The 3 Logo Variations Your Small Business Needs
BUSINESS TIPS FOR PHYSICAL THERAPISTS, STRENGTH COACHES, DIETITIANS, AND MORE
When I ask new clients how many logos they think they’ll need it’s a resounding “fuck if I know” - and they’re right. That’s not something you need to know. But as someone who started up a business on their own, I know that having someone on the internet answer a question I might have is a lifesaver. So that’s exactly what we’re going to cover: how many logo variations your small business needs.
You’ll see varying answers on exactly how many logos you might need. Some clients only need two. One of my clients had sub-businesses within their umbrella business and needed north of 10. Your specific needs may drive the exact number of variations, but most people can get away with three: a primary logo, an alternate logo, and a submark or icon.
PRIMARY LOGO
There’s some room for discussion on what a primary logo is. Some people argue that it’s the logo with all of your information. For example, it could be your full business name, your location, an established date, icons/illustrations, or whatever else is important to your company. I don’t necessarily think your primary logo needs to have every single piece of information; it should simply be the logo you use most. Why complicate things when a primary logo should be the one that’s primarily used? It’s the logo that your audience recognizes most as your brand and the one you want to be the face of your business.
SECONDARY OR ALTERNATE LOGO
As the name states, this is a different version of your primary logo. This could be alternate in regards to the content you include but most importantly it should be a different layout. If your primary logo is horizontal, you’ll want an alternate logo that has a vertical or square layout. You’ll need both because there are some instances when you might need a vertical logo and a horizontal primary logo will be cut off or look like shit. And we don’t want your brand to look like shit. Again, no need to complicate things. You probably won’t use this one as often. But you need it.
SUBMARK OR ICON
Here’s where terminology gets tricky. You’ll hear designers use terms like submark, icon, favicon, or watermark and quite frankly, none of it matters. I refer to them as submarks but what you need is they are a highly condensed version of your logo. They should be simple, clean, and easily recognizable even in small spaces. If you have a long company name, it’s going to read like shit on your instagram profile picture. You need a submark/icon/favicon/watermark for limited spaces but you can call it whatever you’d like.
Super clear…right? Designers like to make it confusing so let’s keep it simple. You need the logo you use most, a logo with an alternate layout, and a logo you can use in small spaces. And now I know your next question…how do I know when to use them?
People are looking for really specific instructions, like “your primary logo needs to be the header on your website” or “always use your secondary logo on your business card” because people like to be told what to do. Having the way you’re “supposed” to do things should make it easier, but what if the logo you’re supposed to use looks like shit in the space you’re supposed to use it? Rules don’t really work in design so instead of telling you which logo to use based on the content you’re creating, I encourage people to focus on who you’re creating the content for. I shift the focus onto your target audience, because let’s be honest every decision should go back to them. My decision on which logo to use is based on the specific audience you’re engaging with and how familiar they are with your offerings.
WHEN YOUR AUDIENCE IS FAMILIAR WITH YOUR BUSINESS: use the logo that fits the space. If you need a horizontal logo use your horizontal logo. If you need a profile picture for your instagram that’s legible in a small circle use your submark. If the space is a little tight and your primary logo has too much text use the alternate logo. Use what you want. Your audience already recognizes your business and if you’ve done your branding well, all of your logos should quickly identify your business.
WHEN YOUR AUDIENCE IS UNFAMILIAR WITH YOUR BUSINESS: use the logo that best explains what you do, whether it’s your primary or your secondary logo. Let’s look at example from a company I worked with called Training Health. This client loved the simplicity of the Training Health logo that I created and she knew she would use this the most often. The name is relatively self explanatory so it works great when an audience has some familiarity with her business. However, if she was going to create an ad and had limited space, I would commend that she utilize her alternate logo because the addition of “physical therapy” makes it quite clear what her services are without the need for an additional explanation.
Primary Logo
Secondary Logo
So to wrap things up you should have at least three logos: one you use most often, a slightly different version in a different layout, and a condensed version. When you use them is mostly up to you, but as always: put your target audience first. While the focus of this blog is to answer your questions on the number of logos your business needs, remember that a brand is so much more than just your logo. It’s the heart and soul of your company and there’s a lot of running parts so if all you’ve considered thus far is your logo, make sure to download my free checklist of all of the items you need to form your brand identity.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
ERIN KELLY-SULLIVAN
When you bring someone in to help with your business you really want them to understand your needs. My time as a PT gives me that background to truly understand your business, your target audience, and the field. If you want to work with someone who gets you, my speciality is helping fellow physical therapists, strength coaches, and anyone in the health and performance field reach their branding goals.
WANT MORE HELP LIKE THIS? FOLLOW ALONG ON INSTAGRAM:
