pages before the center spread and 3 pages following it. Along with the center spread itself, the ad occupied 8 pages. All the pages were black apart from the center spread that had just the logo design of the organization whose ad had been published with a single line pf text. "We are so busy manufacturing transistors that we do not have the time to get ourselves a new logo design"

The fictitious company did not have the requirement for a new logo design. In fact the one that they were using was so famous that people viewing the ad associated the custom logo design with the company. This is the power of a logo design that people associate a company with it. There are a number of logo design services all over the world that specialize in designing special logo design for their corporate clients. Creative artists, who undertake corporate logo design, spend lots of time designing one, and they are paid a fat salary for their work. In case you have any doubts about the impact a logo design has on the sales of a company's products, just see how the fakes are thriving.

There have been instances when a product has ruled the market just on the power of its logo design. There are different types of logo design and it requires different brain sets to design a business logo design and a professional logo design. There have been countless instances when reputed companies have been fleeced because of their logos. Fraudulent organizations copy their logo design on fake products and sell the same with impunity. In most cases they did not have to undergo criminal cases or forgery cases because they had used text that was quite different from those used in the original product. However, the client who used to purchase those products, especially the first time purchasers got fleeced because they had purchased the product just by looking at its logo design.

They were confident that the product was genuine. Keeping this in mind new laws have been introduced and nowadays organizations and individuals can be penalized and be brought under the purview of law even if they copy the logo design of any company to sell spurious products. Most reputed companies have spent a long time before they were able to get a perfect design that they could use for representing their company and its products. There is no doubt that a company is known by the quality of its products but is recognized even more by its appealing logo design. A few days ago one gentleman was watching the TV while relaxing in his hotel room in a foreign country.

Now this gentleman had no idea of the language used in that country, but he knew that they used the roman numericals in their written text. While the alphabets were in a language he did not understand, he had no problems following the digits 0-9. He was craving to be back in his own country and missed the food of his hometown a lot. Suddenly an ad in the TV amazed him. He noted down the phone number provided in the ad and ordered 2 hamburgers manufactured by "batgonald". He might not have recognized the "batgonald" ad because he did not know the foreign text, but he could recognize the logo of "batgonald" immediately. This is the immense power of an organizations logo design.

People recall them more than the name of the company. A properly designed and catchy logo design stays in one's subconscious mind for a long period of time. In most cases the logo of a company also describes the work the company in question undertakes. There are instances of logos of a interior designing company which has a roof on top of the logo, which clearly signifies that the company in question are in the home business. In the good old days artists used to spend many days trying to design a good logo design and they used to finish reams of paper before they came out with an innovative design. All these have changed nowadays with the advent of the computer and many applications that have been manufactured keeping logo design in mind.

There is no doubt that even nowadays the professional artists will never use these programs. They might use other painting and designing applications, but not the applications that have been specially manufactured for facilitating logo design. These programs take the creativity away from the artists. They come inbuilt with hundreds of pre-configured logo designs and all that the artist has to do, is to make some minor changes in the design and change the color scheme. They can then add text to the design to make a completely new design. However these programs do not allow the artists to input their creativity hence they are shunned by most professional designers.

You cannot miss logo designs on whose reputation the image of a company depends. Most of them have been seen by millions of viewers all over the world through the print and TV media and have become immensely popular all over the world. These organizations know that people all over the world, despite the languages they speak, will recognize their logo. They know that their company's logo design is something that crosses barriers set by written text. They understand the value of the motif of their organization and the popularity it has with the masses. Hence they select some of the best artists of the world when they are going in for their new company's logo design.

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Did You Select a Professional Logo Design For Your Company?

There are some professionals who are over confident about their abilities. Being confident is good, being over confident is dangerous and at times it can create problems that leaves them with no escape route. These professionals try to save money when it comes to get a professional logo design done for their organization. They have no idea of logo design yet the call the professional designers to their office and direct them to use his ideas. One can be rest assured that the custom logo design made as per their directions will ultimately spoil the image of the company in the eyes of its clients. A professional job is best left in the hands of professionals and then nobody should interfere when they are going about their work.

The same stand good for all type and fields of work and it is true for the designing and printing industry too. However, the smart executive thinks he knows more about Professional logo design than the accomplished artists are. When you are utilizing the services of a professional for your organization's logo design services, it is understood that you are the boss and will be pulling the strings. This is understood and accepted by the designing agency that will undertake the job of designing the logo for your organization. These artists know that the executive will make corrections in the logo designs submitted by them and they know that some of the changes will not be suitable for the logo.

They can then suggest what they think is not good for the logo and hope that the executive will agree with their point of view. However, this does not happen all the time. Since the executive has called the agency to do the work, he believes that he knows the entire job, even though he cannot even draw a circle or even a square. Yet he will try to impose his views on the business logo design of the company. Suggesting changes in the design to the advertising agency after they have submitted a few samples is one thing, but telling them how to design the logo from scratch is blasphemy. You can be rest assured that the professional artists will lose all interest in the job and they will not focus their minds on the same any more.

If you are interested in getting a professional logo design made, leave it in the hands of the professionals instead of trying to impose your point of view. They have undertaken many such tasks before are know more about logos that you might ever learn during your lifetime. It will be wiser if you spent you time telling them some details about the company and what it does. This will give the designers a base on which to conceptualize their design. Check out any professional logo and you will find that there is a hint of the work done by the company it depicts. There are some companies whose logo does not portray anything. These companies are so famous that they need no add any other things to their organization's logo.

For the first few days the professionals from the designing agency might bother you to know more about the company. This helps them to provide you with a professional logo design. They might even check the existing stationery of the company to learn about the color schemes used. This will help them to plan the color scheme of the logo so that it's color does not clash with the colors of other elements in the page. One classic example used by many organizations is to use a cream colored paper with the text in jet black and the logo in red. This makes an excellent combination and if the types and logo used are appropriate, they are sure to attract one's attention. Professional logo design means that the logo should be catchy and at the same time it should be simple.

It should not leave the viewers wondering what the logo means. If people start thinking about what you logo stands for, it is high time you got a change over done. While your sales representatives work for 5 days a week, and take holidays during Christmas and summer holidays, the logo keeps on working without complaining 365 days a year. They are the best friends your company has. Is it not their due that they were made using professional logo design? If you are an executive that wants to poke his nose in the initial stages of the professional logo design of your company's logo, here is a hint. There are many books available which have collections of the world's best and award winning logos.

Purchase a few of them and go through the different logos they contain and try to visualize which one would best represent your company. Once you have been able to target a few of them, get Photostat copies made of them. This can be showed to the professional designers when they pay you a visit in context with the professional logo design of your company. Do not try to impose yourself on these artists and let them guide you. If you are patient enough you will see that they will soon come down to your wavelength and then you can also make your views regarding the professional logo design understood by them easily.

Professionals are professionals and they take pride of their work. If pinches them when someone who does not know anything about their profession tries to pass on advice to them. It is best to approach them in a friendly manner. Once you approach them as a friend, the entire scene changes. They will be willing to hear you out patiently. If you want to get the best-designed logo for your organization's logo, it is best to leave the entire thing to them, right from the visualization to the printing stage.

