Let’s face it: Any brand that’s worth talking about has a logo. Not only that, but the best brands — the ones that stick around — have logos that are memorable.

Take Nike, for instance. Just a tiny swoosh says so much. No one would ever mistake that swoosh for anything else. Then there’s your school, your bank, grocery stores, and hospitals. You surely don’t have to have a logo, but from the smallest mom and pop, to the largest enterprise, having one will get you far.

The question remains, however, as to how a logo should be obtained. Should you create your own? Get someone to make it for you? Use an automated logo creator? What colors should it be, and how big or small? Should you use words? Pictures? Symbols? We’re here to help with all of these things.

Below, we’ve outlined seven considerations and tips to think about as you hunt for the logo that will best fit your small business. Let’s get started!

#1 – Define your brand’s personality.

Brand personality should impact every element of your company’s marketing strategy and certainly every part of your logo design — from the colors and fonts, to the overall style and size. Start by deciding the main feelings you want to evoke when people shop for or use your brand.

Should they feel happy, serious, privileged, thoughtful, or excited? Is your brand friendly? Made for young people? Perfect as a luxury gift?

These are all qualities you’ll want to brainstorm about and write down. Create a short paragraph that defines your brands personality, and use this moving forward.

#2 – Choose a logo type.

There are several overarching logo types to choose from. For example, you might choose a monogram or lettermark logo. These are the simplest options and generally incorporate one or more letters that represent your company name. Think HBO and IBM, for instance. Often, company’s use the initials of their company name, if that applies. Alternatively, you can use the entirety of your business name for a wordmark logo or logotype. Think TikTok, Facebook, and Coca-cola.

If these don’t work for you, consider a picture or symbol. Apple is usually the first example that comes to mind when it comes to picture logos (the iconic bitten apple). But of course, there’s brands like Instagram with their small camera or Target with the bullseye.

Finally, you can choose another type of picture that may not represent an actual object (like a bullseye or a camera), but instead is a simple design. These are often called abstract logos. The Nike swoosh is a good example of this.

#3 – Pick colors that align with your brand’s personality.

In step one, you defined your brand’s personality. Now, it’s time to consider what colors align with that.

For example, if your brand’s target audience is children and their parents, a multitude of bold, bright colors are fitting. Sporting goods, too, generally tout louder, brighter colors.

On the other hand, luxury brands tend to keep things darker and more minimalistic. You might only have one or two colors in your luxury brand logo, and even then, you’ll probably want them to be muted. The same goes for more serious industries like healthcare, finances, and higher education.

If you’re sure, what colors work well for you brand and personality, you can use a color pallet generator and play with some different pallets until you find one that matches your brand image.

#4 – Choose your fonts wisely.

Fonts also matter when it comes to your logo. You’ll want a font that represents the industry you’re in.

For instance, if you represent a company in the beauty industry, you’ll probably want to keep things light and smooth. Ulta has a thin font and delicate writing. Sephora is posh and sophisticated.

On the other hand, a sporting goods company might opt for a font that’s a little bolder and tougher. A large and well-established university will want a refined, classic font — one that might be found in documents from hundreds of years ago. Align your brand with a font that symbolizes the industry you’re in.

#5 – Keep it simple (less is more).

Another key tip to remember is to keep things simple when it comes to your logo. “Less is more” is a good thing to remember here.

Again, take a look at those brands that you remember and would never forget — the Nike swoosh and the Coca-Cola logo. Both of these are simple and to-the-point. The swoosh is a single mark that could be any color. The Coca-Cola logo is a single word written in cursive that is nearly always one color — red.

Finally, remember that having a simple logo is going to help keep your costs down. As a small business, you don’t want to have to pay a large sum every time you get your logo printed on paperwork, products, or marketing items. When you only use a few colors and an uncomplicated design, you can save money on printing.

#6 – Make multiple versions, and ask for feedback.

As you navigate your logo’s creation, make sure to create a few mock-ups to get you started. In other words, don’t assume you’ll be able to create the perfect logo right off the bat. It’s probably going to take some trial and error.

Start by drawing up some options on a piece of paper. Don’t go to the computer yet. Do this even if you plan on working with a professional designer or using an automated logo creator because it will give you something to start with. Imagine how you want your logo to look based on the other tips listed above.

Next, start narrowing down your options, or work directly with your designer to come up with some final logos to consider. Remember to ask for feedback on these. Take them to your spouse, friends, other business owners, or your employees, and ask what they think. You might even put the logo options online and ask for people’s votes.

#7 – Use a design medium that works for you.

Lastly, consider how you want your logo to actually be made. Do you plan on creating it, or do you prefer to ask a professional designer for their input and expertise?

Many designers can charge a pretty penny for their services, so keep this in mind. Sometimes, you can simply get a designer to spend a few hours coming up with simple mockups or even just brainstorming with you. This may be enough to take to the printers. If you let a designer have free reign and tell them you want a finished product, on the other hand, they may end up sending you a hefty bill for all the hours they’ve worked.

The best way to save money is always to do the designing yourself. If you know what you want, this can work for the general idea. You can even obtain the computer programs and tools necessary to create your finished logo yourself.

Remember that you can also choose a non-human logo designer that uses AI to design logos, these automated designers have come along way from their first inception and can produce logos to a high level for a low price.

Does your company require a logo? Even if you know a logo isn’t absolutely necessary for your company to exist, having one can certainly help define your brand and better market your services or products to a wider audience.

As you weigh your options, use the considerations we’ve outlined above to find the perfect logo for your small business!