Logo's that lose... Leads!!!

yes, I agree, your logo looks great, friendly, welcoming, I wouldn't change it.

regards

Tom

Interesting post...it all depends on your objective. If you are trying to create a brand then yes you need a recognisable logo that differentiates you from the rest. However, most small businesses are not trying to create a brand. At the same time one of the biggest mistakes a lot of small businesses make in the begining is spending loads of money on things before testing the water. So, if you have a self made website/logo etc it's fine. When you have a budget and you are ready to take it to the next level you can do that...all in good time.

You might be interested to know that the logo in the link below is going to be our new logo. The old one can be seen on the IT Support site. I wouldn't call it superb...but it's not that bad as well. I did that and I also did the old one..before you ask I contacted a few logo/graphic design people...and no better ideas. I also asked a few people for constructive criticism and not to spare my feeling...and many of the people I asked are in ad agencies and do mainstrain marketing and advertising for TV brands...and they all said for a small business it's not bad...it's quite identifiable.

http://www.scootek.co.uk/Scootekv1.pdf

I welcome feedback.

Very professional looking, could be a new sideline for you

By chance, I glanced over at a pair of my Jeans hanging on the back of the chair, and it looks like it could also be a Jeans label. Is that good bad or irrelevant, who knows???

I liked your old logo, even if it didn't I get the scooter connection.

Thanks Steve.

The way, I looked at it (Scootek comes from the merger of the words scooters and technology) I also own the spelling, scootec.com and co.uk but I felt K stands out for whatever reason and was stronger. I wanted somehow to add an IT element and scooter element as we are all on scooters. However, every suggestion that was given by a designer (this is not their fault) made it feel crowded or didn't work. It lost it's simplicity and beaututy. The way I could see of adding the IT connection was by adding the co.uk to the logo going across the side.

I am sure someone doing logo's all day could do a far better job than me...but so far no one has come up a solution that I could say won me over - might be just me.

It's one of those things, some people like it and get it instantly, others have said they don't get it. But that's life.

Also, I see what you mean about the Jeans label, I never looked at it that way...it's supposed to be number plate.

I had not made the connection, however I see your name as more of branding than a name.

So your name to me is almost irrelevant as your brand ID is coming across stronger, by that if I see you logo I think ok that's scootek

So for my 2 cents I think your new logo certainly works from a branding point of view, and of course it tells me under your name what you do.

Thanks Tomsk for your feedback.

Yes, that's what I am trying achieve here. You are spot on we are trying to create a brand/identity that people are comfortable with.

Most people will find us through targeted marketing so they will know what we are, either through marketing material and website etc.

I suppose you could say we are trying to become the Dynorod of IT Support (in terms of identity). I think the estate agenst like Foxton's pull that off well. With time we will have a very recognisable fleet of scooters zooming around in London...as people see it more and more people they will start to recognise it. That's the hope/plan.

A lot of work is going into making that happen.

Reverting back to the OP, or the main subject of this topic...we are not a big business, however, we are trying to compete with the big boys...so you can do it small steps...so if you are small business, what I am saying is be careful with your money at the same time you have to strike a balance between doing it yourself and getting an expert to do it. Sometimes it can also be false economy doing it yourself - so now you have both sides of the coin from me

I think also people mistake being able to do something as expertise, give me a set of building plans and I will build you the house of your dreams, ask me to come up for a design of the house if dreams and you would want your money back.

Many many people can use photoshop etc and call themselves designers, but the real skill is having the vision (dare I say it - the x factor)

I think you have hit the nail on the head! The designer I use for branding, logo and web design is also a fab artist......(has done great drawings of my daughter) His creative vision for branding and logo design is spot on but he is not cheap - skill comes at a cost.

I suppose it's like anything in life, you want an expert in their field you have to pay for it

It's worth paying a pro to do things...however, you have to remember not all businesses can afford it in the early stages. Logo design is not my trade, I have some marketing background plus I have some software knowledge, I was fortunate to do able to do mine. It's hard for any designer to be completely orginial, you borrow bits from here and there, then your throw in some of your ideas, mix it all up, and you've created your own.

Steve, regarding your logo, even before you posted your comment here, I liked it. Most forums don't do logo's, so good on you for creating an identity. It hard to get any logo right, and for everyone to like it. I had a lot of critiicism for the old logo as well. It's one of those things...you did fine...unless you want to complete with the Olympics, spend something like a million pounds and still get a rubbish logo (my opinion).

Cheers mucker, it only seems to be bigger design shops that don't like it, but for a big fee, they can fix it for me

The forum logo is a bit of a cheat, as the forum started off as a standalone US biz forum, but got very few US peeps. So changing direction, making it a UK & US forum, it seemed a good way to join the UK and US Business Directories, and developing a brand by using the same colour scheme and tweaking the logo (courtesy of Kip FX) from My Local Services.

Its nice to get some positive feedback though, so much appreciated.

I do like the logo, which is now the only thing left from the original 2003 MLS (although it was red white and blue ) before we made it go green!