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Logo Design for Non-Designers

The main purpose of this article is to help non-designers understand the logo design process, general terms, requirements and things to remember when ordering a logo.

When you decided that your company needs a logo you need to think if you need a completely new logo or redesign the old one (of course, if you have it) before searching for a designer. Redesign of the existing logo is often cheaper than design of a new logo.

There are a huge number of companies which offer logo design services. All of them have different prices, number of concepts and revisions offered. Some of them can design business stationery for you. Let's talk about every point in detail:

Price is important factor; it is very unusual to receive high quality at low price. But Internet is the place where designers work from all over the world and logos are going down in price. You can buy logo of satisfactory quality for $100 (yes, one hundred dollars). One of the very important factors affecting the price is whether design company uses clip-art (premade pictures or graphic elements) or creates unique logos. Be sure to find out this. Custom logos are much better because you will have exclusive logo nobody has.

Number of concepts is a number of ideas for logos which you will be offered after answering the logo design questionnaire. It is good to have more than one idea for logo because you will be able to choose. Usually, you will receive a couple of ideas in different styles. When you choose a concept for your logo you will be able to change it using revisions.

Number of revisions is a number of possible changes which you can request for a chosen logo design concept free of charge. You can change everything including color, font, graphic element, arrangement of the elements. The more revisions you have the more chances you receive a logo of your dream.

Turnaround time is an amount of time needed for work on your logo. Usually design process takes from 3 to 10 days. There are companies, which can do urgent orders but the cost of logo will be higher.

Number of designers - recently design companies started to indicate number of designers working on your project. Big number of designers should guarantee diversity of the concepts, but this factor is difficult to control and it is difficult to find out how many designers really worked on your project.

Stationery design - it is good if your logo design company will design business cards, letterhead and envelope for you. Usually, you will receive a couple of concepts of business stationery to choose from.
Things to remember during the communications with logo design company:

1. Number of colors of your logo. The more colors you have the more expensive will be cost of printing services.

2. Files optimized for print. Be sure to request files optimized for home and professional printing (tif, pdf, jpg, eps).

3. Source files of your logo (ai, cdr). Be sure to request source files of your logo; you may need them in future.

4. Use of photos in logo. It is very bad idea to use photos in your logo. Such logos are overloaded with graphic elements and have non-professional look.

5. Logotype with abbreviation or without company name. It is very difficult to advertise and promote your company with such logo. Logos with acronyms are good for very big companies which have a lot of money for marketing.

Logo is very important for each company and serves the crucial role of successful marketing. It is vitally important to have good logo from the beginning because redesign of logo will cost you a lot because of need to inform you clients about rebranding, change business stationery and logos on signs, cars, etc.

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5 Client Don'ts In Dealing With A Logo Designer

People get graphic designers and logo designers for a job because they cannot do it themselves. A client and graphic designer is vastly different from each other. However, they have to work together to produce good results; the former sets the direction while the latter leads the way. Know and understand a few things.

This is a guide rule of what not to do when dealing with logo designers. Having the proper mindset and decorum on this transaction will make this a lot smoother and frustration free.

These are the 5 don'ts in working with a logo design project as a client:

1. Do not assume a logo design is cheap.

Creative design is not an easy task. Inspiration and a lot of attention to details is what makes the output so appealing. Assuming a logo design to be child's play is an insult, and trust me, it will not endear you to the logo designers you are contracting for the job.

On he other hand, it does not mean you cannot find an affordable logo design. The best lofo designs are usually in the middle of the highest priced and the cheapest ones offered in the industry. Be wary of super cheap logos too. The best thing to d is research a little, get an idea of how, much a logo design costs.

2. Do not offer barters or deals instead of professional fees.

A quick way for you to be ignored by logo designers is to treat this as not a business transaction but a trade-off. Refrain from offering free ads, links, referrals or whatnots in exchange for a logo design. Its a business transaction, and logo designers view these kinds of clients as not worth their time. Take them professionally and they will be serious about answering your logo design needs.

3. Do not entrust the job to a logo designer you are not comfortable talking to.

Not that there's anything wrong with silent types, but having rapport with the logo designer you choose will help things go smoothly. When you give your ideas about what the design ought to look like, there's nothing quite reassuring than knowing you are talking to someone who will get them.

Talking to people who does not know how to communicate well is a pain, and you know it. Logo designers who can barely speak intelligible English? They may have excellent skills, but it wouldn't be worth anything if you can't understand each other.

4. Do not think that a logo design contest is the answer to everything.

On a budget and looking for wide choices? Don't necessarily think that holding a contest is the solution. A client and a logo designer builds a relationship, and that relationship doesn't really end. A professional logo designer will look deeply into the nature of your business and would try to come up with something classic- because he knows, and wants for your company to grow and succeed for many years.

A logo design contest is a wham and bam solution. A true professional logo designer will balk into joining such contests, so most likely you will get students and low-esteemed designers to join. A contest is not a good answer to a logo designer's craftsmanship.

5. Do not change your logo design just right after you receive it.

Some do understand, you deem the design yours (with the contract and all) and you can change it if you want to, whenever you want to. Depending on you contract arrangements, this whole thing can be fodder for a good argument, but the bottom line is, respect for the logo design man is concerned.

Common courtesy tells you to at least tell the logo design man if you want the design altered by another person. If you are unsatisfied with the design, your reasons will tell him if he did something wrong or if the reason substantial and trivial, tell him its not big deal.

Its a matter of respect for the work. At the very least, being a courteous and honorable client will make you someone who logo designers would still want to work with in the future.

Remember that professional logo designers, the really good ones, are just as selective of their clients as you are with them. Finding one with whom you can well work with is great, you should treasure them.

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Essentials of a Good Logo Design

Only a good logo can deliver the results you desire. If your logo has been intelligently designed keeping in mind the essentials of a good logo design, there is no reason why your business will not get the attention and profits you crave.

First and foremost, essentials of a good logo design demand that it should be designed keeping in mind the business needs, aspirations, industry and a perfectly coordinating color scheme that can relate to the business for which it is being designed.

Also, quality, fashion and purpose must be reflected in a logo design. A logo without these essentials will fail to get you the desired results i.e. attracting audience and getting you more clients. If you are looking for a logo design firm to design a business logo for you, make sure that you discuss all these essentials with them so that you get a logo of our choice.

The object of a logo design is to represent a recognizable and identifiable trademark without mentioning the company's name over and over again. This identifiable and recognizable trademark acts as a silent representative and puts across your message in clearer terms than high volumes of praises.

One of the essentials of a design includes a logo that attracts a customer. After all this is the main reason that you are having a logo designed in the first place; to get noticed. If your logo does not fulfill this purpose, it is not the one for you.

It does not necessarily have to be an expensive creation by a high profile firm. It can be a simple design that portrays your business ideals competently. You logo can be simple text based design or have an illustration or a symbol that represents your business. The most important thing about your logo design should be its ability to give an aura of professionalism as well as reliability to serve its customers.

