The logo you choose for your business may well be one of the most important first impressions you can make on potential clients as it not only tells them you are reliable, but instills a sense of trust. Of course the ability to offer sound, high quality and professional legal services will determine your ultimate success, but your initial presentation is your first opportunity to declare that level of quality and professionalism. Your business logo can go a long way in establishing your overall brand and ideally it should communicate your mission, the services you offer and the principles your company is built upon. The logo gives potential and present clients a quick, visual image of your company, and the best logo is one which allows clients to identify you immediately. On the flip side, a poor quality logo not only will not help your company grow, it can actually do more damage that you imagine. Assume you have spent agonizing hours on your logo and finally have the perfect one for your business. How will you then use it on your legal website to achieve maximum success.
Thinking Outside the Box on Logo Placement
While the standard placement of the logo on websites tends to be the top left area, in some cases it can be wise to avoid the standard conventions and mix it up a bit. True, the upper left is familiar to users, although you will certainly want to include the logo in your header in one way or another. While placing the logo on the upper right is probably the rarest position, if you include sufficient whitespace around the logo so it will clearly stand out, it can nonetheless be effective. Some large websites such as CNN have placed their logo in the center of the page, yet still at the top and still displayed prominently. You might want to consider placing your logo in the sidebar or even in the footer as a visual reinforcement of your brand.
Logo as Strategic Marketing Asset
Your company logo could well be the most important marketing asset your company possesses. It not only creates instant brand recognition, it can also inspire your future clients and create admiration for the superiority of the legal services you provide. Aside from expressing what your company does, your logo tells who you are therefore you should follow a few simple tips in creating the ideal logo. First of all, be aware that the logo that appears to be perfect on your computer screen may not translate so perfectly elsewhere. Remember that logos are typically used in many places besides your website. For this reason, a brightly-hued logo with tons of multi-layers detail might look fabulous on your website however once converted to stationary or the black and white of a fax, it could appear completely different. Very complex logos tend to perform less well in traditional settings than on websites, so keep this in mind.
Specifics to Keep in Mind During Logo Design
Skip the ultra-trendy graphics—trends are trends for a reason and are typically very short-lived. You don’t want your logo to appear dated rather it must stand the test of time. Once you’ve chosen a logo don’t be tempted to change it every time a new idea comes along. Building a brand takes time and effort and you are building up trust in the process. Should you decide to change the logo that your faithful clients are accustomed to seeing you could find it has very negative consequences. Finally, make sure your tag lines and marketing text blend seamlessly with your logo’s graphical elements, that your fonts are simple and easy to read, that the colors fit the “feel” of your company, and that the graphics remain relatively simple. Keep all this in mind and you will create a highly successful logo which works equally well on your website and your more traditional uses as well.
