One common mistake that new apparel business owners commit is failing to create a professional logo for their business. This is understandable as most t-shirt entrepreneurs will be primarily focusing on the core processes and products essential for their business. But, once all of this is settled, the major focus will be on marketing and getting your brand noticed.
From this moment of truth moving forward, branding and visual representations are of utmost importance, as it will pave the way for a sustainable profit for the business. Visual representations, like business logos, are essential in creating a lasting impression for potential customers in the market.
You, as the owner, would not only want a business but also a brand that can take you to new heights of marketing. You would want your brand to be noticed, remembered, supported, and endorsed.
A professional and striking logo will do that for you and more!
How To Identify The Logo Style For Your Business
To start acquiring a professional business logo, you will need to identify first the logo style that is appropriate for your business. Below are simple, yet effective ways to help you:
1. Identify the niche/industry that you’re focusing on.
Conceptualizing your business logo is impossible if you have not yet defined what your business is all about.
Ask the basic questions and write them down. Identify what you’re providing on a product front – t-shirts, caps, sweaters etc.
Do you sell a product directly to consumers, or are you wholesale only?
Do you make custom t-shirts to order, or do you use a pre-defined library?
Is your apparel gender-specific or industry-specific?
Does it specifically target a segment in the market?
Once these basic questions are answered, focus on what you have envisioned for your business.
Incorporating how you see your new t-shirt business in the future will make it easier for your brand to transition when the time comes. Meaning, do you want to only focus on what you are offering now, or do you want to expand your business?
2. Get Inspiration from Similar Businesses
Once you’ve identified your business niche, it’s time to get inspiration for your own business logo.
Getting inspiration is easy once you know where to look. First, you need to identify the competition.
Do research on similar small and big businesses that is within your niche and check out their current logo. Analyse their logo by assessing their chosen branding.
Do you find it attractive and effective?
Is it memorable and easily recognizable?
Are there areas or factors about their logo that you’d like to change?
Second, take the time to look at current logo trends too. It’ll give you an extra boost of creative inspiration. After all, one of the easiest way to capture attention is by being in style with the latest trend.
3. Identify The Logo Style That Will Fit Your Branding
Once you are inspired and have ideas for your logo, compile your notes and make a summary of what you want for your branding.
Think of things that you want your brand to be associated with: example, if you’re selling sports apparel or casual wear, think of something colorful and inviting, bright and happy.
From the ideas you’ve collected, create a sketch of how you visualize your brand’s business logo. Below are the types of logos that works well for businesses like yours:
Types of Logo for your Business
Lettermarks or Monograms are typography-based logos that are composed of selected letters – usually the company’s initials – merged into one single logo design.
These logos are effective for streamlining a business brand with a long name, thus making it easier to remember. The following are some of the more famous/ familiar logo:
CNNÂ 
ESPNÂ 
Procter and Gamble
Wordmarks
Wordmarks are font-based logos that are similar to a letter mark, but uses all the letters of a business name. These types of logos work well with catchy and unique brand names combined with a strong and equally distinct typography/ font.
Below are some of the well-known companies that have used wordmark logos effectively:
Disney 
Dior 
Canon
Logo Symbols
Logo Symbols are known in different terms like Pictorial Marks and brandmarks. These types of logos are more graphic-based, making it trickier to use as you need a have a strong brand recognition.
Choosing the appropriate image is crucial, seeing as how it will be the symbol that’ll stick with your business for years to come. Before deciding, make sure that the image you’ll be choosing is relevant as well as impressive.
Here are some iconic logo symbols that are hard to miss:
Shell 
Apple 
Twitter
Abstract
As the name implies, abstract logos are a specific type of pictorial logo that uses an abstract image in the logo design.
This type of logo design condenses your brand into a single image and creates a unique logo for your business.
The following are some of the most well-known brands that use this type of logo:
NBCÂ 
Olympics 
Adidas
Mascot
Mascot Logos are a type of logo that uses a character to represent a brand. These types of logos are fun and entertaining to look at.
Most companies who target the family segment of the market usually prefer this type of logo as it creates a wholesome atmosphere. Below are some of the well-loved mascot logos that we know:
Android 
Pringles 
Reddit
Emblem
An emblem logo is a type of logo that consists of a font inside an icon or a symbol. They are mostly designed as badges, seals and crests and are often preferred by a sporting t-shirt or formal clothing brands.
Despite the classic and traditional look of an emblem logo, many businesses have successfully incorporated it to their brand, like these popular ones:
Volkswagen 
Starbucks
 Harvard
Combination
Combination Logos are, well, a combination of the elements of the above logotypes that we’ve previously enumerated. These types of logos make use of pictures and text which are laid out either side-by-side or stacked up on top of each other.
These logos are more versatile and adds a more recognizable characteristic to a brand. Below are some of the businesses that have successfully used the combination logo.
Doritos 
AirBnBÂ 
Dropbox
Where to go Online for a Logo Design
One of the best things about the internet today is that we have unlimited resources for our businesses. This is also true for acquiring a professional business logo.
Here are two main options for acquiring a professional business logo online.
a. Logo Maker Tools
There are tools online such as the logo maker from BrandCrowd that help small business owners create their own business logo(s) without hiring logo designers. Business owners simply input the business name and choose from a gallery of professionally designed logos that can be customized.
another place to get a logo created is Designcrowd.com
Once the design loads, you can add, delete and modify specifics of the logo to fit your needs. This includes the font, color, shape, background and symbol.
Why use a maker?
Because it’s 100% Tested. The logo maker tools are tested and have provided countless users with the perfect logo.
It’s easy-to-use with no expert assistance needed. Technically challenged? No problem! BrandCrowd’s logo maker, for example, is easy to use with pretty straight forward commands that you can use while editing your logo. And if ever you need help, BrandCrowd’s customer support services will be up for the job!
It’s free! So, who doesn’t love free and useful tools? BrandCrowd’s logo maker is free to use – you only pay to download once you’ve made a logo that’s perfect
b. Professional Logo Designer
If you feel the need to hire experts, then there are professional logo designers online that are more than willing to help you acquire the professional business logo for your brand.
Platforms like DesignCrowd, have several professional logo designers that you can hire. Choose from several logo ideas and reach out to the designer with your requirements, and voila! Your business logo is on its way!
Why choose logo design crowdsourcing?
It’s convenient. When you are busy with running your business and only have a few minutes to spare, hiring a professional logo designer to do it for you will save you time and energy!
It’ll save you money. Sounds incredulous? Well, a good design means having a unique and well-thought-out design. The logo designer will give you more ideas (aside from those that you’ve already come up with). You won’t think of rebranding in the future which in turn might incur higher cost for you!
Acquire a unique logo design.
Hiring a professional logo designer means that you’ll have a unique and distinct logo for your brand. We all want to be remembered and ensuring that your brand has that, will give your business an extra boost. Move away from generic and common designs, and instead, embrace the originality!
Like all business endeavors, it is important to prioritize what your business needs are, not just short-term but also for your long-term targets. A good business branding will always be a good investment for entrepreneurs willing to take their business to the next level.
