What is a Logo Suite? Here’s What to Know
Your dream clients likely won’t remember you from a single logo alone. Especially if you are an online service provider, when there is an ocean of others in your exact industry.
If you’ve been in my world for a minute, you’ve likely heard me say that a logo is just a picture — frankly, it doesn’t DO a lot on its own.
And when you have a single logo, from Fiverr or Upwork, or your brothers friend who creates them on Friday nights in his moms basement while he crushes a budlight, your chances of instilling any sort of emotion in your best-fit clients is going to be really low.
Because ultimately that’s the aim of your brand identity — to evoke the emotion you wish to trigger in anyone interacting with your brand, and then have something visual to associate with that emotion so they remember you. Insert — logo suite.
What does a logo suite consist of?
Well, a suite of different styles of logos obv. Lol, just kidding lemme explain.
A logo suite should have…
A Primary Logo
Which is typically in landscape format, something longer, and includes the most details like your brand name, tagline, establish dates or location. Now as a brand designer & strategist who’s worked with over 150+ brands, we’ve actually been shifting the structure of a primary logo slightly, simply because we work with so many online service providers. They don’t need a big ole extra long logo, they need something that’s going to work more for IG posts, emails, downloadables, course material etc.
A Secondary Logo
Typically in portrait format, something stacked, taller vs longer, and is more paired down. It might include your tagline, but it won’t have all of the details that your primary logo does. We’ve been swapping the primary logo for more of this structure, and I’ll tell you why below.
An Icon Logo
This is your brand initials, or an abstract form of your brand name. It helps to create a further association with your brand, without having to display your full name. You can add some flare here, more personality, and get super unique with this one!
Submark Logo(s)
Think of these like your watermark, your badge, your stamp of property. These come in handy so display your brand name and tagline in a more discreet way, while still staying styled. In The Roadtrip (our signature brand identity package), we typically create a few variations of these for our clients.
Now you might be wondering…
Why do I need a full logo suite vs. one logo?
Simple — memorability and responsiveness.
If you plan on creating downloadables, carousel posts, course work, guides, posters - anything with your branding, you’re going to find yourself held back with applying your branding to it when you have just 1, single, logo to use.
By having a logo suite of multiple styles, sizes and formats, you’re able to apply your name to whatever you create in a way that is more legible and easily visible in different sizes.
Massive poster you’re making? Awesome — use your primary logo with all the details.
IG Profile Pic? You’ll want your submark for that, your icon logo, and even your secondary logo could work.
Making a carousel? Secondary logo. You want your name clearly visible, and if you used your primary logo you wouldn’t be able to read the details because it’s on a smaller scale.
Not only that, but it gives more opportunity for someone to see a visual element that represents your brand and have it stick in their minds.
It showcases your level of expertise and experience
Looks matter these days, a heck of a lot.
Online and in person, there are more and more businesses cropping up within your exact industry. Some of them are… newbs, just starting out, not as knowledgeable and without as much experience as you have.
Your logo suite tells prospective clients that you’ve been around the block a few times. That you’re more established, more experienced and have a more developed brand with offers that are proven to work.
It positions you as a legitimate business, not just someone who took a weekend course and spent $50 on a logo.
There is time, care, and effort put into your brand.
If you want a higher chance of sticking in peoples minds
Then you work with a designer (ahem, like us) who also creates custom illustrations for your logo suite, and to use alongside your brand identity. These are graphics that represent your unique process, your attitude/vibe, personal interests of yours.
They become additional anchor points that folks can latch on to when they’re scrolling the ‘gram, searching the web, or perusing in stores.
And a double bonus — adding textures, backgrounds and patterns to further support your logo suite. These add depth to your social posts, character to your website, and another layer of personality to your brand.
Your brand personality is what evokes an emotion in your best-fit clients,
Your logo suite is what they use to remember how you made them feel.
So if you’re ready to move away from starter status, and be recognized and remembered as an industry leader — you’re going to need a logo suite (and maybe some illustrations & backgrounds too ;)).
Which we create with you in The Roadtrip, our brand identity experience.
Catchya on the flipside!
Cheryl
