by Ryan McMullen
One of my favorite projects I get to be a small part of is clients’ logo design. It is so fascinating to see an initial idea get grabbed out of the air, be jotted down on a pad, change, morph and somehow magically end up as a symbol that helps define your entire company. Crazy.
I do not resemble a designer in any way, but I do understand the importance of your business having an identity. This is especially important for local small businesses because the opportunity to separate yourself from your competitors is enormous.
If you have not embraced the importance of having a quality logo, please allow me to convince you with the following six arguments:
1. Stand out from competitors. In our local market, this is going to give you the most bang for your buck. For most companies, taking the time and effort to put together a logo is just another expense that they have and that either doesn’t ever get done or gets done poorly. The opportunity to separate yourself from the other guys by having a nice, tight, clean visual appearance that shows you are serious about your business is right in front of you.
2. Build trust. How many times have you been driving down the highway and seen a pickup truck with a company name and phone number printed on a magnet stuck to the door? Are you going to trust that guy to landscape your front yard and guarantee the work? You won’t because you don’t trust that he’s going to be in business long enough to guarantee the sun will rise tomorrow.
3. Look more established. A magnet on the side of your truck does just the opposite. Having a logo that customers can see on your business card, collateral materials and polo shirt conveys that you have been around the block and are a real business.
4. Show commitment. Your customers know it costs money to look like a professional and they want to believe that you are going to do a great job for them. When they see you invest in yourself, they are much more willing to invest their trust in you.
5. Be memorable. Nobody remembers names. But they do remember logos that make them stop and say, “Hey, that’s pretty cool.”
6. Keep your customers loyal. There comes a time when your logo will become so familiar to your customers that they won’t even think about buying from your competitor. I know a guy who knows a guy, and that guy worked with MillerCoors. Although they’d never admit it, they knew that consumers were brand-loyal to their beer by 19 years old. That is just one of thousands of examples.
If I have not made the case, then don’t take my word for it, but certainly listen to the hundreds of millions of dollars that Nike, Starbucks, Disney, McDonald’s, Coke and the rest of the giants out there spend to promote and protect their brands and logos.
The opportunity to grow your business in the local business world just by a well-thought-out logo and brand identity is real. Most of your competitors aren’t doing it, your customers aren’t expecting it and it gives you a tremendous advantage when making deals.
Ryan McMullen (ryan@stlouismarketinglab.com) is the owner of St. Louis Marketing Lab.
Submitted 8 years 202 days ago