Close your eyes for a minute and think of an apple with a bite taken out of it or a green twin-tailed mermaid. What immediately comes to mind? Hopefully the iconic brands – Apple and Starbucks! This type of instant brand recognition is the epitome of a business.
A logo is an essential part of any company’s overall marketing strategy. Ultimately, it’s what differentiates your brand from your competitors and makes it unique. Additionally, it shows what your company stands for. For financial advisors, a logo must convey trust, competence, and stability.
Consumers need around 5-7 impressions before they recognize a business logo.
With an eye-opening statistic like that, it’s vital that you create a logo that truly reflects your unique brand. Designing the perfect logo can be a daunting task. Luckily for you, we have compiled some tips and inspiration to help you create the logo of your dreams.
Four Types of Logos
There are four types of logos in general: textual, illustrated, symbolic and a combination of these three.
- Textual logos use type in unique fonts, shapes, and sizes as the logo. An example of this would be Walt Disney.
- Illustrated logos are an illustration used as a logo. An example would be Apple’s half-bitten apple.
- Symbolic logos are usually abstract in design. These types of logos also work very well internationally. An example would be Nike’s Swoosh or Twitter’s bird.
- A logo can also be a mixture of the four. An example of this would be FedEx, while they have a textual logo it also contains an arrow symbol in the white space between the capital E and the x.
While we create websites for financial advisors, we can also help you develop your brand, whether it be through a logo design or social media strategy.
Logo Design for Financial Advisors: Things to Consider
Some of the obvious factors to consider when designing a logo for your financial planning firm include color, size font, and the industry (for financial advisors, it is extremely important that a logo conveys trust). However, the whole idea of a logo is to communicate a message about your individual brand. When working with a logo designer, make sure they take the time to learn about your mission, values and the factors that make your business unique. Other significant elements include:
- Less is more
- Make it timeless
- The logo says it all
- Think adaptable over time
Example Logos Designed by Twenty Over Ten
Brown & Gould LLP
Brown & Gould LLP is a small law firm based in Washington, D.C that specializes in business and commercial litigation. They wanted an updated logo that communicated their firm’s fresh, modern approach to litigation. Their new website features the logo prominently on the homepage and ties the “B” mark into the background image as well.
Green Financial Planning
Pat Green is a new financial advisor based in Central Florida. Pat came to us for help with both his logo and website. Based on some of the ideas he had for his new firm, we created a new logo from scratch for his business. His logo served as the basis for his brand, and his website was designed once the logo was complete.
4D Financial Advisors, LLC
For 4D Financial Advisors based in Chicago, the name of the firm lent inspiration for the design. The cube is a clear representation of the name.
Wealthkeel LLC
For Wealthkeel LLC, the name was also the inspiration for the logo; a keel is part of a sailboat and blue was also used in connection with the ocean. Learn more about the logo design process for WealthKeel.
Golden Pine Advisory
Golden Pine Advisory is a fee-only financial firm based in Pinehurst, North Carolina. Founder Mark Bare wanted a logo that used the pine tree to capture the essence of Golden Pine and how the firm is unique. Learn more about Golden Pine Advisory’s logo design process.
Bombe LTD
Just like their website, Bombe’s clean and straight-edged logo captures their industrial approach to private equity. When designing their logo, they wanted to encompass the quick and simple way they approach their business, which specializes in investing in real estate, transportation and infrastructure assets and services.
Long Point Wealth Management
Long Point Wealth Management’s entire website has a nautical theme, so they wanted their logo to reflect that! With the firm named after New England’s Long Point Lighthouse, it was important to their brand and company to incorporate these elements into a unique and memorable design.
Pivotal Financial Services
Pivotal Financial Services came to us looking for a fresh and young logo to accompany their new website. They were looking to embrace technology and the digital world with a clean look and a bold new design. Learn more about Pivotal’s logo and website design process.
PRISM Financial Strategies
PRISM Financial Strategies, a firm based in Colorado, wanted to use a prism in their logo to capture both their name and multifaceted approach to financial planning. PRISM also stands for the core values of the firm: Prudent, Resourceful, Innovative, Steadfast and Multifaceted.
In all of these examples, the logo has been crafted to represent the unique qualities of the firm. That is the most important step of logo design – working with a designer who will take the time to understand you and your business, and who will offer creative ideas to solve a visual problem.
Twenty Over Ten’s 4-Step Logo Design Process
- INITIAL DESIGN MEETING: We take this time to discuss your company’s mission, history, values, and (UVP) unique value proposition. We learn what makes you and your firm unique and explore ideas on how best to represent that through a new logo.
- LOGO SOLUTIONS PRESENTED: We will present 3 logo solutions for you to review.
- REVIEW & EDIT: After choosing the logo you like best, there will be two additional rounds of revisions to ensure you get a logo that captures the spirit of your organization. Your logo design is integrated into your website to ensure your online presence is consistent and seamless.
- FINALIZE: Once you’ve approved your new logo, you will be provided with deliverables that include .eps, .jpeg, .png file formats w/ brand guidelines.
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About the author
Lauren Beichner
A part of Twenty Over Ten’s digital marketing team, Lauren is a Content Creator. A true Carolina girl through and through, she loves everything about Fall (yes, especially #PSL ☕) and can’t resist a fluffy yellow lab.