Creating a logo: what questions should the client answer?

Logo development - a responsible and painstaking task. In order for the performer to enjoy the process, and the customer to enjoy the result, efforts must be made on both sides. The work will go in the right direction and will not resemble wandering in the dark when there are common initial data.

The contractor needs to make every effort to get the client’s vision for the project, and the customer needs to thoughtfully answer the curator’s questions. Even before creative searches, it is important to conduct an initial interview and fill out a brief. This is a questionnaire, as in the screenshots below.

We have conducted interviews hundreds of times and know for sure how difficult it can be to get answers from a customer even to simple questions. The reason is mainly lack of time and underestimation of the importance of the stage. 

The survey is also useful for the client himself. It helps to structure thoughts, formulate a course of action, and explore brand positioning. Also in the process, basic marketing moves are worked out - then they can be used for advertising campaigns. In addition, a completed brief reduces the time for edits and improvements.

So, here are five blocks of questions that will be as useful to the customer as to the contractor.

Organizational block: questions about the company

Basic information about the business. It helps to understand the direction of the company’s activities, its structure and features. Of course, the performer can find some information on his own in open sources, but a personal story is preferable. Questions will allow you to delve deeper into the essence of a particular business. Here are examples:

• What services or products do you provide?
• How many employees does your company have?
  
• How long have you been on the market?
  
• Who are your main competitors?
  
• How do your competitors market themselves?
  
• What sets your company apart from its competitors?
  
• What are your company's strengths and weaknesses?
  
• What are the company's long-term goals?
  
• What are your company's values and mission?

Image block: questions about branding

Often the client already has an idea of ​​the desired logo. Sometimes they come with sketches or a finished version that requires further development. It would be good to talk about the relationship to the existing logo. If you plan to create from scratch, the block of questions will also be useful:

• What is your current logo?
  
• How long has it been around?
  
• Why do you use these colors and fonts in your current branding?
  
• Do you have a slogan that goes with the logo?
  
• Why do you want to change the logo?
  
• What needs to be preserved from the previous logo?
  
• What do you like and dislike about your logo?
  
• What goals do you want to achieve with your new logo?
  
• What emotions should your logo evoke in your customers?
  
• What style would you like to see the logo in: classic, minimalistic, technological?

Marketing block: questions about the target audience

When logo development it is important to know who it will be aimed at. And this is not always the current target audience: perhaps the company wants to change it or expand it. For example, the new logo will be part of a large-scale strategy to rejuvenate the brand. Subtleties help to find out the following questions:

• What is your target audience?
  
• What age is the target audience?
  
• Where does your audience live?
  
• What is her income?
  
• Do you want to expand, change or change your audience?
  
• Are there plans to change the price segment?
  
• What tools do you use in advertising and marketing?
  
• Are there any new markets you would like to enter? If yes, what will they be?

Design block: questions about preferences

It is necessary to say about the wishes for the visual component of the logo: do not limit your imagination. We do not perceive the client’s proposals as a narrowing of creative expectations, it is simply another stage in getting to know the nature of the project. The following questions are suitable:

• Which logos do you like and which ones don’t? Why?
  
• What colors appeal to you in logo design?
  
• What visual images capture the essence of your brand?
  
• What graphic elements would you like to use in the logo?
  
• What constraints should you consider when designing a new logo?
  
• Do existing brand elements and words need to be included?
  
• Which competitor logos do you like and which ones don’t?
  
• What defines a successful logo?

Administrative block: questions about implementation

High-quality implementation of the plan requires careful preparation. In order for the results to meet expectations, it is worth answering organizational questions:

• Is developing a logo within a standard time frame suitable for you, or do you need to speed up the process?
  
• Who will make decisions, give feedback and make changes?
  
• Will you need any other services besides logo development?
  
• What do the logos you like look like? You can use our portfolio.
  
• Is there anything else you'd like to add that we haven't covered yet?
  

The questionnaire was voluminous, but complete. We don't harass clients during interviews. The variety and number of completed projects have turned our team into almost psychics. We don't ask many questions.

Undoubtedly, a good result requires joint work between the customer and the contractor. A detailed brief is the key to the success of a future creation. A disinterested attitude towards the interview can be frustrating for both parties.

We ask you to fill out a brief to reveal the uniqueness of the company. A logo is a tool to achieve more. The client receives not just a picture, but a comprehensive analysis of the brand. The result will be a well-thought-out and stylish design. 

The client pays not so much for the logo, but for the reputation. The customer answers questions and explains what the ideal business image that his business deserves looks like to him. 

If you need a stylish and effective logo, fill out the brief.