Why you shouldn’t invest all your money into a logo design

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Apple, Nike, Facebook. No doubt as you read these brand names, an image flashed through your mind.

This is how powerful branding can be.

I’m sure one of the first things you think about when starting a new business or organisation is a logo design.

But where to start? And how much money and time should you spend on it?

While I’m in the business of creating logo designs myself, I often actually tell my clients, they don’t need one—not yet anyway.

You see, a logo is only one aspect of your brand.

When we think about brands like Apple, Nike and Facebook, it wasn’t their logo on its own that flashed through your mind, was it? It might have been Steve Jobs, a Nike campaign, or Facebook’s platform itself.

And attached to that, some sort of meaning, memory or feeling.

In this episode, I’m going to share why you shouldn’t invest all your money into a logo design. And instead, to first focus on answering one key question that will help set your brand up for success.

Before you go ahead and create a logo, make sure you’ve got the answer to this million dollar question… It’s nothing mind-blowing really.

“What’s your 10 year vision, and who does it serve?”

Diving more deeply into it…

Part one of the million dollar question: What’s your 10 year vision?

Don’t be afraid to dream big here. That’s why you’re starting this journey of entrepreneurship or building a purposeful organisation, isn’t it?

10 years is a good timeframe to work with because it gets you to think big but it’s also not so far-fetched that you feel disconnected from it. We’re not asking you to become a Nike overnight. Think about big, yet attainable, goals.

If this feels overwhelming, simply start with revisiting your why:

• Why did you want to start this business or organisation?
• Was it an injustice that you saw?
• An idea to do something in a better way?
• And how do you see this problem being solved with what you do?

Now let this WHY run through every vein of your brand. Your WHY is the purpose, cause or belief behind WHAT you’re doing.

Let it be the guiding North Star of how you set your impact metrics, build out a team, the messaging behind your campaigns, the people you partner with, even to the packaging you source.

Building a future-proof brand just needs to start with something very simple and clear.

If you’re interested to hear more about finding your WHY, I highly recommend to check out Simon Sinek’s TED-Talk “How great leaders inspire action”.

Basically, people don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it. Human beings are wired to want to belong to something and give meaning to the things around them.

Part two of the million dollar question: Who does it serve?

Successful brands are the ones that feel deeply human. They are able to provide richer experiences and connect with you on a deeper level.

Get very clear on who exactly it is you are talking to. Because then you will attract the right people. They will choose you today and they will choose you tomorrow.

Think about who your people are and what you’d like them to say about your brand in 10 years time.

Think of the role you want to play in people’s lives and how you’re here to make their lives better.

To sum it up

• Don’t invest everything into a logo design.
• Meaning is built into logos, over time, over dedication and showing up for your audience.
• Go into it with clarity—why are you doing this and what purpose, cause or belief is behind WHAT you’re doing.
• Logo only matters when people value what’s behind it, so who does your brand matter to?
• Start with the right mindset and invest in the long run.
• What legacy do you want to leave behind and what do you want people to say about you in 10 years time?

Links mentioned:

Simon Sinek’s TED-Talk: How great leaders inspire action

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