[Creadiv]

Since we are all either entrepreneurs, or one day looking to become an entrepreneur I am sure we will all go through the process of logo development at some point. In order to better serve my clients and myself I am trying to compile a list of good, great and even bad questions to ask a client before the design process starts.

This is what I have so far:

• What is your company name?
  
• What does your company do? (Get their mission statement.)
  
• What type of logo are you looking for? logotype, 3d, symbol etc.
  
• Did you have any colors in mind?
  
• Do you know of any logos that you really like or don't like?
  
• What is the tone of your company? Serious, Business Minded, Relaxed, etc.
  
• What is the purpose for your logo? Print, Web, Digital Media?
  
• What do you want your logo to represent: your company and what you do, or something more arbitrary that doesn't explain what you are? e.g. the ebay, google, and nike logos don't represent who they are.
  

Could you please tell me what you think and help me add to the list?

[lamarsh]

I have done quite a bit of this with my clients in the past. I have at one time sent a word document that asks these same questions but give them a chance to rate them on a scale. For example.

Rate on a scale the level of professional to relaxed you want your logo to portray
I would have a scale where they can rate these two extreams because sometimes its not a black or white answer.

What is the purpose for your logo? Print, Web, Digital Media?
This question you asked is important but it is good to practice the idea that they will always use their logo for both print and web. As a business grows it is good for them to be able to expand there logo to print or the other way around in the future. Its good to design the logo in vector then send them vector and a rasterized version for web.

some questions you might want to add.
something asking them for their target market, main demographic. This will determine a young experimental feel or a solid professional dependable feel.

[jeremydelane]

Your list seems to cover most of the very important questions, and added to that in the last post, demographic or target market is key when you are forming the style of a logo. An exercise that I use when I am designing logos for myself or others is to have them create a short list of visual elements that come to mind when they think of their company or company name. This process seems to help you understand the reason behind the answers to some of your previous questions. Just a thought, it may not work for everyone.

[Creadiv]

Originally Posted by lamarsh

I have done quite a bit of this with my clients in the past. I have at one time sent a word document that asks these same questions but give them a chance to rate them on a scale. For example.

Rate on a scale the level of professional to relaxed you want your logo to portray
I would have a scale where they can rate these two extreams because sometimes its not a black or white answer.

What is the purpose for your logo? Print, Web, Digital Media?
This question you asked is important but it is good to practice the idea that they will always use their logo for both print and web. As a business grows it is good for them to be able to expand there logo to print or the other way around in the future. Its good to design the logo in vector then send them vector and a rasterized version for web.

some questions you might want to add.
something asking them for their target market, main demographic. This will determine a young experimental feel or a solid professional dependable feel.

Lamarsh,

Thank you so much for the great reply.

I never thought about treating the questionairre as a survey with a scale. This is a very good idea. I will most likely create it in this manner.

I generally design in vector format, but like the idea of asking simply because I have more options if A company is planning for a more web based logo over a print logo. I can throw things like gradients and drop-shadows in which don't transfer well to print.

Demographics are definelty something that should be taken into consideration. I didn't think about that either thanks.

Originally Posted by jeremydelane

Your list seems to cover most of the very important questions, and added to that in the last post, demographic or target market is key when you are forming the style of a logo. An exercise that I use when I am designing logos for myself or others is to have them create a short list of visual elements that come to mind when they think of their company or company name. This process seems to help you understand the reason behind the answers to some of your previous questions. Just a thought, it may not work for everyone.

JeremyDelane

I will take that into consideration when design the questionarre. It would definetly benefit me to have more information than less and this could easily be added to the bottom of it.

[Jerimiah]

Hey Creadiv,

I like what you have going on here - it's pretty well rounded. I do have a couple of questions for you though before I submit my input:

1) Do you also produce the web/print designs outside of the logo?

2) Do you do market research before proposing design concepts?

I love the fact that you are asking for examples here "Do you know of any logos that you really like or don't like?".

Also, I've found it very effective to position one's self as the expert - once you answer the two questions above, I'll have a lot more feedback for you! Cheers!

[Creadiv]

Originally Posted by Jerimiah

Hey Creadiv,

I like what you have going on here - it's pretty well rounded. I do have a couple of questions for you though before I submit my input:

1) Do you also produce the web/print designs outside of the logo?

2) Do you do market research before proposing design concepts?

I love the fact that you are asking for examples here "Do you know of any logos that you really like or don't like?".

Also, I've found it very effective to position one's self as the expert - once you answer the two questions above, I'll have a lot more feedback for you! Cheers!

1) Yes, I do web, icon, logo, and print design work.

2) No, Preparing market research is generally to costly. The price of a logo design would have to be much high if I was asked to spend time conducting and preparing market research.