Most people that you talk to about business will tell you that a logo is arguably one of THE most important things that you must get right when starting a new business. It shouts to the world exactly what kind of company it represents, it sets the tone for everything to follow and it may affect whether or not people want to do business with you amongst many other things.
Oh, the pressure to have the perfect logo!
As most of you know, my latest adventure has been creating the groundwork for a new women’s boutique, The Stylish Chick. As such, I’m in pursuit of the perfect logo for this new adventure. Not an ordinary boutique-to-be, the logo can’t be ordinary either. I’m going for a chic, fun, sophisticated, playful, sexy, eye-catching, memorable logo. Hey, is that too much to ask?
Like almost everything I do these days, I starting by reading reviews and checking out examples from different companies. One, The Logo Company, got high marks from several large companies and news journals. Sure, the name sounds convincing enough, I mean they are THE Logo Company. Right?
Well, let me end the guessing game right now by stating that we are now on revision number 8. Wow, this I did not sign up for!! I was articulate in my initial description, yet instead of stylish and chic I got “hippie geek” with a logo that looked like it belonged on the side of a shagadelic orange van from the 70′s.
Versions 2-4 nearly brought me to tears as they got even further away from what I wanted. So I sent The Logo Company links to other websites with examples of logos that I liked. Version 5 brought about a phone call from a very angry me to a very disinterested customer service rep…who replied to my tirade with “Yup, mmhum, we’ll do whatever you want”. Oh yeah, if you were doing whatever I wanted I’d have my logo already!!
Now I have 8 versions of a logo I can’t stand to look at. It looks like someone wrote out the name in Word and doodled around it. Ugh. So I did what any frustrated, pissed off chick would do…I tweeted about it! True to form I got several leads for help, one of which completely shocked me.
Did you know that you can buy a company logo on Etsy?
I found the cutest, happiest logo designer and am now in conversations with her regarding what I’m hoping to get out of my logo. Now, instead of working with a nameless, faceless totally disinterested and boring Logo Company, I’m anxious to get working on a logo with a designer who has personality to spare.
I promise to post the final results as soon as I have them! Wish me luck…
