The visual identity of your brand speaks volumes about who you are. Stand out from the rest of the B2B crowd with a logo that leaves a lasting impression by following these eight tips.
Every B2B company needs eye-catching and well-thought-out branding, and this starts with your logo. While your B2B branding efforts should certainly not stop here, your logo does say a ton about who you are and what you bring to the table – and it’s also a valuable opportunity for your brand to introduce itself to the world. These eight tips will help guide you in the right creative direction.
8 Tips to Create a B2B Logo
- Keep It Simple
- Make It Memorable
- Consider All Platforms
- Incorporate Your Brand Story
- Be Original
- Utilize the Right Colors
- Make It Timeless
- Use It to Create Your VIS
#1 — Keep It Simple
There’s no need to cram as many design elements into your logo as possible — a busy, confusing logo won’t stand out to the user or accurately reflect your brand. In fact, all a busy logo does is scream: “I don’t know who I am.”
Keeping your B2B brand logo simple and polished is the best way to go. (This will also make things easier for your company as you use the logo in different media forms across the web and in print – but more on that in a bit.)
When thinking about verbiage and design, it’s best to use minimal words and choose one or two design elements to visually make your logo stand out.
For example, Amazon’s logo features two colors, a simple font and a small arrow that symbolizes what they do.
This logo is easy to remember and doesn’t contradict itself with too many symbols or colors.
#2 — Make It Memorable
While keeping your logo simple is a good call, it shouldn’t be plain or dull. There should always be a memorable element in your logo so people can recognize it when they see it.
For example, Nike’s logo is as simple as it gets, but nearly everyone recognizes it — it is extremely memorable.
Of course, Nike has been around for decades, but you get the idea. The brand chose one image – the legendary swoop – and, after being associated with the quality product they deliver over a long period of time, it has become so memorable that it doesn’t even need the word “Nike” next to it anymore.
#3 — Consider All Platforms
When designing a logo, it’s crucial to think about how it will look in both print and digital forms. How will it look on a business card versus a billboard? How will it look on your website versus a T-shirt? Successful brands are present in various ways, both physically and online, and you need to be prepared to follow in the same vein.
When considering all platforms, you should focus on:
- How your logo looks large versus small.
- If the word(s) in your logo takes away from the symbols you have chosen or vice versa.
- If your logo is strong enough to stand alone without words.
- If the colors you have chosen work well in contrast to their surroundings.
#4 — Incorporate Your Brand Story
Every B2B company has a story, and your logo provides the perfect opportunity to tell yours to the world. Highlighting a meaningful story will give your logo a unique touch while making people feel more connected to your brand. While this may sound hard to accomplish within a logo, it can be a very simple add-on.
For example, the three dots in the Domino’s pizza logo represents the three original owners of the chain.
They are just dots, but they represent the very beginning of the company.
Think about how you started your brand and make a list of the challenges you overcame during the process. This will help get the ideas flowing so you can strategize about the design elements that will reflect your journey.
#5 — Be Original
While creating your logo, make sure to take a look at what your competitors are doing, as you don’t want to accidentally copy them.
Comparable brands tend to think similarly, and some of your logo ideas could be nearly identical to other brands in your industry, even if you’ve never heard of them before.
Do some research and spend some time looking at the logos in your industry, and then take the time to create something different.
#6 — Utilize the Right Colors
When it comes to logo creation, there are endless colors you can use to get your message across. Remember, it’s crucial to choose colors that reflect your brand while enhancing your originality.
Focusing on your target audience, products and services is a good way to narrow down your color scheme.
For example, if your brand focuses heavily on sustainability and the environment, you may want to use natural hues to highlight that. If you’re a cutting-edge technology company, you might choose brighter or bolder colors with high contrast.
On the flip side, you might decide against a color that’s overused in your industry.
While a color scheme doesn’t always have to be literal, giving a subtle nod to a brand’s personality through colors is a strategy that many brands (B2C or B2B) utilize.
#7 — Make It Timeless
The best logos are just as compelling now as they were several years ago.
While there’s a time and a place for B2B rebranding, it’s not something that should be done every year, or even every other. After its creation, your logo should stay relevant for years to come. How do you actually accomplish a timeless appeal?
The rule of thumb is to do things with purpose. Don’t incorporate a design element solely because it looks good or other people are doing it. It should always tie back to your brand story, and it should always enhance your brand, not confuse it.
While there is no foolproof formula for creating a timeless logo, working with an experienced designer will help steer you in the right track.
#8 — Use it to Create Your VIS
Every B2B company needs a VIS (visual identity system), and the logo is the first step in creating it. A VIS is an outline that touches on every viable design element for both online and physical brand collateral. It includes:
- The company logo
- Variations of the company logo (with and without words, with and without location, etc.)
- Color palette
- Patterns and treatments
- Typography
- Photography and illustration
- Relevant templates
Your B2B brand must remain consistent across the board, and having an established VIS will ensure that all brand elements are cohesive. This will give your brand an organized, polished touch and will impress both new and old clients.
Final Thoughts
B2B industries can be crowded. If your brand is going to stand out, you need to craft a logo that sets you apart. Your logo holds the power to tell your story and make your mark on the world – so create it wisely.
