For your brand to stand out amongst the millions in the site, it is imperative to provide real value to the followers and give them a reason to believe that you have a solution to their needs. Additionally, your branding must be spot on and this calls for the creation of a well suited logo to distinguish your brand from the rest. It should be noted, however, that when creating a logo for the social media such as Instagram, there are a few subtle aspects you need to have in mind to make the logo more effective. Presented here are cool tips one can use to create logos designed to be used in the social media, and especially in Instagram.

Consider the aspect ratio

Most of the marketing gurus will bring to your attention that your logos ought to be proportionate, in the sense that they should not be too wide or too short. If the logo is meant to be used in the social media such as Instagram, then there is another reason why the height and the width of the logo need to be in harmony.

Most of the social media websites, including Instagram, will display your logo or icons in a square or circular shape as is usually seen in profile displays in Facebook and Instagram respectively. In as much as your logo doesn’t have to be a perfect square or circle, it should have an aspect ratio that will enable it to display just perfectly well when should placed for display in the social media profiles.

Detach text from graphics

Since it is not possible to foresee all the applications of your logos in the future, it is highly encouraged you be versatile with the design, especially if you ever think that the logo will be used in the social media websites such as Instagram. You may be faced with a situation where you will be compelled to rearrange or use certain section of your logo if it doesn’t fit properly in certain shapes or sizes. If, perhaps, you needed to have very small icons, then it may be possible to include the entire logo. Due to this, most companies have adopted the use graphical elements or a single letter for their logos in the social media. It implies that if your graphics and texts are intertwined in the logo, then it may not be possible for you to separate the elements and use the logo in Instagram without confusing your followers. Therefore, consider detaching text from graphics when you are designing a logo for use in Instagram or any other social media platform.

Remember to keep it simple

Gone are the days when the quality of a logo would be determined by the total number of graphical elements and colors it had. Presently, minimalism and simplicity rules in the world of logo design. When designing your logo for use in Instagram or any other social media platform for that matter, avoid using too many words, thin lines, and very detailed graphical elements in the design. If the logo becomes too detailed, it will not just appear confusing to many people, but also resizing it may be difficult and this may work against your brand. Again, avoid using all the colors of the rainbow in the logo hoping that you will make it more beautiful and more conspicuous. This will create unnecessary noise and may not deliver you very good results in the social media, where there is already a lot of distractions from the followers.

Be consistent

In as much as you are creating the logo to be used in Instagram, it should be consistent with the logo being used in other social media sites. Through consistency, people will see the same image in the different platforms and this will work strongly for your social media branding needs. If you are keen, you will notice that most of the successful brands have a simplified variation of their designs being used across all their social media outlets. Without consistency, you will miss an opportunity to connect with your audiences throughout the social channels and in the process miss an incredible opportunity to achieve effective social media branding.

Learn how to build a social media strategy here!

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Running a coffee shop itself is hard work, let alone creating the perfect coffee logo.

Building a coffee shop logo requires a significant amount of effort, planning & strategy.

Think of a well known coffee shop, that’s green (not going to give you any clues)!

I’m sure you could quickly visualize the company, the brand and everything in between.

The logo you create or choose will always be the visual representation of the business to the outside world.

It’s the underlying basis of your brand identity.

It is what the potential clients, as well existing customers will use to relate to the business.

Carrying the cup with your logo is your walking spokesperson!

For a coffee shop therefore, it will pay off if you’re able to come up with an appropriate logo for marketing & branding the business.

Just like in other industries, creating a logo in this kind of industry require some creativity.

Here are few tips and tricks to help you get the best results and these will apply even if you are using a free logo maker or a professionally designed custom logo.

Research logo ideas

There are hundreds of businesses in the coffee industry and so because of that, there are also hundreds if not thousands of logos already created that look similar.

The last thing you need in growing your coffee shop business is to adopt designs that already exist in the market.

The way to avoid this would be to take time and research the industry so that you understand the type of logos people are using.

This is so that you can avoid the generic designs and come up with something completely different and which will stand out in the crowd and make you attract the right audience in the market.

Your logo needs to be unique and ask friends and family for ideas.

Creating a memorable coffee shop logo will pay off in the long run.

Use appropriate and related symbols

A good coffee shop logo should convey a strong visual representation of the coffee business.