A good logo design should be eye catching and attractive. It should use a catching image if it's an image based logo or a catchy tagline if it's a text based logo. All in all, a good logo design should be suitable for whatever business it is targeting and serve its purpose of attracting more customers.

A good logo design goes a long way in adding a positive touch to your business. Thus, make sure that your logo design has this quality and it gives out a positive air to people who want to do business with you. Your logo design will be used on stationery, letterheads and other promotional material that you can use to attract clients and make your trademark more recognizable.

As it is said, first impression is the last impression; this also applies here; if your logo design manages to impress your prospective customers in the beginning you will be getting clients for life. Thus, it is essential that your logo gives a good impression and comes off as credible.

Apart from all the essentials of a good logo design, the most important are originality and elegance. You logo should not be copied or cheated. Such a logo will lose its credulity and reliability thus driving customers away. The elegance of the a logo depends on the color scheme, setting and the choice of image you chose. When you are having a logo designed, it is important to keep the essentials of a good design in mind to get the best logo for your business.

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How Much Should You Pay For a Logo Design?

We know a good company name is very important. Some would even spend a tidy sum to get a renowned marketing research company to discover a good brand name to synergize the name of product/service with the market place. A few of us might even consult a geomancer (aka feng shui master) to ascertain that our personal name and company names are auspiciously congruent with the elements! Yet, many shun away from investing in a decent company logo design. Instead of going to a branding expert, marketing specialist or graphic designer, many run to a local printer whose specialty is print production, to do a logo design and quickly whip up their letterheads and other stationery.

Recently, my designer friend was infuriated with a distant cousin's request to create a logo design plus a set of stationary comprising business card, letterhead and invoice for under USD150. While I can empathize with her outrage, but honestly, a Google search will yields thousands of websites offering cheap logo design, as low as USD39.

You probably can get an original design done at such price but I cannot imagine how you can get one that truly reflects your corporate persona. And that is so important. You might also get a royalty-free clip art icon for a logo, which means it cannot be copyright and, somewhere, someone, might be using the same icon that you so proudly put on your name card, signboard, paper bags! Or you could get a design that is modified from an established template that is being recycled endlessly. One other possibility is for the logo designer to up-sell you when you sign on the dotted line. This means you would have to pay extra for the other necessities. To illustrate, you might be asked to pay for an extra artwork for the logo to be rendered in black-white, or you need to pay for the logo usage guide to state all the specifications that you'll need to produce a brochure or TVC later on. If you are offered a really, really low price, you must know what you are paying for.

How much should you pay for a company logo design? Ask that question to any Fortune 500 company and you might just get an astronomical figure. To us folks that firmly believe a logo forms a formidable part in the formation of the corporate persona, corporate branding, marketing and public relations; the logo is definitely much more than just an illustration or graphics! You have to pay for research, concept, design assembly and production execution. Your hired help has to look into your corporate mission, philosophy, beliefs, objective, goals, and aspiration just to understand your company, and probably you if you are the boss. Without such in-depth understanding, the logo experts will not be able to translate any corporate values into a coherent, creative graphics. The logo will be soulless.

Did you know the winged logo of Nike has a story behind it? It is fashioned after the Greek Goddess Nike who personified triumph and victory. Her wings supposedly signify the fleeting nature of victory. Now, can you see the relation and association between Nike the sports good company and Nike the Goddess? Even the expert and the client agreed on the concept "wing", but how should the wing look? Should it be Pegasus' spreading wings or something more stylized as seen on the logo of Singapore Airlines? The marketing and creative people would have had to burn much midnight oil to come out with a concept that fit the overall corporate persona and branding. When the concept is worked out, skilled designers will still have to spend long hours working on their Macintoshes to translate that idea into a finished product that we can see, feel and touch. But even then, the job is not done. The next important task is to create a Logo Guide in which every conceivable application and usage of the logo is described, be it at the top of your building or as small as the engraving on your pen, whether it is printed in full colour or in black or applied with a hot-stamp. And so on, and so forth

So much work? Yes, it is that much work. After all, your logo design is supposed to help you:
- Elicit immediate recognition (especially if the company has a "common" sort of name)
- a visual short-cut to convey the company's personality, character or attitude (in short, corporate persona)
- Relate to your clients by conveying a feeling of familiarity and credibility
- Association with quality and satisfaction

You might like to have a further understanding on the importance of a logo, which is discussed in another article, "Why Logo is That Important" .

Depending on whom you hire, the fees will vary. However, it is safe to say you would most likely be charged based on:
- the experience and reputation of the logo design expert. (Branding Expert, Advertising Agency, Graphic Designer and Freelancer all command different price tags)
- the size and budget of your company (the bigger you are, the more comprehensive your needs will be)
- the scope of work involved.

And, please, please understand that you might be charged a new fee (and not an add-on nominal extra fee) should you change your brief or direction after the logo design expert has started his work.

Always get a logo that can reflect your coorporate branding and persona. Talk to several respectable creative agencies or freelance logo designers and hire the one that understood you best. Only then should you discuss the price. Bear in mind that if you want the branding works, be prepared to fork out at least USD10,000 and more (and that is considered cheap). If you want a professional logo design package that calls for original design, production guide on all imaginable surfaces, all workable softcopy files for print and web plus full release of all font and graphical elements, you are looking at least USD20,000 and up. If you are a start up or small business owner, tell the logo design expert specifically what you want and don't want. Be honest and frank about your budget. They will work out a respectable looking logo that fits your needs, and most probably would meet some (if not all) of your branding criteria. This can range anywhere from USD200 to USD2000. Even at this price, make sure you negotiate and get the correct files and releases, you do not want to end up getting a second designer to do a touch up on a supposedly ready-for-production logo version.

Lastly, don't lose the logo files you were given. This is no joke. My client lost his logo files and I had to get my people to manually trace a 16KB 72dpi logo, horrendously printed on a Micosoft Word document; and do touch-up. Then, we had to re-match the logo colours using both CMYK and Pantone PMS and then finally to convert it into a vector file! You don't want to waste time, effort and money this way!

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Good Logo Design

A good logo design represents a good company that clients and customers alike can put their trust in. Although it might seem like a minimalist issue when it comes to talking about a big company a logo actually has a lot of influence on how the company it stands for fares in its respective market. And it does not matter how big or small the company is, it has a great impact on its acceptance by the people. It comes as no surprise that all the companies place so much importance on such a small symbol.

When you are going to start a new company or a new business venture a logo is one of the first things that should be decided upon: a logo that somehow tries to represent the ideals and interests of the respective company. A good logo design seeks to do several things for the company that it represents. It serves to give a good first impression of the company it represents to whosoever its customers happen to be. Before the company is known well it is the logo which will attract the attention of potential clients and customers. Nowadays brand recognition is very important in all kinds of businesses. And logo designs play a pivotal role in bringing brand recognition to a company. A good logo design not only advertises a product or a company it also makes it look attractive and alluring to the customers. The successful marketing of a brand surprisingly owes quite a lot to its respective logo design.

