Are you thinking about changing your logo? Sometimes changes are for the best. Maybe your logo doesn’t quite meet up to the standards you want for your business. Perhaps you have a new idea or mascot that you want to use to bring into your logo, or maybe you just need some logo repair work done. If you have a good reason for changing your logo, go for it! But what if you want to make more drastic changes? How do you ensure that your customers will know about the changes once you alter your logo?
There is a right and wrong way to tell your customers about a logo change. We’re not saying that every solution is best for your business. But we can offer a few Do’s and Don’ts that may help you to make the transition in a way that does not interfere with business and helps customers acclimate to your new logo.
Do’s
1. DO announce the logo change before you officially change to the new logo.– If you are planning to change your logo soon, you will want to announce the change before you do it and put it out there. If you wait too long to announce the change to your regular customers, some of them may not be aware of the change when you do it, and you may lose some people in the process.
2. DO ask the opinion of a select group of your best customers to get their opinion.– If possible, you need to make a positive transition from your old and new logo. It may be a good idea to ask some of your most loyal customers to tell you what they think. This doesn’t mean that you have to listen to every idea your customers have or that you should forget changing your logo if some of them don’t like it. As a business owner, only you can decide how you want your logo to look. But it may be a good idea to weigh the opinions of your customers before proceeding with the change.
3. DO think about how your logo will look with mobile apps.– Before you change your logo, you also need to consider your mobile app customers. Think about how your new logo will look to mobile users. Keep in mind that you will not be able to use your entire logo for your mobile app icon. But you should think about how your logo will work with your mobile app and see what customers think. When Netflix changed their logo from the “Netflix” logo that was spelled out to a simple “N,” many customers failed to get the word, or they did not figure out the change, and Netflix lost connections with some using the app until they issued another memo on the change. This shows the importance of communicating changes you are making on your logo before you do it to avoid having people drop off when you make the change.
4. DO send out an email announcement about your logo change and announce it on social media.– When you get ready to announce the change, you should put out an email announcing when the change will occur with a screenshot of how the new logo will look.
5. DO consider making slight changes rather than drastic ones.– Many brands have learned the hard way that making slight changes to their logo is preferable to making more drastic changes. When Instagram changes from their familiar retro camera that resembled an old Polaroid instant camera to a one-dimensional multi-colored icon, many customers were disappointed. They complained to the Instagram people that the app was unattractive and did not represent the company in the way they were used to. It was very disappointing to many customers. Other customers completely missed the fact that they changed their logo and lost connection with the app.
These types of problems with customer public relations can be easily avoiding by involving clients in the rollout of a new logo, asking their opinion as you are making the change, and announcing the switch to all of your customer list once you make the change.
Don’ts
1. Don’t unveil a new logo without telling your customers.– If you put your logo out there without telling your customers, you are risking losing some of your best customers and followers. Without telling them what you are doing, any drastic changes will be lost in the crowd. It is imperative that you let customers know if you are changing your logo.
2. Don’t fail to test it out first among some of your best customers to see what they think about the change.– Test out your logo with your best clients or put some samples of the suggested changes on your social media accounts and see what people think. The only way to know whether it will go over well with your best customers is to ask.
3. Don’t go for the first logo you see that you think would work.– Choosing what to do with a new logo and how it will look is something that takes awhile to decide. Don’t rush into it by choosing the first idea you see or trying to emulate the logos of others.
4. Don’t try to do it yourself when you can hire a professional logo design team.– Some people think that they can do it themselves and decide to take it on without help. That’s ok if you want to do this but get some advice from a professional designer to see what they think.
5. Don’t be afraid to make a change if it helps the impression of your branding.– Change is good if there is a good reason for it. Just think about how your logo will be received before putting it out there and don’t forget to tell your most loyal followers what you are about to do.
Creating Your Logo
Before you can tweet out and announce your logo change, you have to have a logo. Start by sketching out some ideas on how you want your logo to look. Then look at some examples of a logo in your industry for inspiration. This will get you started thinking about how you want to change your logo.
Then contact us for a free estimate. We’ll get you a quote fast and show you how we can improve on your current logo or even create a completely new logo for your brand. We’ll also offer some sound advice on how to announce the change to your customers and help you get your logo legally trademarked.
Once you get your logo created, you need to protect it as your intellectual property so that it is unique to your brand. After all, being original is the most important thing about having a business.
Announcing a change in your logo in important. But first, make sure your logo is reflecting your brand in the best way. If it is not, you have a choice. Contact us at logodesignteam.com, and we can show you how we can improve your logo to reflect your brand in the best way.