The people who see it should not even try to figure out what the business is all about.

The Coffee biz is a unique business and you’ll find greater success with your branding if you can make it even more recognizable to the people.

The best way to achieve this is to use the right imagery and related symbols in the logo design.

For instance, Using images of roasted coffee beans, or a nice cup with steam or even a coffee roasting machines would instantly tell your users what you have.

If you lack ideas on the best symbols to use, try using a free logo maker and see the types of symbols you could possibly get from there.

This could be a great way to create a coffee shop logo.

The Color Choice

When it comes to colors, the coffee business is very specific.

They use certain shades of colors in your  logo which are fundamental to the recognition and identification of the industry.

In most of the cases, the predominant color in a coffee logo is darker, heavier colors, such as green and black and its shades.

It would be ridiculous to try and come up with totally different colors for the logo design in the name of being unique.

This is not to condemn any attempts to be unique, but just to ensure that you use colors appropriately when designing a logo for a coffee roasting business.

Think of it this way, if you used Pink and Blue, could you attribute that to coffee?  To most people that is a No!

If you decide to use grey, contrast it with other bright colors to make the design standout from the otherwise gloomy designs the industry is accustomed to.

A great tip would be to use a logo generator and draw some inspiration on how it uses the colors to put up the logo.

Freshness

Coffee, the drink, is known for its unique freshness and the ability to stimulate the whole body.

This same concept should be replicated when designing the logo.

The design should look fresh and inviting so that the potential clients are attracted immediately to try out the products of the coffee shop.

The other way to ensure freshness in design is never to conform to the current trends which when over, the design will look boring and become obsolete.

Let it be modern, yet timeless

Your aim is to create a logo for your coffee business that will not just be relevant today, but stay relevant for many more years to come.

This is where modernity and timelessness comes in when designing such a coffee shop logo.

It should retain it aesthetics and be able to pass across the core marketing message for several years after the design.

Learn more about culturally appropriate logos here!

Need some ideas on a coffee shop logo? Check out and download LogoMaven for Windows where you can design a login in under 2 minutes!

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Since you won’t be around when you cover arrives so that you have a chance to represent yourself, it is important you write the cover letter in such a manner that it will create the right impression on your absence and compel the potential employer to call you for an interview. Presented here are actual tips from employers to help you write the correct graphic design cover letters to increase your chances of getting noticed from the hundred of the applicants.

One page graphics design cover letter

The length of the graphics design cover letter matters a lot. Some applicants are fond of writing very short cover letters while others prefer to write very long cover letters. The problem with short cover letters is that you don’t have the time to give a good representation of yourself. The long ones, on the other hand, increase the chances of the letter being discarded into the dust bins because the employers don’t have the time to read a novel for a cover letter.

Most employers prefer the ideal graphics design cover letter to be medium in length, preferably occupy about three-quarters of just a single page. Such a letter will be succinct and will probe the employers to want to read them. Additionally, they allow you to a little bit more detailed information about you.

The letter should be addressed to a real person

Most applicants like addressing their graphics design cover letters using the old, “Dear Sir or Madam”, “To Whom It May Concern” or “Ladies and Gentlemen”. Such salutations are outdated and it is regrettable that there are people in this time and age still using them. They are not just a turn off to the addressees, but it shows that the applicant is not very serious about the application.

It is recommended that you address the graphics design cover letter to a real person in the company. You can use the name in the posting to address the letter to, or you can simply call the company and ask about the relevant person to whom the letter should be addressed. Addressing the letter to the real person will create a sense of personal touch besides showing that you are a respectful applicant.

Infuse some personality into the letter

When someone is reading your letter, they should be able to form a mental picture or try to figure out the kind of personality you have. The letter should not be plain and boring just like a generic graphics design cover letter written by some desperate applicant in an unknown dungeon. Try and inject some of your personality in the letter to make it lively and interesting so that the reader can gain some interest about you.

For instance, you can be a little snappy or use humor in a clever way when describing your chosen career path. But as you try to infuse some personality into your graphics design cover letter, you must remember to remain professional and not over do anything. Once you are done, you can probably have someone else read the letter and give you their honest opinion on what they think about it.

