Product Development

Where can I get advice and help designing my logo and company image?

The first thing to remember is that if your business already exists then so does your company image. The impression that you and your staff have left with customers, suppliers and employees has already created it for you. This image is both visual and non-visual.

The first point of contact with your company - your reception, receptionist, your shop or how you answer the phone - can formulate an image of your company in a customer's mind. It's often the visual image that determines the first impression others have of the company.

You can positively influence others through effective design of your logo, how it is developed in branding, and how it is applied to packaging, advertising, brochures, newsletters, and stationery. Your visual image must be consistent to maximise its positive effect.

It isn't only the visual aspects of your image that build perceptions. The way members of staff answer the phone, meet or miss deadlines and react to customers also affects the impression others have of your company.

Successful enterprises manage their company image very closely and benefit from the impact of this positive image in many areas, such as recruitment and sales.

You can use design to improve your business through the products and services you offer, and you can double its effectiveness by planning for and using design strategically. By thinking the big design picture, rather than focussing on one single product or service, you can link together all of the parts of your company that benefit from design and create a powerful business response that is irresistible to your customers.

For design advice in your region contact your local Business Link and visit the Design Council website.