You’ve heard the expression, “a picture is worth a thousand words”. When people see a picture or an image, they attach their frames of references to it and create an immediate perception about its meaning. Take a second and look at a picture in your office or an image on your computer screen. Be aware of the immediate thoughts that come to mind and the emotions that hit you. When people see your company logo, the process is no different. The question is, “What is your logo saying to them about your brand?”

Sometimes, your logo may evoke the right emotions and convey the accurate message that you want it to. For the non-marketer, it can be difficult to determine if and when a change may be appropriate. Important considerations such as positioning and the results form customer and competition research can help identify the proper timing. Here are four critical questions you need to answer to determine if your current company logo design needs a facelift.

1. Do you have a custom logo design or is it clipart?
There are various services offering a free logo design. While grabbing a free design may save you some money, what is it costing you in business? Clipart logos lack an authentic, memorable impression that can trigger a number of negative perceptions and associations. It can tell customers that you provide cookie-cutter services of low value. If you want to attract customers who value your products and services, show them that your brand is valuable and worth the investment.

2. Is your logo current?
Does it represent who you are as an organization today or who you were? Is it relevant to today’s market or still caught up in the past? An outdated logo conveys that your products, services and mindset are also outdated. Such a brand message often leads to lost opportunities.

3. Can you grow into it in the future?
Your business has evolved and will continue to do so. Is your logo flexible enough to allow you to grow into it, or is it limiting? When you review your business plan and your marketing plan, don’t forget to include a review of your logo design to make sure it will properly represent your business as you grow into new markets and release new products and services.

4. When is the right time to update your company logo design?
Some business owners and top execs are concerned that changing their logo will confuse their customer base. But an outdated design that doesn’t truly represent your business and all of the benefits it provides can be detrimental to growth. There is an added benefit to updating your logo; you get the opportunity to create a new buzz within your market by developing new marketing campaigns and re-introduce the value and benefits of your business to casual customers or those who may have forgotten about you.

Sometimes you need to change more than your logo.
While a logo design change can reintroduce your business to the market, your interactions with your prospects and customers need to reflect the new you, too. Some companies with negative images make the mistake of trying to rebrand their business, their products, and their services with a name change and a new logo without actually making any internal adjustments.

In some cases, changes to your logo design may be more functional, updating your brand to reflect the current you. However, if you are using a new logo and a name change as a way to improve your relationships with a dissatisfied customer base, make sure you make a holistic change that includes your corporate culture and customer service.

Dina Wasmer is President of Incite Creative, a marketing and graphic design firm that provides brand-building services like custom logo design for small-to-middle-market businesses and non-profit organizations in the Mid-Atlantic region. For more information, log onto www.incitecreativeinc.com or contact dina@incitecreativeinc.com