Are you afraid your logo will be a giant flop? As every professional logo designer knows, sometimes it is easier to see what not to do rather than what to do. As long as your logo doesn’t commit one of these cardinal sins of logo design, you and your company ought to be just fine.

Please note that the inset example logos are NOT examples of logo mistakes but rather are shown to illustrate the right things to do when creating logos.

1. Too trendy

While it is important that a logo be attractive to people of your times, it is equally important to avoid using trendy symbols, fonts, and other aspects. Like the classic Fender logo, a good logo is timeless enough that it can be used over and over through the years, becoming synonymous with your company and your brand. A professional logo designer is aware of the latest trends and takes great pains to steer clear of them.

2. Generic

The whole point of having a professional logo designer create a logo for your company is to build a brand, so being generic in any way defeats the purpose. From the clip art to the font to the color palette, nothing about your logo should appear used or even similar to another logo in your industry. The Nike logo is a great example of a logo that is completely unique and thus easy to identify with its parent company.

3. Inappropriate for its genre

If you are designing upscale nurseries, a graffiti style logo would likely be hopelessly inappropriate and unlikely to attract the kind of customers you seek. On the other hand, a clothing brand that markets to young people with an urban lifestyle, as is the case with the clothing line Quiksilver, might use a graffiti font successfully. There are no symbols that are off-limit to a professional logo designer in general, but it is very important that every aspect of your logo be tailored to your subject and your audience.

4. Too complex

While a detailed logo is not necessarily a bad thing, too much clutter can obscure important parts of your logo or make it difficult to remember. Either way, a professional logo designer will avoid being overly complex because it interferes with branding. A simple logo will allow the focus to rest with your company and its products. Bayer is a good example of a very simple logo that has withstood the test of time.

5. Too simple

While being too complex is a common mistake in amateur logos, being too simple can be just as big of an error. A professional logo designer knows that adding a little personal touch will make the logo more memorable and allow it to tie in to your field or your company. For example, the USDA Organic logo would be too simple without the barely noticeable lines running across the bottom half of the logo. Rather than complicating the logo, these add a point of interest by making people think of rows of crops in a field.

6. Relying too heavily on color

Color usage is important, but the logo should be able to stand alone without it. Take, for instance, the Visa logo. This logo uses complementary colors blue and yellow to make its logo pop. While this is a pleasant and memorable effect, the logo also works well in black and white. Unfortunately, most logos will sometimes be reproduced without color, so a professional logo designer knows to add interest in other areas as well.

7. Inappropriate font usage

A too-bold font will detract from most logos, while a mild one may not attract the attention that your company name deserves. A professional logo designer will help you develop wording that is perfect for your company and your genre. A good example of appropriate font usage is the Gymboree logo. It is serious enough that parents trust the brand, but the use of upper and lower case letters subtly suggests the child-like quality that every children’s retailer should have.

8. Failing to consider your audience

Forget for a moment about your business. What are your customers like? What stimulates them? What attracts them? What offends them? You and your professional logo designer must know these key facts in order to avoid a classic mistake: developing a perfect logo that nonetheless misses its mark because it isn’t aimed at the correct audience. The Baby Phat logo is a good example of one that hits its mark dead-on. The script is feminine and elegant, while the cat is female and stylized enough to attract a discerning clothing buyer.

9. Unbalanced

A logo that is unbalanced will not look like a whole picture, but merely a part. Because of this, it is crucial that every logo have a sense of balance. While circular shapes such as NASA’s logo make it easy to attain balance, there are other options. You can choose to go with shapes such as a square that are less used but also balanced, or you can have the logo in a less traditional shape that is compensated for by other balancing elements. A professional logo designer knows how to make your logo a balanced and harmonious whole.

10. Amateur

If you are running a business-that is, if you are a professional-the last thing you want is an amateur logo job. Your logo is the face of your company and it will be seen by everyone. Unfortunately, this is one area where it is almost impossible to get a professional quality job without actually hiring a professional. What makes a logo professional? One of the key differences is that a professional logo designer knows how to watch out for the preceding nine mistakes. Unfortunately, this skill is not easily taught without the years of professional experience that your professional logo designer will bring to the equation. Shown here is an example of a professional logo for the Gloria Jean coffee shop logo.

As you can see, there are many common traps in logo design that can completely undermine the success of both your logo and your company. Luckily, these are all completely avoidable. Contact a professional logo designer today and find out how a professional logo can help your company achieve its goals. This is the same as common advertising mistakes made by startups and all basic design mistakes should be avoided.