Perhaps it’s something in the air. Or monkeypox. Or climate change. Or 5G radiation.
Something akin to how birds know when to fly South for the winter, or when hedgehogs decide to hibernate. Or how baby turtles know to head towards to sea as soon as they hatch.
It’s like an unconscious calling that emerges from the deepest, darkest recesses of a company owner’s psyche, usually after about 4 or 5 years:
Someone thinks that it’s time to redesign the company logo.
The suggestion usually comes either from the boss, or the Marketing Director – especially if the latter has recently joined the company. It’s often that case that one of the first things a new marketing person does is change/update the company logo. Maybe it’s because it’s one of the most “visible” changes that can be made and realized in a short space of time. I’m more inclined to think it’s more about personal ego.
For anyone thinking about it, allow me save you the time and money: Don’t bother changing your logo.
Why bother changing your logo?
Customers aren’t suddenly going to take notice of your business value offering because you’ve now got a shiny new logo. Nor will a customer walk away from buying your product/service because they didn’t like your logo (though they may well walk because of other reasons).
Unless you’re Audi , or Starbucks, or Holiday Inn, changing your logo is little more than a corporate ego trip. Then there’s the backlash if you get it wrong, as was the case with Gap not so long ago.
Oh, and before I forget: your logo is NOT your brand.
Unless your company logo looks really amateurish (unintentionally, of course), or has people confusing you with another company that does the same thing, there’s no point in changing your logo. Why? Because your customers don’t care.
Apart from the above, the only reason to change your logo is to define – or refine – your brand promise. As a result, aside from the associated expenses (reprinting business cards, letterheads, etc.) you’re forcibly on a mission of re-educating your stakeholders – staff, customers, sales channels, partners, industry-watchers (journalists and consultants) and goodness-knows who else. You have to explain the new logo, and what it signifies, and why the old one needed to go.
That’s a whole bunch of time, money and effort delivered over the course of many months. In other words: for your company, at this time, it’s money that you cannot afford to waste.
Keep the logo – update your marketing instead
Changing your logo won’t bring you customers. Unless you’ve really screwed-up, your crappy logo isn’t going to dissuade people from buying from you.
Changing your marketing, however, will bring you customers:
- When’s the last time you updated your website? Could the text and images do with a refresh? When’s the last time you posted a blog article, a customer case study, or a news release? What about SEO, CRO, or some A/B testing on your contact form or landing pages?
- How about a Pay-Per-Click ad campaign on Google, Facebook, or LinkedIn? Or a postcard mailer?
- Could the sales team do with some updated collateral? Presentations, proposal templates, video demos, testimonials?
- An outreach program to key influencers in your industry? Bloggers, consultants, journalists?
- Are there any speaking opportunities at upcoming conferences, tradeshows, expos, or association meetings?
Of course a logo is important. But there are 101 things you should be doing first if sales are your first priority.
I can pretty much guarantee that you’re not marketing your company as well as you could be, so spend that money where it’s better served.
Put the logo refresh idea on hold.