So, what is it that makes a logo design good? There are several factors that should be the models on which logo designs are based to turn them into "good" logo designs. One of the most important of these factors is originality. A good logo design has to be unique and has to stand on its own. It should not be summarily mistaken for the logo design of another brand. All this takes is just a little creativity and also a strong urge not to borrow from the logo designs of other companies. And there is no need to worry if you do not want to spend too much time and energy in trying to come up with your own good logo designs. There are several very good logo design makers on the web. Some of the good logo design makers include Logo Creator, Logo Bee, Logo Design Guru, the Logo Company and Logo Design Works. These are only a few of several others.

These good logo design makers are adept in making customized logo designs. These are made from scratch. Everything is made so that its styling and designing is suited to your own interests. It is interactive. You can give these design makers your ideas about how you would want the logo design of your company to look like. And they will take your ideas and most importantly put their own touch on them. Being professionals they would obviously know how to mould your ideas into well devised good logo designs that will be able to stand on its own as a good representative of your company.

Practicality is also a major factor when it comes to designing a good logo. This is especially so in the case of small time companies or individuals who want logo designs for their letterheads, business cards and so on and so forth. Practicality implies not being too extravagant in the styling of the logos. It should be designed in such a way in such a style that it can practically be used in various mediums. Its use should not be restricted to a few mediums like only the print media. It should be viable for use in print media, on the web, etc.

A good logo design does not necessarily have to be complicated or extravagant in its styling and in the use of its colors. A lot of very big companies use very simple but very eye-catching logo designs. And these are invariably working out very well for them. For example IBM has an extremely simple but very good logo design. There is minimalist use of color and style but its understated simplicity is capable enough of bringing across the reliability and stability of the company.

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Company Logo Design - Tips for Success

Logo designs are typically a visual representation of a graphic or text or a combination of both that provides a unique identity to a company and its products. Logos help to create a visual recognizable identity for a company that effectively contributes to the company's branding.

With the wide artistic possibilities, logo designers often become too enthusiast in creating a company logo design that actually fails to meet the purpose. An extremely abstract art, or a very complex illustration is often not a good example of a logo though they might be considered as a good art if considered from the perspective of a general artwork and not a logo. A logo design should be well thought out, with factors like usage, application and the nature of the company being kept in mind. These few simple tips will give you a grip on the job and even when you get a professional logo design firm to do your logo, you will know what exactly to ask from them.

Primary Identity for your Business

A company logo design creates the primary identity of your business and it should be designed in a way to represent the attitude and nature of the business in the best possible way. A logo designs should not be "dated" and should always have a fresh and contemporary look. Also while deciding on the logo you should consider where and how you are going to use it. Depending on the various mediums on which you are going to put the logo, the color and nature of the logo should be chosen. Also, a logo design can have a long term cost impact, for example having a four color logo can cost very high when you need to print it on your business cards and corporate stationary. Logo design is one of your most important business decisions that are sure to have a great impact on your business for its lifetime.

Simplicity is the Key

Do not go for a complicated design, always remember a logo is not a piece of art but it is a symbol for your corporate identity. Complicated designs are difficult to remember and are not easily recognized. Also, if you ever require a miniature version of your logo, say to put on some gift items like pen or coffee mug, it will loose the clarity and look like a colored blob.

Use Less Colors

Even if your logo design company does not charge you more for using more colors, always restrict your choice to a maximum of three colors. Using more colors can make the logo look good on the web but how would it look when you are sending a fax with the logo in black and white? Besides, the more colors you use for logo the more will be your printing cost.

Use Regular Fonts

Though some fancy fonts might look good on your company logo try to keep your font choice as close to the regular fonts that are commonly available. This makes commercial reproduction and reprint of your logo much easier even if you are using a different printer than the one who actually printed your logo when it was created.

Always Use Vector Graphics

The most important reason for a logo design to be done in vector format is that vector graphics can be resized without any loss of clarity or image quality. A company logo design is used for varied purpose like in business cards and corporate stationery, websites, signage etc and in each of these you would require a different size of the logo. To meet this requirement, it is essential that the logo be created as a vector graphics in some vector software application like Adobe Illustrator or Macromedia Freehand. Logos done in software like Adobe Photoshop would loose quality and stretched once the image is enlarged.

Trademark and Registration

Now that you have got the company logo designed it is always wise to get it registered and trademarked to ensure that the logo is protected from any sort of plagiarisms. Most logo design companies would transfer their complete copyright on the design to the buyer; however, it is advisable that you ask your logo designer to confirm on this point.

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Strategy and Tips for a Successful Logo Design

Visual processing is the most important way for gathering information for all human beings. A good design or graphics work is remembered for ages and that is what drives the multinational companies to spend millions of dollars on developing their logo and other branding material. They would go to any extent to create a solid visual impact and leave a permanent impression on their customer's mind.

While designing your logo and providing the necessary details to your designer you need to always keep in mind what you want your customers to feel about your company when the see your logo. A logo design can actually be a compressed story for your business and tell your customers about the nature and attitude of your business.

"Logo Design" Begins at Home

Yes, your home is the place where you take the first step of your logo design process. Look at the different bottles and pouches you are using everyday in the kitchen, look at the logos they have, look at the logos on your electronic equipments, check the logo on the bag that you got from the shopping mall yesterday. Everyday we come across 1000s of logos but we remember just a few, if we look around, we can find different types of logos around us. Also, visit the local supermarket to check the logos on the array of products they have. It is always better to check out the logos of your competitors who are in the same industry. While doing this, you are sure to find some logos that stand out from the others and this is going to help you conceptualize your logo design.

Once you have made up your mind on how you want your logo to be, its time you write them down clearly demarcated into small objective points which can work as instructions for your logo designer.

One thing you should be careful, while going through different logos of other companies you must not be so influenced by any of them so that your logo becomes a replica or modified version of another logo that you saw. A good design often affects our sub conscious mind and we unknowingly duplicate certain parts of it. It is extremely important that your logo design is unique. A unique logo design increases the likelihood for getting a trademark protection. It is advisable that you take the assistance of a trademark lawyer for your trademark search and to ensure that you do not run into the risk of infringing some other companies trademark symbol or logo.

Using ClipArt

If you area small local business or a mom-n-pop shop you might not be that keen in investing towards a logo and establishing your brand (though I sincerely believe that's very wrong). In such situation, you can try using some high quality royalty free clip art combining it with a suitable typeface to put your company name. You can also use more than one clip arts to create the total graphics for your logo.

However, you should keep in mind that clip arts would never give you the effect of a custom logo and they can be easily duplicated or stolen. Even if you are modifying a clip art, it is almost impossible to get a trademark on that. In future, once your business grows to the level when you need to have trademarked logo you will have to get a total new logo (may be something closer to the one you have) and start with your branding efforts once again to establish that new logo.

