There’s no question about it: logo design is an art form. There’s a lot of information online about how different fonts, colors, and shapes affect a client’s perception of a brand. In many ways, your logo is the most important part of your business, as it is the first thing your client will see and remember about your event rental company.

While the task seems daunting, there’s no reason why you can’t design a logo for your business. After all, who knows your customers and business better than you? If you glean nothing else from this post, remember this: the best logos are simple and clear— you don’t have to design a special, unique symbol that is the essence of your event rental company. With that in mind, here are some common mistakes you can’t afford to make so you give your logo design it’s best foot forward.

Mistake 1: Skipping the research

Research should really be your starting point. There’s a plethora of information and resources regarding font, color, shape, etc. that you will want to consider before you get started. You’ll want to make sure that these choices reflect your client region; for instance, the color red may represent excitement and passion in the US, while it represents happiness in some Asian cultures. Your logo serves as the first impression of your company, so it’s a smart move to understand the different feelings and tones your logo can evoke in your clientele.

Mistake 2: Making it complicated

Think about it: if you want your logo to look good on a mobile device, billboard, and a magazine, you want simple and clean. Cluttered logos look messy, are hard to decipher, and are easily forgotten. To help avoid overcomplicated logos, best practice suggests that you avoid using more than 2 colors and 2 fonts. Anything beyond that risks being too complex, difficult to read/understand, and ultimately makes them forgettable.

Mistake 3: Using clipart

While clipart may be handy and free, it is available for everyone to use. This means that a competitor could also be using the same image— and no one wants to be confused with their competitors. Also, you cannot trademark a logo that uses clipart.

Your logo is something that you want to stick in your customer’s mind. It may be worth the investment of hiring a professional designer if you’d like to use images in your logo.

Mistake 4: Using a trendy logo

There’s a difference between being fashionable and being trendy. Fashion tends to stick around for a while; trends only last for a season, maybe a year (think neon colors or Papyrus font). If you go with a super trendy look for your logo, you risk having to redesign it in the near future or else you’ll look outdated. If you’re constantly having to change your logo, it’s likely that it’ll simply be forgotten.

Mistake 5: Making it a .jpg or .png

First and foremost, your logo should easily scale to any size. To achieve this, create your logo as a vector file. That way, you’ll avoid the grainy or pixelated look that happens with standard image files such as .jpg or .png.

Your logo needs to be able to appear anywhere your clients will be looking. Make multiple versions of your logo in horizontal and vertical positions, plus an icon. You’ll also want to play with different color options, as dark font/designs won’t show up well on a dark background, nor will light font/designs display well on a light background. Contrast is important for clarity and legibility. Create a few different versions of the same logo but with different colors for this scenario. Also create a black and white version for if color isn’t an option.

Mistake 6: Ignoring feedback

It may be difficult to hear criticism, but your logo ultimately needs to appeal to your clients. Other people may see things that you’ve missed, whether it be shapes or words that are difficult to read. Don’t shy away from the feedback; it can only serve to make your logo better!

Test your logo by asking some trusted friends, colleagues, and maybe some open-minded clients for their opinions. You’ll want to know their overall impression, what they like, what they don’t like, and what the logo makes them feel. Some designers suggest making multiple logos and testing all of them to see what people prefer. The choice is yours, just don’t skip this phase!

Mistake 7: Not getting started

You’ll never have a logo if you don’t get started! Keep it simple. A good logo will be clear, easy to read (if there’s font), and easy to recognize. You’ll be able to resize it to fit any situation, and you’ll have multiple color options on hand so it always looks its best. A logo doesn’t have to be a shape or image, it can simply be a nice font that suits your company (a quick Google search for “logo fonts” will tell you a lot!).

Don’t be afraid to experiment, ask for opinions, or to seek the help of a professional logo designer if you get stuck. While creative ventures like logo design are not everyone’s cup of tea, it is a great way to think about your event rental company and clientele in a different, big picture way. Plus, you’ll learn a lot and pull your company’s image into a cohesive, professional whole. Why not get started now?