I recently created something of great significance to me and my business… a sexy new logo.
As a business owner, your logo will be everywhere - on your website, social media profiles, promotional materials, business cards and more. It is a critical branding element that must align with the values and purpose of your business.
When creating mine, I learned a lot, and it reinforced many of the principles and practices I believe are critical to creating a successful business in alignment with your values and purpose.
Here are the six key lessons I took away. I hope you'll find them useful when you choose to create or recreate a logo that reflects your inner truth, values and purpose.
1. Be clear on the core values you want your logo to convey.
Mine are be real, be brave and have fun.
These values must be reflected throughout your branding, not just your logo. Your values help you make business decisions that align with your purpose, and attract people and opportunities that are right for you.
If you haven’t uncovered yours yet, put this on your immediate to-do list.
2. Identify between five and 10 keywords that represent what you do.
Mine are heart-brain, truth, orgasmically joyful, co-active coaching and light.
Related: How to Create a Logo
3. Look for symbols that align with your keywords and values.
My logo is composed of a heart inside a flame.
For me, the heart represents heart-brain, which holds your truth and light. When you connect with the truth and light inside your heart and actively put it out there, you experience true joy. This orgasmic joyfulness energizes and fuels you, which is represented by the flame.
How these symbols are brought together visually reflects my values of real (light and truth), brave (original image that stands out) and fun (a vibrant illustration rather than a corporate look).
4. Hire someone who really gets your brand to design your logo.
Don’t just look for someone who has done great work. If the person doesn’t truly get your brand, no matter how creative they are, they won’t pick up on the subtleties that truly capture what you want to express.
Ensure the person or agency you hire is open to feedback and creating visuals that are truly reflective of you, rather than insisting on doing their version of how they feel the brand should be. Trust your inner voice. It knows, better than anyone (even the experts), what you truly want to put out there.
Related: What the Color of Your Logo Says About Your Company (Infographic)
5. Test how the logo will look on your branding materials.
Test how the logo will look on your website and marketing materials before putting the time and effort into the final draft of your logo. Sometimes you love something on its own, but when put on your website it doesn't balance well with the rest of your content.
Related: Why We Hate Logo Redesigns
6. Ensure the end result feels right.
I can’t emphasize this point enough. Don’t settle for what someone created if it isn’t truly you. This is your logo; your brand. You need to feel it in every cell of your body.
Try the “light” method. Do you feel light when looking at the logo? If you feel any heaviness, something isn’t right. If you feel light, you’re on the right path. Trust that feeling. That’s your intuition telling you when something is or isn’t right for you.
I truly believe that to create successful a life and business that brings you joy, you need to align all elements of your business with your core values and purpose. It’s how I created a six-figure business that I’m excited to wake up to each day, and it’s how many of my clients are now doing the same for themselves.
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