To avoid all this problems it is advisable that you get a unique custom logo and it is not always that you need to spend a lot on your logos. There are companies on the web that offers custom logo design at reasonable price.

Some More Logo Design Tips

1)Keep it simple: Remember, simplicity is the key. Most of the great logos are absolutely simple and it is always easier for us to remember and recognize a simple design than to identify a complicated artwork. If you want to have some complex illustration for your logo, try to minimize the number of lines and make it as simple as possible keeping in mind that the viewer should be able to understand what has been drawn.

2)Typography: You should be careful while deciding on the typeface that you intend to use for your logo. Choosing the correct typeface can make a lot of difference. For example, a finance company depicting strength and stability would like to use some bold, thick font. Also, the letters can be twisted to create simple yet nice logos. Some ideal examples of logo that contains only letters are "SONY" and Dell - remember the twisted "e"?

3)Always Use Vector Graphics: Always ask your designer to provide you the logo as vector graphics. The advantage is, vector graphics can be resized without any loss of details and image quality. You can resize it as per your requirement. In addition, vector graphics take lesser memory capacity in your computer.

4)Choice of Color: You should be careful while deciding on your logo colors. It is advisable to restrict yourself to RGB or CMYK colors so that your logo looks equally good in print as it looks on web. Also, ensure that your logo looks good in black and white as well, mind it, you will also have to use your logo on while faxing any of your marketing material or corporate documents.

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Corporate Branding and Professional Logo Design

Any business with the minimum interest to be successful should concentrate on developing their corporate image and when I say "any business", I mean it, absolutely any business--even if it's a mom-n-pop shop. "Corporate image" might be a big word for such small ventures, however, what I meant by that is how the business wants themselves to be perceived by their customers. Irrespective of the size of the business it is very important to determine how do you come across to your potential customers? How do you compare to your competitors? These factors are largely determined by your branding and marketing strategies. Branding tools like logo designs, business cards etc goes a long way in creating your corporate image. Any marketing communication material should ideally have your corporate logo on it, which would give more credibility for your business as well as help your client to perceive your business as a professional enterprise.

Logo design is an absolutely indispensable part of corporate branding strategy and should always be assigned to professional logo designers. A professional logo designer is not just a graphic designer but he should also have ideas about branding and positioning of business. Depending on your requirements he will create a logo that would successfully exude the nature and attitude of your business. He also needs to understand the media in which you are going to use your logo; it can be web, print, electronic media (TV commercial etc) or a mixture of all of these. The logo should be compatible and equally attractive wherever you might choose to use them. While working on any of our logo design orders we ( Custom Logo Design )always try to capture as much as information possible, from the client.

Basically there are 4 types of logos, glyph, alpha-glyph, alphanumeric or a combination of any of these. There are a number of factors that should be looked into to determine what would be the ideal solution for you. A professional logo designer or a specialist logo design firm can definitely help you with decision making in this aspect.

Types of Logos

Glyph: This includes symbols, icons, pictures etc that represents your company. These are most widely used for secondary communication rather than business logos, except for few like, Apple. Glyphs though used rarely as logos, if created properly by talented logo designers can be extremely sophisticated and create a deep impact as a corporate identity. However, we need to be careful that glyphs need to be done by well experienced professionals, an amateur attempt can simply male your logo unattractive and useless and might even cause loss of credibility to your business.

Alpha-Glyph: An alpha-glyph logo uses a letter from the name of the company to graphically convey the nature of the business. At times picking the first letter of the company name and designing it in a particular way also do this. Ideal examples of this type of logos can be seen with Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW), IBM, Honda, Motorola, and Oklahoma State University. This type of logo is also not used very commonly and shares the same advantages and disadvantages as the glyphs.

Alphanumeric: This is a very common type of logos and is also used by some of the most reputed and well-known companies in the world. To name a few, Microsoft, Sony, Fed Ex etc. These logos are nothing but the name of your company written in a unique way with typographical effects. The typographic treatment gives a unique look to the logo and there is generally no issue with getting a Trademark. These logos are comparatively easier for amateurs to create however to get the best effect from an alphanumeric logo it's always better to work with a professional logo designer. Choice of font, color, letter spacing etc can make big difference in creating an impressive corporate logo.

Combination Logos: This is the most common type of logos and is found everywhere. Most of these are actually glyph or alpha-glyph with an alphanumeric company name. It is the arrangement of the company name and the image and their color combination that plays the most instrumental role in the effectiveness of the logo. Some good examples of combination logos are UPS, Red Hat Linux and Intel.

Placing your corporate logo on all marketing collaterals including business cards, brochures, flyers etc helps you to mark those collaterals as your company property and establish your corporate identity.

Logos and marketing materials are integral part of a company's brand establishment strategy. A logo done by an amatetr can ruin the credibility of your business in no time but when done by a professional logo designer can definitely add value to your business. A professional logo designer can help you to decide which type of logo is best suited for your business and can make people perceive your company as a huge corporate house with much credibility even when it might be just an one man shop.

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Corporate Logo Design - 6 Keys to Success

A corporate logo design should be highly instrumental in building your corporate identity and should successfully exude the company's attitude. The viewers must have some idea about the disposition, character, or fundamental values of your company through your logo.
Following certain basic principles can ensure that your corporate logo design is professional easy to remember and creates a great impact on its viewers while successfully expressing the nature of your business.
Go for Professional Logo Designers
You might save a few dollars doing your own logo or getting it done from the next door boy who knows the basics of designing but if you are serious about your business you should always go for a professional logo design firm. Your corporate logo is your identity, your customers recognize you by your logo, so the more professional and sophisticated your logo is the better will be your customer's impression about your company.
Though most of the logo design companies charge exorbitant rates to create a corporate logo design but the industry is changing. These days there are companies that offer excellent professional logos for nominal charges
Simplicity - Keep it Simple
An ideal corporate logo design should be simple and memorable. Corporate houses spend thousands of dollars to ensure that customers remember them at all point of time and a simple logo is the key to that. Think about the Nike logo, it's simple and memorable--once you see the Swoosh, do you ever need to think twice about the company name?
Colors
Colors you use for your corporate logo are a very important factor in your brand establishment. If you already have your corporate colors ask your logo designer to use those colors for the logo. If you don't, suggest the colors that you think might give your prospective clients some idea about the type of business you do. For example, a company working in the fields of forest conservation might like their logo to be in green. At the same time, you also need to consider which colors will go well with your corporate stationeries as well.
Black and White version
While emphasizing the colors we must also remember that it is important for a corporate logo to come out well in black and white. A corporate logo design is used in all corporate communications including fax and photocopied document where they will be in black and white and the logo design must be such that it holds the same impact even in black and white.
Minimize Colors
This is more important from an economic and usability point of view. Corporate logos are often required to be printed for stationary and corporate literature. Using a one or two spot color logo can save a lot of cost compared to printing a full color logo.
Logo Format
It is advisable to always use a vector format for your corporate logo design. A corporate logo may be required to be reproduced at any size for different purposes in the future. A logo design done in vector format can be expanded to any size without any loss of image quality, where as a corporate logo in raster format will loose image quality, if scaled up. Also it is easier to convert a vector logo design to bitmap than vice versa.
If you get a professional logo design firm to do your corporate logo and brief them about this basic tips (most of the knowledgeable firms are well aware of these principles) you are sure to get a satisfactory corporate logo design that would go a long way in helping you establishing your brand.
Use your Logo:
Once you are ready with your corporate logo start giving it maximum exposure possible. Not only on your business cards and letterheads but also on your packaging, uniforms, pens and all possible goods should contain your logo. This gives wider exposure to your logo and people gets familiar with the corporate logo much faster. With all these you are on your way to establish your brand.

