5 Things You Should Get from A Reputable Logo Designer

We have worked with many businesses who come to us with a logo already in place. After years of working with designs from others, here are a few tips for you to use next time you are looking for a reputable designer to develop your logo.

A Vector File

You may not be familiar with all of the jargon used by a professional graphic designer, but that is okay. A good designer will take the time to explain what a vector file is and why it is different from other file types. You should always have a copy of your logo in a vector format, typically an EPS or SVG.

Why is a vector important? A vector file does not use pixel units to comprise an image but uses equations to create an exact line structure. A vector image will never be pixelated. A vector file is vital to making quality printed materials to promote your business.

Typeface Names

Your logo is the keystone of your business’ brand and your marketing materials should match. Even if your designer creates a custom or customized typeface for your logo, they should provide recommended font choices for your additional branding materials. Countless times have we seen the visual impact of a design muddled under misused (and overused) fonts.  Your logo designer should provide you with the names of the fonts (and the font files) used in your design. This is important in ensuring your brand is consistent.

A Branding and Color Guide

Even a basic logo package from a reputable designer should include colors and fonts used with your logo. Colors are just as important as the typefaces used in your design. Designers should provide at least the hexadecimal or HEX color codes (#ffffff for instance) for each of the colors in your logo. Hex codes are used most often online to designate a color. Even better, are Pantone color swatches. These are standardized color mixes used in production to ensure an exact match to your logo color.

Keep in mind even black has multiple variants. In order to create a consistent brand, you need consistent coloring. 

Logo Use Options

If you plan to use your logo and hopefully you do, you will need multiple versions. Not every use is created equal. Always be sure you have a one color version of your logo and a reverse color version (dark background versus light background). Dont’ forget about one-color print logos as well. These should be provided to you as part of your logo development.

Ownership of the Artwork

A logo is the identity of your business. Don’t use a stock image or graphic and watch out for license agreements that limit your use of the logo. If your logo is not yours, go ahead and change it. It may cost more now to develop a custom unique logo, but finding out later you never owned the rights to your logo is far worse. We believe it’s worth doing right the first time, so always make sure you own the designs you will be building your business on.

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If you have any questions about this post or would like to contact us to discuss the development of a fully custom logo for your business, event, or non-profit. Please send us a message and let us know about your project!