Be enthusiastic in the letter

Most employers are looking for passionate and enthusiastic graphics designers. They want people who will bring life not just to the designs but also in the work environment. The last person they need is somebody who will take the opportunity just as another day job. When writing your graphics design cover letter therefore, you must show some passion and enthusiasm.

And this must also be replicated when you get the opportunity for an interview. When doing the letter, this can be shown by your choice of words and the tone of the letter. Don’t overdo it so that you pass the professional boundary and don’t be too thin to suggest that you are desperate for the position.

Don’t send the letter before proofreading

Mistakes in your graphics design cover letter will give the employer an impression that you are careless, and you don’t take your time to perfect your work. How then can they trust you with clients’ projects if you are unable to spot mistakes in your graphics design cover letter? Never send the letter unless you have proofread it an ascertained that it lacks not errors. Graphics design is about perfection, and this should also be replicated in your application.

Learn about culturally appropriate Logo design here!

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But amidst the current information overload and the superfluity of design methods and techniques, how can you maintain your focus and become a better designer? The tips highlighted below will give you useful insights on how you can achieve this-:

Learn a new skill or technique

The design industry is such a robust and dynamic field with lots of skills and techniques coming up on a regular basis. Without learning about the new skills and techniques, you will be restricted to using the old methods and these might limit your levels of creativity as well as your ability to become more productive. The new tools and techniques are adopted so that designers can have the ability to produce high quality outputs within reasonable amounts of time.

Therefore, the first secret to being a better designer is to ensure that you can deploy various skills and techniques in your designs. In this manner, you will always have a tool or technique for each project and this will make your life much easier as a designer.

The beauty about learning a new skill or technique in design is that there are various ways you can do it at the present times. You can decide to go back to college or take advantage of the internet and attend one of the many design classes online. Besides, the internet also has lots of resources at your disposal which you can use for free to add new techniques and skill sets to your design toolbox.

Become proficient in how to use the grid

One of the most difficult and excruciating tasks is building the right layout for designs, whether for web or print. The use of grid provides an instant solution to this problem. It is, however, regrettable to see the number of designers who are pathetic when it comes to the use of grids. Unless you can have the right layouts, there is no way you will ever manage to come up with great designs.

It, therefore, goes without saying that if you want to become a better designer, it is imperative that you become proficient in the use of the grid. You should have in mind that using the grid in design is a skill that can be gained through constant practice. Therefore, dedicate some time and increase your practice on using the grid and once you learn the skill, coming up with layouts will always be a breeze to you, and this will enhance your proficiency as a designer.

Take advantage of technology for better font choices

Font choice is an import aspect of every design project. This is because the type of font you choose will not just dictate the choice of other design elements but also will tell whether your design will be a miss or a hit.

Most people have font libraries within their computers, and these are the ones they turn to whenever they are working on a new project. Whereas it is a good idea to have such a library handy for your use, it is pretty limiting given that there are more fonts you can access to increase your variety.

To become a better designer, therefore, make good use of technology to help you find the better fonts for your designs. For instance, you can use tools like Myfonts.com to help you figure out the most appropriate fonts to use in your designs. Such tools won’t just save you the time, but will increase your chances of getting the fonts right in most of the cases thus making you have better and high quality designs.

Strive to make your designs tells a story

To become a better designer, you must learn to create designs that are less decoration but more communication. A designer can only become great when they can create designs that will send specific messages and get a point across rather than create nice looking graphics. For you to become a better designer and have the versatility to create designs that will tell stories, you have to practice and be willing to learn.

A good place to understand how you can apply these in your designs is to study various advertising techniques. In this way, you will learn how to use metaphors, analogies as well as other creative tools that will give you the power to come up with convincing and persuasive designs.

Check out these hilarious logo fails!

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It therefore requires ideal service and proper strategy on how to find and win new clients if you want to enjoy the full benefits of being a graphics designer. Here are some of the great places where you can find new clients in graphic designs that you have an endless flow of clients and also make a lot of money in the process-:

The Social Media

The rise and growth of social media have provided a wide arena for getting clients in any industry you may ever think of. Millions of potential new clients in graphic design promote the social sites to connect with friends and families. Since they spend a lot of their time in the social media, it is the best place to catch their attention. With the various platforms, it will be important for you to learn how to use each one effectively. This way you can attract the attention of potential new clients in graphic design and convince them to throw your work way. The following are the top social media platforms you can consider using when searching for new clients in graphic design-:

Facebook – Facebook is a social media giant with endless possibilities of getting design clients. You can choose to use the free methods, or you can invest in Facebook advertising for faster results. With the free option, all you have to do is to let your presence be known in Facebook by having a professionally designed business page. With the page, you will use it to share useful design content with your followers as well as respond to any concerns or queries from them. Through the page, you will establish yourself as a real authority in the graphic design field, and your followers will be more than willing to send lots of work your way.

