When it comes to logo design for a company’s brand, first impressions are key. You only get one shot at it. How do you balance what the customer wants vs. what is best when they don’t initially align?
A little background: The client had a rough drawing of their logo design. He had done some online searches for additional design ideas and knew what colors he wanted. It was a good start. But I immediately saw some problems. When personal designs are at stake, it’s important to tread carefully because it’s just that – personal. You don’t want to hurt their feelings but at the same time, you want to provide the best design possible.
Part of the verbiage in the original design was 90 degrees to the main text, making it difficult to read. It was a little too busy and the text was getting lost. I needed to keep the feel of the original logo but also help the client feel like he still had ownership. It’s also important that it’s easily reproducible for printing business cards or letterhead and invoices. Converting it to an embroidered logo on clothing was another important consideration for this client.
For me, the most important elements are legibility and readability. If the prospective customer can’t read or understand the logo, you haven’t done your job for your client. The color, feel and type of business all play a role and multiple iterations will likely be required before you get the “that’s perfect” response. It requires patience, good listening skills, and usually some compromise. It’s a blend of explaining why you are recommending certain changes while also making the client happy. In this instance, make your customer feel like he was right with enough elements of the original design that he has ownership. And then you can both be happy.