4 Must-Have Skills to Be a Great Logo Designer

Today, the identity of the business or company can be expressed in multiple ways. Layers upon layers of subtext relaying that information can be included in that company’s branding strategy, all to convey what that brand is all about. A logo is a big part of that branding strategy. It cannot portray that brand’s image alone though, and needs to rely on other aspects as well to have the proper impact. The material accompanying the logo needs to be fresh, innovative, and most of all, it should be tech-friendly.

Therefore, we can safely say that today, it is not just enough to be a designer that creates good designs, but requires that you learn other soft skills, especially tech knowledge, as well if you truly want to succeed. It is estimated that within the next four years, the demand for logo designers is going to increase, and competition is going to be quite tough. That means that it’s these soft skills which will be the deciding factor for getting logo gigs, when competition will be that strict. To that end, we have compiled a list of some of the soft skills which are in high in demand, and if you believe that you require work in any of these, now is the time to start working on them.

But first, let’s see why these skills are so important today.

Importance of These additional Skills for Logo Design:

When we talk about designing, we can say that it means to communicate by means of a visual medium, and logos are the perfect example of this, as they are supposed to portray and convey a brand’s message.

According to the American Institute of Graphic Arts, the field of design relies on the understanding of seven key factors – which are colors, spacing, lines, texture of the design, the form, size of the design, and the shape of the design. By understanding these factors, we can help create such a custom logo that is based on these factors, and convey its message with full impact.

Many designers today are graduates from arts and design schools, and that can be a point against you if you are not. To counter that, you need to work harder on your craft, and develop these additional skills in order to stand out positively in the eyes of a potential employer.

Now that we have learned why it is important to learn these skills, let’s have a look at what these skills actually are.

Top Additional Skills for Logo Design:

• Great Interpersonal and Communication Skills

The work of a logo designer is to convey their client’s brand message to the masses using the logo as a visual medium. In order to do that, the designer needs to be a successful communicator themselves, only then will they be able to make the logo communicate perfectly. That is because before designing the logo, you as a designer needs to understand the brand identity quite deeply, only then will you know what to design for maximum impact. And in all of this, communication is key, verbal, visual, and mental.

Coming up with unique designs is less difficult when you understand what the brand is all about, and that only comes about when you communicate with the brand’s customers, workers and the owners themselves. This requires good public speaking skills so that you know what to ask, who to ask, and how to ask them what you need. That communication skill translates into presentations, surveys, client briefs, and initial pitches and contract proposals.

Now that you know how much a designer needs to communicate, it is easy to understand how important this skill is for a designer to become successful, not only to gain the customer, but also to retain them and to successfully finish their design task.

• An Eye for Creativity

You would think that thinking creatively would be a core skill for any designer, but sadly it isn’t true. Many designers just look at existing logos that fit the client requirements, and then design something similar for a quick fix, and these derivative designs look no better than those auto-generated online logo designs.

But creativity allows the designer to design the perfect logo that fits the client requirement, while not being derivative. It allows us to convey our specific ideas and message to the masses, without having the viewer confuse the brand with another. And this requires a high level of creativity.

Some of the skills that boost your creativity include cultivating an eye for the aesthetics, having attention to detail, being able to balance the artistic and the practical features of the design, and the ability to brainstorm and visualize clearly.

• Sufficient Tech Skills

Tech skills are not only required by designers, but it is a necessity for any and every field out there in this era. Everything is tied together and relies on technology nowadays, and that is also true for the field of design. That means that a designer needs to be aware of the impact of technology, and be comfortable using the common technology required nowadays for the design profession.

That means, that you need to master and gain specific related skills related to technology, such as the new digital design software and digital sketch tablets, which help create better and more beautiful designs than the techniques of yesterday. By helping ease the design process through the technology, you can focus on creating better designs for the client, but only if you master the tools required.

Once you are skilled enough in these tech tools, you can easily transform your logo design business and take it to new heights of success. A suggestion would be to master the Adobe Suite of design tools if you haven’t already, as it is one of the most common and widely used tool available.

• Good Time Management

Time management is not only a skill required by designers, in fact it is a generally universally important tool. Managing time is important if you want to successfully finish the client’s work on time and with sufficient quality.

Most of the time, you will have multiple clients at the same time, and that is where time management comes into greater play. Juggling the work for each client can be hard if you cannot manage your time, and will result in you missing deadlines again and again.

Punctuality, and the sense of responsibility in managing your time better is a must have skill in this profession specifically, as being lax for even a small time can result in a backlog that will have you playing catch-up the entire length of the project. So sticking to deadlines can only happen when you manage your time right from the start.

To wrap it all up, there are myriad other skills a designer can learn to stand ahead of their fellows, which require an entire book to discuss properly. But in short, the thing we can safely say is that to be successful now and in the coming years, a designers needs to focus on learning other skills as well as hone their design skills. Standing out positively in a client’s mind is what we all aim for, and what better way to do that than to show them that you are no one-trick pony. A versatile, and creative individual is what every client wants.

If you are looking for a reliable and creative designer to create a professional logo for your brand, then head on over to Logo Magicians and discuss your requirements with their expert design veterans.