Look sharp. Play sharp. That pithy Ankle Women's Socks factory statement comes courtesy of one of my older daughters softball coaches. His teams always had the whitest pants and socks. They didnt win every game, but they did well better than expected. And his words stuck with me.
In business looks matter too. From your product to your place of business, your firm will be judged by how you look. So having a professional logo is especially important.
Look at your logo, and how its used. Does it show any of these signs?
1)Ragged edges; looks hand-drawn (and isnt supposed to)
2)Stiff, stilted or out-dated design
3)Design doesnt fit your industry
4)Inconsistent use of color, design
If you answered Yes or Hmmm, Im not sure to any of these, call in a professional. Expect to pay $50-100/hour for consultation. Around $500 to clean up an existing logo. $1,500 for new logo design. $1,000-2,500 for business stationery design (letterhead, envelopes, labels, business cards.) $5,000 and up for a full blown corporate identity program.
But a well-designed logo, defined company colors and a tag line that delivers your benefit message are ONLY the beginning. Now you need to roll out that identity in all your marketing communications.
Heres a quick checklist of the places where your logo, company colors and tag line may be used. Hope it helps keep your identity crisp, clear and consistent.