They say a logo is worth a thousand words (close enough), and a great one will do a lot of the heavy lifting when it comes to creating a strong identity for your new business or brand. Here at Fiverr, we're strong believers that the key to that holy grail of a symbol lies beyond choosing a seller. A well-written brief, for instance, is an essential part of putting your seller of choice on the right track.
That's why we created this step-by-step guide to the perfect logo design brief (complete with extraordinary Logo Design Gigs to get you inspired) which will provide your seller with all the information they need and help lead them on the path of great results!
a logo design brief is the designer’s guide to your business. This is where you communicate your needs to a designer and outline any integral information about your brand, desired style, budget, and deadlines.
Fight to urge to jump right into the visual guidelines, and start by communicating what your brand is and what its core values are. What stands behind the name of your business? What are your goals? Make sure you specify the category of your industry and what it is you’re offering. AKA, give a clear picture of what and how you do what you do.
If you’re trying to reach a younger crowd, a playful logo will be the way to go. If your desired customers run in higher circles, opt for a luxurious style that conveys an upscale look and feel. Sellers can and will visually render user values with design styles and elements, so make sure you define your needs.
When building a business, keep in mind that while very important, a logo is still just a part of a larger branding strategy plan. Think about your where you want your logo to be. Will your logo be a digital one, or would you also need it printed for flyers, business cards or brochures?
Will the design be used in-house or as marketing material? Are you starting from scratch and in need of a brand style guide? Communicate any format demands, size, and resolutions you may need now, or in the future.
A great idea is going over your designer's work samples, portfolio and/or previous deliveries and using their own work as a visual guide. Point out a certain style, font, color or shape that they've delivered in the past - this will help focus their vision while getting to work on your logo.
A good logo design brief should always include a preferred color palette. Your instructions can be straight-forward (“I want a black and white logo”) or even simply include which colors to avoid (like the color scheme of your competitor’s logo) and leave it up to the designer. But just like anything else, the more specific you are - the more likely you are to love the final result. Remember that colors have their own “personality” and each conveys a different emotional response. Here’s a list that may help you settle on a color scheme that translates to the core values of your brand.
White: Hygiene, purity, innocence, cleanliness, clarity, youth
Black: Strength, intelligence, glamour, luxury, modernity.
Orange: Energy, excitement, prosperity, warmth, playfulness
Red: Gentleness, energy, romance, warmth, love, comfort, passion
Green: Nature, health, wealth, tranquility, harmony, fertility.
Yellow: Friendly, cheerful, youthful, energetic, positivity
Purple: Spirituality, authenticity, truthfulness, quality, introspection
Blue: Wisdom, loyalty, mystery, sophistication, respectability
Brown: Nature, reliability, confidence, security, friendship.
Pink: Charm, childhood, femininity, politeness, romance, sensitivity, sweetness, tenderness
Fun fact: There are 8 main types of logos to choose from. While they may appear under different names (badge logos can also be 'retro logos') It’s helpful to choose a seller who's Gig offers the specific type of logo that's right for you. Here are the types of logos you need to know about:
Wordmark is a font-based logo that focuses on a business’ name alone. Think Google.
Lettermark (or Monogram) is a logo which consists of letters, usually the brand initials. Think HP.
Combination Marks combine both images and words into their design. Think Adidas.
Badge Logo is a logo that consists of font inside a symbol or an icon. Think Starbucks.
Pictorial (symbols) are an icon or graphics-based logos. Think Apple.
An abstract mark is a specific type of pictorial logo. Instead of being a recognizable image—like a car or a bird—it’s an abstract form that represents your business. Think Pepsi.
Mascot logos are logos that involve an illustrated cartoon character, which is used as a sort of "spokesperson" for the brand. Think KFC.
Remember that when it comes to ordering and receiving a result you're excited about, the more information you provide - the merrier. Make sure you include important details about your needs and your company's core values and be responsive to your seller when they approach you with further inquiry. And if you need more inspiration regarding styles, colors of types of logos - don't forget to check out Fiverr Discover!