You might be asking yourself, why should I care about design? I have my name and number on the side of my truck, what else do I need? Nothing, if you want to be mediocre and just let people know who they’re directing profanities at while tailgating you. But if you're going to stand out from the crowd, you will need something different, something unique, something that says "Bam! here I am, use me for your next project." Good design creates an identity for your small business through a logo, stationery and promotional material, and when done right, will make your customers say, "Now there's the one I want to do my next project." But what is design? Let’s focus on the first step to creating an impact for your small business, a logo. And if that’s all you do, at the very least it’ll look better on your truck than just your name.
what’s in a name, really?
“Remember the old saying, “a picture is worth a thousand words?””
Every business needs a name. But if that is all you have, your customers will say "So what, you are just another contractor named Joe, or Steve or whoever." You won’t be remembered. You need a well designed logo, something that stands out and sets you apart like Walmart's yellow spark, Target's red target, or McDonald's' Arch. What do all of these have in common? Simple yet effective design that’s easily remembered.
logos are a VISUAL representation of your small business
Your logo sets you apart. It gives a visual representation of who you are. When you’re driving down the road to your next job or parked in front of a customer’s house, potential customers won't remember your name, including that annoying neighbor peeping out the window, but they will remember a cool looking logo, which is where good design comes in. That is why large companies have symbols to represent their brands, like Nike. You’d have to be living under a rock, which I’m not sure is possible, to not recognize the swoosh. A well designed logo is easy to remember. And while you might not be a large company yet, they all started at the same place.
In the example above, The business Email Splat offers “custom business and marketing automation.” While you might actually remember the name Email Splat, because it is pretty unique, the image of the blue gear and splatter adds much more staying power than the name alone and in fact supports the name’s importance and links the two.
last but not least, there’s color
People associate colors with different meanings. There are whole theories about how colors affect mood and all that stuff. But, to be honest, you really don't care, do you? That’s my bag. All you care about is what color you should use for your logo. Primary colors like red, yellow and blue are the easiest to distinguish, that is why a lot of logos are designed with those colors. When choosing a look, use a color that sets the right mood, and meaning that your small business is trying to convey. Obviously if you’re a landscaper you probably don’t want to use red as your primary color. But you’d be surprised what people do, I’ve seen landscaping logos that are black and silver. Look, if you’re really not sure, I’m happy to help,
Final thoughts
Remember the old saying "a picture is worth a thousand words." Make your design worth a thousand reasons to choose you. We’ve focused on the importance of a good logo here, but good overall design sets you apart from your competition even more. It allows your customers to keep your company in mind and it expresses your company’s vision. And anyway, who has time to read a thousand words.
You don't need to come up with your small business’ identity on your own, and let's be honest, do you really have the time or desire? You already have a lot on your shoulders, so let me help.
Like what you read? Let’s work together! Find me on social media, explore my website or hit me up via email at mike@shortsleevedesigns.com.