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How Do You Define a Good Logo Design?

Everyone wants his company logo to be the best but how good is good? How do we define a good logo? Is it necessary to be colorful or an exquisite piece of art? Can a simple design work as a good logo? We are often in a dilemma.
Now to define a good logo design we first need to understand the purpose of having a logo. A corporate logo is one of the most essential branding elements for your company. It should be instrumental in building your corporate identity and should successfully exude the company's attitude. The viewers must have some idea about the disposition, character, or fundamental values of your company through your logo. The functionality of a logo does not end here, I have not yet mentioned the most important function of a corporate logo. Your logo should be able to build a positive, strong and long lasting impression on existing and prospective customers. The very moment a person views your logo, even a part of it, he should think of your company.
Just think of some of the all time great logos, McDonalds', IBM, Nike-- the moment you see their logos, even if you see a part of it or may be in Black and White (there comes another important aspect!) are you able to think of anything else than the respective company? The answer is definitely NO! The first thing that comes to your mind is the name of the company. This shows how strong an impression their logo leaves in our mind. Isn't that, what all of us are looking for?
How do you get your logo to leave such a strong long lasting impression? The key to this question is to make it easy to remember. Companies often make the mistake of thinking that a complicated artistic design might work well for them, while the reverse is true, in most cases. The simpler your logo is, the easier it is to remember and so it leaves a stronger impression on the people.
You also need to think of all the possible mediums where you are going to use your logo. You are not going to use your logo in only one medium, you might use it on your business cards and stationery, you might use it in your website, you might also use it in the conventional media like newspaper classifieds and magazines. This is why it is most important to inform your logo designers about the possible mediums where you are going to use your logo. You should also check if your logo looks good in Black and White, because tomorrow if you need to get a document in black and white with your logo on it, it should be very easily compatible to that as well.
In the beginning of this article, I have mentioned, that your logo can successfully convey the character and nature of your business to its viewers. How do we do that? There are a host of factors that are considered before designing a logo. When you place an order for a logo design, as a client it is your responsibility to give a clear brief of your company profile, the industry you are in and the nature of logo that you are looking for, to the designers. If you are not sure about the nature of logo that suits your company, let the logo design firm decide on that. There are many logo design companies who are experienced and they will be much better equipped to suggest you the correct type of logos. Any good logo design firm would conduct a market research about the different types of logos used in your industry by your competitors and their impact on the people. Based on that they will deliver you a set of logos from which you can choose any one and then they will customize that to your perfection.
If you have any corporate colors, as we have red for McDonalds', it will be wise to suggest the designers to use that color in your logo-any good designer would anyhow do that.
One last word, as with any other industry, it is definitely beneficial to buy professional service than to go for any amateur designs just to save a few dollars. You might be the best in your industry but they know their job better than you, so if you want to get a good result, try to depend on your logo design company. I do understand that there are certain logo design companies that charge exorbitant rate to create a logo design but the industry is changing. These days there are companies that offer excellent logos for nominal charges. So before you decide to place your order for your logo design, check the portfolio of the company and then check the price tag. You can definitely find some professional logo designs at affordable rates.

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How to Choose a Logo Design that is Perfect for You

Your logo is the signature of your brand, and one of your company's most valuable assets. It is the single element that will symbolize your brand more than anything else. A well-designed logo is one that reflects your business and communicates your message. It needs to be simple, unique, memorable, versatile, and able to work without colour.
In order to choose a logo, there are important steps to go through, both by yourself and with a graphic designer. In this post, I outline the logo design process and some important guidelines to keep in mind when choosing a logo that is perfect for you.
For the creation of your logo, you are free to choose either a freelance designer, a design firm, or perhaps an advertising agency. Throughout this post, for the purpose of convenience and readability, I will use the term "designer" to include whichever type of business or individual is applicable to your case.
Choose a budget
First off, you should decide on your budget for your new logo. They can cost anywhere from $300-1500 (USD), and sometimes more. Just remember that you get what you pay for, and a designer's fees will reflect experience, client history, and professionalism. Investing in a logo (and a corporate identity to go with it) is one of the most important first steps you can take when building a brand. A logo is worth much more than the hours it takes to create it.
You can find logo banks and contest sites online and get one for around $150. There are even different freelancer sites where people bid insanely low prices-like $50. Just be aware that choosing a logo for a cheap price online can be disastrous. Inexperienced designers may take forever, not communicate well, use clip art images (a definite no-no), and may not provide you with the correct files you need for both print and web use.
Locate designers
There are so many places you can find graphic designers. Choosing the right designer for you is definitely a lot harder (and we'll get to that in a minute). You can locate lots of candidates by using different methods.

• Ask around. If you know someone with a great logo, simply ask them who did it. Most of my freelance design work comes from referrals.
• Search graphic design firm directories such as the one on GraphicDesign.com.
• Browse design galleries and portfolio communities like The Behance Network.
• Search for "logo design" and "logo development" on social networks like Twitter, Google Plus, and Facebook.

Choose a suitable designer
After contacting a number of designers and requesting quotes, make sure you look at more than just the price when deciding who gets the job. Consider the designer's previous logos and the corporate identities they have created around those logos. Look for good design presentations because it shows how much they care about their own professional appearance. Read the descriptions that go with each of their logo projects because a logo may look great and all, but it has to meet the specific design requirements to be effective.
More importantly, choose a logo designer whose style of design fits your own preferred style. By doing this, you'll be happy with the logo you end up with, and the designer will be happy because that style is what they're most comfortable with.
You can judge the professionalism of a graphic designer by the fnllowing points. These don't all have to apply, but be on the lookout for at least a few of them.

• They are polite, direct, knowledgeable, and efficient communicators.
• They explain their design process for you and tell you what will be delivered upon completion.
• They will ask you relevant questions to understand your business.
• They have some sort of contract or service agreement to sign before starting.
• They require a specified up-front payment before starting.
• Their grammar, spelling, and punctuation are at least satisfactory. (As with any industry, bad writing says a lot about a person).