Twitters – Twitter works in almost a similar manner as Facebook when you are searching for new clients in graphic design. It also allows you to have a profile, telling your followers what you do as well as share with them useful content about graphic design. Once you establish a good following and create trust between you and your followers, it will be easier for them to give you graphic design projects.

LinkedIn – LinkedIn is a social network mainly targeting professionals. This is a must use platform if you want to establish yourself as a real professional in the graphic design industry and get people to support you for a variety of skills. It offers advanced options for showcasing your work and advertising your business. Just like Facebook, you can opt for the free methods or you can go the paid way for faster and more powerful results.

Freelance Websites

With the presence of the internet, there is a expansion of freelance websites where buyers meet sellers in a wide variety of niches. To get graphic design clients from these websites, you need to sign up with only the top ones with reputation for good experience for both the buyers and the sellers. Once you have an account, you will have to create a complete professional profile indicating your skills, experience and if possible upload some samples of your work. The potential new clients in graphic design will go through your profile and if they like it, they are likely to hire you for various graphic design jobs.

Personal Graphics Design Blog

As a graphics designer, it is necessary that you have a blog to showcase your skills and the kind of services people can get from you. Your blog offers you more power than the social media websites and the freelancing websites. This is because you have all the flexibility to use it in the manner you like without any restrictions. Other than being a powerful branding tool, it will expose you to high quality new clients in graphic design when people go on the internet to search for graphics designers. If you optimize the website well for the search engines, you will have the benefit of getting free, quality and targeted traffic from those who search for graphic design services in search engines like Google.

Finally, you should not forget about your past graphic design clients. Also remember to form strong networks with fellow designers where you can share more on how each one usually lands their new clients in graphic design. Additionally, you should become an active member of the top graphics design forums. This is because this is where both the professionals and new clients in graphic design come together to discuss industry issues.

Check out this required reading for graphic designers!

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This is because your graphics design resume is the first thing the potential employer will look at before asking you anything. If they don’t feel impressed by the presentation of your resume, they may not invite you for an interview to give you a chance prove yourself and your skills in design. Therefore, be very vigilant when working on your resume to increase your chances of being hired. Here are a few tips to help you polish up your graphic design resume-:

Use the correct verb when writing about your skills

It is recommended that you use action verbs rather than using personal pronoun, “I” when writing about your skills in your graphic design resume. Preferably, you should use active verbs and tenses when making reference to your skills, duties and accomplishments.

Short but to the point bullet points

If you use bullet points in the graphic design resume, they should be short and precise. There is always a temptation to use lofty and redundant language hoping to fill up space so that your resume looks packed. Unfortunately, this will work against you. Those who will be going through your resume will have dozens others to go through and if they are unable to find what they are looking for in yours, it will find its way into the recycle bin faster than you can spell your mother’s maiden name. Therefore, ensure that the bullet points are used clearly and concisely as it will also show your ability to communicate effectively.

Format your graphic design resume chronologically

Some people seeking graphic design jobs are fond of stating their experience by grouping them or listing them according the job functions. This is ill advised since managers would like to see a progression on your development from the time you started out as a graphic designer to the present.  The best method would be to format your graphic design resume in a reverse chronological order, starting with your most recent jobs as you work backwards to your earlier assignments.

Customize your resume for each application

Have something like a template graphic design resume upon which you will tailor each resume according to the specific applications you will be making. This is so that you find it easy to give highlights to the particular qualifications that are directly related to the positions you are applying for. Sometimes, this might mean that you will have to reorder the bullet points or you do away with certain skills which might not be very relevant to position you are applying for.

Additionally, it is advisable that you mention the specific terms you find in the job description and for which you are making application. These might include terms like “project manager, lead graphic designer etc”. The reason for doing so is because with the current digital age, there are some companies who will scan applications for such keywords and if you used them, you shall have increased visibility to your graphic design resume.

