Your Logo Mark.

The best logos tell stories, no matter how brief or intricate. The first insignias were born in the old days by marking a shield or war banner.

I think that the logo should be taken as seriously now as it was in the days of old. If more businesses curated a beautiful mark, they would not need to “Re-brand” at all, or at least not as often.

A good logo makes people remember. It gives them a quick look at your style and leaves viewers with a first impression. That first impression should be well thought out, and not just slapped together using Microsoft word.

Illustration.

First, the greatest logo marks are completed with razor sharp execution, crafted by the careful hand of someone who can really draw. Fuzzy or sloppy line work is the mark of an amateur. If you have high hopes for your business, then hiring a professional illustrator / graphic designer is essential.

Not all designers are the same. Some can only point and click. Others can actually draw with the software as their medium.

Typesetting.

Second: fonts. The typeface you choose needs to reflect the industry you are in, or somehow get across the style you want people to know you have. Think about a tech company choosing a wedding script for its logo text… Horrific. Unheard of, and rightfully so. Why would an aspiring company choose a font that doesn’t at least in some way accent their grand style and desired first impression?

Illustration & Iconography.

Thirdly, the symbol itself. Including some kind of unique symbol or marriage of symbol and type is what really defines the modern brand logo mark. It’s best to keep the symbol simple, or if that is not possible, to find a way to give each element its own space or creative arrangement.