One crucial note here: if the designer presents you with a contract or agreement, make sure that the ownership of the logo is transferred to you upon final payment. If there is nothing in writing that mentions ownership, then ask your designer to give you this agreement in writing. It is imperative that you own your logo design so that you can legally use it however you like in the future.
Brief the designer in detail
Whether you brief your designer face-to-face or send over a brief in email form, it is essential to explain what you want in detail. Answer these questions first:

• If you currently have a logo, why don't you like it?
• What does your business do?
• Who is your target market?
• Who are your main competitors?
• How are you different from your competitors?
• What qualities do you want your company to project?
• What feelings do you want your new logo to incite?
• Do you have a tag line that needs to be included in the design?
• Will your logo show up in videos? If so, will it eventually need an animated version?
• Which specific logos are your favourites, and why?
• Are you partial to typographic logos (FedEx or ESPN), symbolic logos (Nike or Apple), or a combination of both (Pepsi or Adidas)?

Let the designer know exactly where you plan on using the logo. Sure, you'll have business cards and a website, but will it also be seen on billboards and your social media profiles?
Ask if the designer will provide a logo usage guidelines document, which advises how the logo can and cannot be used. For example, which logo variation can be used on which colour background? Finally, ask for a favicon. This is the little image that appears in browser tabs, in your bookmarks manager, and on your computer when you save a webpage. They usually come in one of three sizes: 16×16, 32×32, or 64×64 pixels. Ask for a 64×64 pixel favicon, so that is looks crisp everywhere it appears.
Equipped with all this knowledge, your designer should be able to deliver an accurate visual representation of your business. Solidifying your vision before briefing a designer will definitely save you time, money, and headaches in the end.
When I entered into the logo design industry, I encountered a few clients who expected me to know all of these things and deliver a perfect solution to a problem that was not expressed clearly. It inevitably led to non-stop revisions of their logo and tired faces all around. That's why I decided to start sending out a list of preliminary logo design questions before even considering a job. If you don't know what you want in the beginning, then you may keep changing your mind as the project moves forward. It's definitely okay to change your mind, but be aware that the designer will probably ask you for more money before continuing.
Choose a logo concept
The designer will then do the necessary research and experiments, then come back to you with some concept designs. This will take around two to four days, depending on the specific job. Ideally, they will present you with three to six hand-drawn sketches. When you first view the concepts, choose a logo that immediately catches your eye. This is usually the one that your gut is telling you to choose. Continue the decision process by asking yourself some essential questions:

• Does it represent my product or business?
• Does it convey my message?
• Is the design simple enough?
• Does the design have sufficient contrast to stand out?
• Will it work without colour?
• Will it work when it's super small?
• Does it look too much like any other logos?
• Will it be relevant five years or ten years down the road?

After that, sleep on it. Do the exact same thing and ask yourself the same questions for a second time. Do your answers change? It's also a good idea to ask friends and family what they think.
Give useful feedback
After the first draft, your designer may actually present a logo that is close to what you're looking for, but it's not often they'll hit the nail on the head right away. Therefore, it's up to you to communicate your needs as best you can. Provide your designer with feedback that is useful. Simply saying, "I don't like any of them" doesn't really help the process. Express why you don't like something, or what you would like to see differently, such as, "I don't like how rigid and symmetrical this one is. Can you give it more movement or make it more lively?"
Giving clear direction is necessary, but try not to become the designer yourself. You have hired a designer for a reason, so let them do what they do best. If you have chosen a good designer that communicates well and matches your preferred style, then you can be confident they will present you with quality work.
Accept deliverables
Upon release of final payment to the designer, you should receive the deliverables promised to you in the beginning of the business relationship. This should include vector files that are resizaeble, as opposed to raster images that cannot be increased in size without becoming pixelated (blurry).
You need files that you can start using on the web right away (usually PNG, JPG, or GIF). Ask for a PNG of GIF if you want the background to be transparent (no white box around your logo). You also need to get the original source files (usually AI or EPS). You definitely want to have the source files in case someone else needs to modify or expand on your logo someday. For example, if one day you hire someone to create a video for you, then a source file is required to incorporate your logo-a JPG simply won't cut it.
When it's time to choose a logo that is perfect for you, realize that it's not a simple process. It takes a lot of thought about your type of business, your target audience, the message you want to send, the feelings you want to incite, as well as open communication with your designer.
However, it's definitely worth the effort to strive for a strong logo design, as it is the first thing your audience sees, and it will be with you for a long time to come.

 

 

 

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Why Should You Go For Custom Logo Design?

Have you ever wondered what is there in the design of a particular logo that makes it stick to the back of your head? Have you ever pondered some time thinking why your brain associates itself with a particular company whenever you see a particular design in the print media or on the TV? These are all due to logo design. Whenever you like a particular product or company your brain associates itself with the designs of the logo of that company. Not only the design of the logo, your brain also associates itself with the jingles that accompany advertisements of famous products and organizations. Case in point is the famous theme track of all James Bond movies.
The moment a person hears those tracks that know that it has something to do with James Bond. The same is applicable to a business logo design too. There are many organizations that go in for without even pondering to think about the importance of that small piece of art. They just do not know the importance that design will have bear in the future and they just select the first logo company their search results provides them with. One small error in the design will remain stuck with the company forever and by the time they either realize or are pointed out the flaws in the design; it is too late to make amends. One should always seek the services of professional logo design services to ensure that they get the custom logo design they are seeking for.
There are many professional logo design companies who will create a professional logo for your organization, but even they require some information and feedback from your end in order to create a perfect logo. If you are looking for someone who can render a professional logo design, it is recommended that you take the help of advertising agencies. They are your best bet when you are seeking is a graphic designer and creator. Simon Nelson writes on various business related topics which help others to start up and boost up their business. Get more valuable information about being a custom logo design for your organization. These advertising agencies have their own research & planning department along with their own art studio and they also employ professionals who know what sells. Remember, your logo is your organization's mascot and it represents your organization, hence it is important that it has a unique and custom logo design that stands out from the designs of the logos of your competitors.
There are some smart people who do not want to pay the high charges that the advertising agencies demand. These smart people know that there are programs that are designed just for creating professional logos. What these people do not know is that these programs have pre-defined logos. In order to create a custom logo design using these programs using this software, one has to first select any design from the software's collection. The same is altered a bit over here and a bit over there to give the shape a unique design. After that one can change the color according to its choice. Simon is a graphic designer and creative writer on various business related topics which help others to start up and boost up their business. Get more valuable infologin4mailsrmation about combinations of the logo to one that suits the standard colors of the company for which the logo is being designed.
Most professional companies have their own unique color combination that is used in all their stationery and the same should be followed for their custom logo design. Once this is over, the software allows the user to add some text that can be set in a straight or curved path. Once all these steps have been completed, the entire image can be exported as a graphic corporate logo design,best logo design,company logo design,custom logo design file and can be sent to the printers for printing on letterheads, visiting cards and other official stationery. What the users of this software do not know is that the same program is being used by tens of thousands of semi-professionals all over the world to create some other custom logo design.
They are being termed as semi-professionals, since no graphic professional worth their salt will ever use such programs with pre-designed logos. Professional graphic artists and typographers prefer to use their own brains and vision to create something unique, which will stand apart from the pack. After all, they are charging you such a huge amount of money for creating your organizations custom logo design. There is one more important point that one should remember when getting their logos designed. They should not act in haste and allow the designers sufficient time to re-work on the design, till they are sure that it is satisfactory. The image of the logo should appear to be a part of your company. Try to add elements in the design that shows the nature of your company's business.
A famous example is that of a gramophone record company. Their logo depicts a dog listening intently to the horn of an old gramophone player. Yes, the players of olden days used a horn to amplify the sound of the record. Can you imagine how many things does this logo depict? The record goes to show the logo is that of a company that deals with records. The horn is used to show that this organization has been round for ages. The dog listening to the sound emitting from the horn wants to convey the faithful reproduction of sound one should expect when they are playing records of that company. No prizes foe guessing the name of the company, but this classic example goes to show how many things a logo can portray. These are some of the points you too should keep in mind before you plan to get a custom logo design for your organization. Remember, the logo is the heart and soul of your company and they are the biggest and most important representatives of your organization too. 365 days a year, the logo of your company keeps reminding people about the presence of your company through your organization's ads, letterheads, visiting cards and gifts.

