A personal or business logo can help you expand awareness of your brand. Getting the right logo can be a challenge, however, if you don’t prepare properly. Before you start interviewing designers follow these simple steps to ensure you know what you’re looking for and find the right person to create it for you.

There are many website from which you can source logo design inspiration

Don’t over-think it.

It’s a logo, not your entire brand or your mission statement. No logo can ever say everything you would want to say about yourself or your business, so don’t try. Keep it simple.

Answer the five Ws.

Who is going to see the logo most often – current customers or potential customers? If your logo is going to be seen mostly by people who know you, you’ll want a logo that is consistent with how they already view you. If the logo will primarily be a part of people’s introduction to you, your logo can express how you want them to think of you. Answering this question will help your designer know the audience.

What should the logo convey? Some logos convey what you do; a protractor in an engineering firm’s logo or a cockroach in an exterminator’s logo, for example. Other logos evoke a more emotional reaction. Flourishing calligraphy or intense colors can express professionalism or playfulness, for example. Answering this question will help your designer choose the right elements for your logo.

Where will this logo appear most often? Will it be for a website, a billboard, or on the side of a truck? Even if it will be in all three places, answering this question will help your designer think about size and scale in your logo.

When do you need your logo? You can get a great logo designed in a week, and you can wait a month for an awful one. Providing a clear timeline will help your designer know what resources your project will require and how to plan the process.

Why are you commissioning this logo? This is perhaps the most important question to ask yourself. Is this your first logo? Do you feel it’s time for a change? Are you about to launch a major marketing effort? Your reason for commissioning the logo will help your designer create an image that truly meets your needs.

Determine your budget.

Know what you can spend before you look for design solutions. Doing so will help you narrow down your design options before you start making calls and sending emails, and it will keep you from wasting time with designers whose fees are more than you can pay.

Commissioning a new logo can be fun and exciting, but without proper preparation it can also be frustrating. If you are careful not to over-think your logo, answer the “Five Ws”, and set a specific budget, you can make the processes easy and enjoyable.