Send resume by mail

Most applicants have been crippled by the digital age such that they can only send their graphic design resumes to recruiters via online only. The applicants who send such applications by mail usually end up standing out from their online counterparts. For increased chances of your resume getting noticed therefore, it would be a good idea to also send your resume by mail. But while doing so, you have to careful about certain things like ensuring that you use high quality, 100% bond stationery and with appropriate colors.

Also, if you are sending your resume to an advertising agency, consider using a shade different from the traditional ivory. If the application is going to a conservative organization, however, it would be okay to use the normal ivory. Additionally, remember to use a typography that is simple and easy to read, irrespective of where you are sending your graphic design resume.

Using these tips and of course giving clear references in your graphic design resume should be sufficient enough to land you an interview where you will have a chance to show the employer that you are the right fit for the job. But ignoring them won’t give you any competitive edge amongst your fellow applicants and your resume will never be recognized by any serious employers.

Learn how to give a brand personality!

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Survival in the graphic design industry can be elusive if you don’t have a portfolio to show your work. Clients will in most cases want to have a look at your previous designs to gauge your competency and suitability of you doing them a great job. Without a portfolio, you will have nothing to show, and it will be tough to land a gig in this highly lucrative and equally skeptical industry.

The good news, however, is that it is possible to have a graphic design portfolio from scratch that you can use it to market your design services. This is ideal when you are new in the industry and still struggling to win new clients. It is also applicable when you have been in the industry for some time, but you need to attract high-end customers who will pay more for your services. Use the tips given below to build your graphic design portfolio from nothing.

Start with what you have

As a new designer interested in building a portfolio from scratch, you need not look further than to begin with yourself. Your main reason for building a portfolio is to market your design skills to get a stream of clients for continued work. Since you are essentially running businesses, start by creating various marketing materials for your business then display them on your online profile.

For instance, you can make business cards, logo, brochures, and marketing flyers for your graphic design business then tell people that you are the one who made them when displaying them on your profile. Though you may not have handled any paid projects, potential clients will see what you did for your brand if they are convinced, they may be interested in hiring your services. This is the easiest way to start building your graphic design portfolio from scratch.

Redesign other projects

Your aim here in building graphic design portfolio from scratch is to display your skills and what you can do when given a real assignment. To do this, redesign other works, adding in your unique design intuition to make such look fresh and unique. You can then display such redesigns on your website or portfolio to show to the potential clients. This won’t just expose your artistic prowess but also will speed up the process of building your graphic design portfolio from scratch.

Target poor designs and make them look great

The other way to hasten the process of building your graphic design portfolio from scratch is to target local business with poorly designed logos and other marketing materials. Make a list of such businesses and dedicate your time to making their designs look great. Once you finish, approach them and show them that you can improve on their designs and give them a better image to the clients.

If your work is good, most of them will be pleased and might consider hiring your services. With this approach, you will have chances of landing real clients while at the same time adding to your graphic design portfolio paid project you did to your customers.

Volunteer free services for the very first clients

Offering your services for free is another method you can use to create a graphic design portfolio from scratch. With this method, you agree to offer free services for a limited number of clients, especially those who come first or those who order multiple services. If you already have some cool designs in your portfolio, clients will be tempted to take in your offer of free design services.

Make perfect designs for these clients; add them to your portfolio. Besides this method helping you to create your graphic design portfolio from scratch, you will increase your chances of getting hired by the same clients if they are pleased with your work.

Consider Community involvement

The community is a great non-digital dimension you can use in building your graphic design portfolio from scratch. For instance, you can create a poster for your local meet up group or a church event or just about anything that will be taking place around you. Once done, all you have to do is to include the piece of work in your portfolio and make reference to the community activity. This is an awesome strategy if you are targeting local clients with your services.

Additionally, you may find other participants in the event who might be pleased with your design and consider using your services for their marketing materials. These will be good clients for you since you are in the same group already; they will feel more comfortable in dealing with you as opposed to approaching new designers for their design works. When used wisely, community involvement can make building your graphic design on steroids due to the exposure the trust you can get.

Take some inspiration from these recognizable brands while building from scratch!

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