That’s what makes designing a logo different from designing other branding materials. Web banners, ads, and social media posts each have their own design objectives, but none are as focused on being remembered as a logo.

Your logo is not your brand—you build that separately—but it will become the face of your brand. It will appear on your website, your products, your marketing, your in-store signage, and just about any other place where people interact with your brand.

This in-depth guide will walk you through every step of the branding design process to create a business logo from scratch—from choosing a color to hiring a designer—with the help of real in-house graphic artists.

• How to design a logo from scratch, step by step
• Develop your brand identity
• Look for design inspiration
• Choose colors that reflect your brand
• Choose a type of logo design
• Select a typeface
• Create several rough versions
• Get feedback
• Polish your winning design

Develop your brand identity

Brand identity design is a catch-all term for the visual elements of your brand: everything from your brand colors to your logo to the way elements of your brand are designed. These visual elements work together to distinguish your brand in the minds of your customers.

Before you start sketching designs for your logo, you’ll want to have an idea of your brand’s identity. To start, ask yourself these questions:

Why did you start your business?

What values are important to you as a company?
What sets you apart from the competition?
Your brand’s distinguishing features—what’s most important to you and what will be most recognizable to your customers—lie in the answers to these questions. Before putting your pen to paper, before choosing your colors and aesthetics, ask yourself who you are.

Don’t worry if you can’t answer these questions right away. They’re a step-off point, meant to be pondered. But once you’ve thought about it, you’ll be in a better position to create a logo that effectively sets you apart.