 

 

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My Top 7 Essential Twitter Tools

Unless you've been hiding under a rock, you have probably heard something about the new microblogging platform, Twitter, and how Twitter has taken the online marketing world by storm. The phenomenon has even spawned a new lingo, with new your new tweeps (followers) tweeting (making posts) you and discussing the state of the Twitterverse (you get the idea here).

While Twitter is pretty easy to use, there's an overwhelming amount of tools, plug-ins and applications being developed to support it. I ran across one blog that listed over 100. How can you determine which ones will best support you in your use of Twitter?

I've tried to sort though all of the junk, and come up with my 7 essential Twitter tools:

1. TwitterFox. This is actually a Firefox browser plug-in that permits you to keep up with your tweets and any direct (private) messages that come your way. Tweetdeck and Twhirl similarly help your manage your tweets and tweeps and have gotten rave reviews from users, but I prefer the simplicity of Twitterfox. All I have to do is check the Twitter logo in the lower right corner of any browser window to check my Tweets and to reply to any of them that I want.

2. TweetLater. The primary function of TweetLater.com is to permit die-hard Twitterers to stock up Tweets that can be scheduled to be posted over a period of time. However, the reason that I like it is that I can forward the emails about who is following me to my TweetLater email address, and my will automatically get a direct message from me. I just love it when I can automate my marketing tasks!

3. TwitterFeed. This service will enable you to feed your blog posts to your Twitter account. You can control the frequency with which Twitter displays your blog post, as well as the text used to preface your blog feed. I use "Blog update" to preface my posts.

4. TwitterSearch. This site offers a quick way to search what people are posting about particular topics or keywords in the twitterverse.

5. TweetBeep. This is the equivalent of Google Alerts for Twitter, which permits you to track mentions of your name, products, company, or anything else you want to track.

6. LoudTwitter. LoudTwitter is the bridge that posts your daily Tweets to your blog Your blog takes care about the archiving of your tweets along with your other posts, which give more context. After all, if you have a blog and a Twitter, your blog is probably the core place where you want to be found and tracked.

7. Png.fm. While technically not a Twitter tool, I quickly tired of manually updating my status settings at all of my social networking sites. So, I began using Ping.fm. When you update your status at Ping.fm, the service will automatically update your status on all of your social networking sites, like Twitter, Facebook, Plurk, Pownce, to name a few (there are 21 you can update). Depending on the number of networks you use, it will take you 10-50 minutes to connect your Ping.fm account to your various social network accounts. However, once everything is set up, you simply log into your Ping account, post your update (no more than 140 characters), and your status is automatically upgraded on all of your social networking profiles.

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3 Quick Steps to Making Money With Twitter!

This year, 2011 marks Twitters 5th anniversary. Twitter has revolutionized the way we communicate with each other by allowing instant messages to be sent and received by large groups of people in a quick and easy way. But, did you know that you can also use Twitter to market products, information and ideas...and make some extra money while doing so. This article will discuss 3 simple steps that you can implement right away to begin earning some extra money using Twitter.
1) Getting Twitter Followers
2) Finding a Product or Idea to Promote
3) A Simple Marketing Plan
If you are reading this and you are already a famous celebrity, then you don't need any help in getting Twitter followers. However, if you are a regular person like me, then you will need to engage in some simple steps to increase the number of people following you.
First...Getting Twitter Followers.
I'm going to give you a rough overview of what you need to do rapidly and incredibly increase the number of Twitter followers that you have.
1) Obviously you will need to have a Twitter account set up that is in an area that you find interesting. This could be astronomy, gardening, automotive repair...really it could be anything. Just make it something that you enjoy.
2) One of the "secrets" if you will, that many people don't realize about Twitter, is that many times if you follow someone...they will follow you back. So, do this...go to Twitter and log into your account. At the top of the page you will see a search box next to the Twitter logo. Type in a word that covers the topic of your Twitter account and press the search button. Twitter will then list several Twitter accounts that are in some way related to your Twitter account. Go ahead and click on any one of these Twitter links...Here is what you are looking for...
A Twitter account that has "FOLLOWERS" and is "FOLLOWING". For example, you see that a given Twitter account is Following 1,360 people and has 237 Followers...Well, it is a pretty good bet that this account will follow you back after you follow it. How do I know this? Because this account is in fact "Following" people on an active basis.
If you click on another Twitter account and see that this account is Following 6 people and has 19,200 Followers then you would probably not want to follow this account, simply because they really aren't interested in following people.
Second...Finding an Idea or Product to Promote.
Who knows, maybe you have already written an ebook or report that people would find interesting. If so, you can market this product to your Twitter followers. If not, then I would suggest that you visit ClickBank and choose an item that fits in with the profile of the Twitter followers you have. As per the example above, you would choose an information product that has to do with gardening. Take a little time with this part of your plan. You may not necessarily want to start promoting the very first offering you see in your chosen category at ClickBank. Why not? Well, my guess is that there are a lot of people promoting that item. Why not choose a product from the 3rd or 4th page...something not already so heavily marketed.
Third...A Simple Marketing Plan.
Don't be too hasty to get the word out about the wonderful product you are now offering to your Twitter followers. Let's take a more sensible approach to this. Why not attempt to position yourself as kind of an expert in your chosen market. Would an expert only send out advertisements for something to buy, and nothing else? Probably not. I suspect that a true expert in a given field will provide his/her readers with solid information, witty and thoughtful insights, leads to where they can get additional information, and occasionally information on items they can purchase through you.
Find some quotes that you can tweet relating to your field. Research and write a quick, informative articles that offer some insight or advice, tweet links to news stories and headlines that bear on your subject. This will all help you to feel and come across as an expert. Try not to send out more than 3-4 "product" tweets a week.
If you follow these 3 steps you will find that your Twitter followers are increasing, people will start to see you as an expert, and you will earn some extra money for your efforts.

For a great 5 step plan that builds on the steps I've outlined here, take a look at my mini e-book "5 Steps to 5,000 Twitter Followers".

 

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