How do I give great feedback on a logo design to my logo design agency?

byNick Burrage/October 17, 2022/inSales & Marketing Strategy

Having your logo design and branding designed or refreshed is an exciting time and a vital investment in your business’s success. Getting the best result requires collaboration and good communication between you and the logo design partner or logo design agency. If communication is ambiguous and fluffy it can lead to frustration and costly rounds of revisions.

So how do you give good logo design feedback? Here’s a quick 10-point guide!

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1. Don’t rush it

Take time to digest the logo designs and let them settle with you. Print them out and leave them lying around for a few days.

Sometimes an instant gut reaction is not always the best and often the brain needs time to catch up. So give it time and review the logo designs across a few days then gather your thoughts and feedback.

Which design idea comes to mind most easily a day later ?

2. Go back to the brief & brand book

It’s always a good idea to look at the designs, and any rationale given, alongside the brief to check if they are inline. Consider whether the logo design answer the brief and if not, is any part of the brief unclear? Do you need to go back over any details with the designer?

Although not ideal, sometimes seeing initial designs can make you reassess your instructions and understand better what it is you want or don’t want. Don’t be afraid to admit this when giving feedback, remember this is a collaborative process so avoid shifting blame. We are all only human after all and the designer will want to get it right for you.

If you have a Company Brand Book then this is the time to re-read and make sure the design is in line with it.

3. How does the logo design make you feel?

Just saying that you do or don’t like the designs is not enough or constructive. Go deeper and consider how they make you feel and what your emotive reaction is. The designer will really value this feedback and help them make better revisions if needed. Also, keep it personal and avoid answering with how the audience will feel. Instead tell the designer from your perspective, they are much more interested in this.

4. Be clear

Make sure you use clear language when giving feedback to give accurate direction that leaves no room for interpretation. If there are elements you do or don’t like, point these out and explain why. Avoid woolly phrases such as “it looks odd” or “can you make it look warmer?”.

5. Be precise

Give specific direction on any changes you want to see, such as the font, layout or colours. Again, you want to avoid misinterpretation, confusion and any potential frustration. The designer will want to get it right so help them to do so.

6. Be realistic

Don’t expect your logo to do everything for your business and to convey your story. It is simply a visual representation and one part of the overall branding architecture. However, it must be unique and memorable, so challenge your designer to create something distinctive but be realistic. Also bear in mind that often the simpler the design the better, especially when used at small scale as you want it to still be legible.

7. Use correct terminology

Designers use specific terms to describe different logo design elements, such as kerning, white space and saturation. It’s good to have basic knowledge of the language but if there is any doubt, describe what you mean rather than risk using the wrong word and creating confusion.

8. Don’t design

While it’s important to give clear and precise feedback, avoid being too detailed and prescriptive. Give your logo designer freedom to create the best possible solution. If you’re too overbearing and you actually start to provide design then you risk crushing any creativity and could end up with a logo that lacks passion or inspiration.

9. Ask questions

If you are unsure of what changes are needed then it’s best to ask the logo designer to solve the problem. Ask about their decisions and rationale behind the decisions as they are the experts and it will better help your understanding of their designs. It’s ok to not know exactly what changes are needed or the solution, so discuss your thoughts and be guided by the designer.

10. Trust the expert

Be prepared for the designer to offer their opinion on your feedback and any changes you have requested. Their design decisions may be at odds with your comments so they may make alternative suggestions to better solve the problem. It’s important to trust the designer and their knowledge, after all you are paying for their expertise and the more collaborative you can be the better the outcome for everyone.

In conclusion, to get the most out of the process give clear and considered feedback. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, trust the designer, work together and most of all, enjoy the process!

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