So you are looking to open a hotel, inn, bed and breakfast or some other form of accommodation business. Like any business you will likely be up against some stiff competition. You therefore have to do everything in your power to stand out in the market and get occupancy rates up to a profitable level.
In this article we consider the importance of logo design for hotels, motels and bed and breakfast businesses. We also look at some of the common elements of hotel logos and offer some ideas on how you can work with a designer to come up with an original and effective concept.
The Importance of Hotel Logo Design
Logo design is an integral part of brand development and branding makes up an important part of any decent marketing plan. Customers often make irrational decisions when they decide to purchase goods and services. A simple factor such as the image that you project through your logo could encourage customers to make a reservation with you over one of your competitors.
Logos that are original, eye catching, memorable and relevant will make a great first impression on those looking for accommodation. But a logo also becomes a very valuable and powerful asset in the long term as the people in your market become more familiar with it. It should come to be a visual representation of everything that your brand stands for. If you offer a high standard of service to your customers, then they will be reminded of all the positive experiences that they have had with you when they see your logo. A great brand, with an effective logo to represent it will eventually make your marketing much easier as people will already have some trust in you before they make a reservation. With the right brand your bed and breakfast or hotel can have more reservations for less effort and you can possibly command premium prices.
Common Images on a Logo for a Hotel
Text logos can work well for hotels and B&B’s and it is not essential to include an image. Do a Google image search for the term ‘hotel logos’ and you will get a fairly good idea of what works well and what doesn’t by looking at some examples from around the world.
It is not common for accommodation logos to feature ‘obvious images’ that people would immediately associate with hotels. If images are used they are usually more abstract or symbolic rather than obvious. Some hotels and bed and breakfast businesses go for imagery that relates to their location or landmarks in their city. Higher end hotels often use images that symbolize luxury such as a crown or a royal seal.
Bed and breakfast logos are usually a little less formal. Their design may capture the mood of the location or the personalities of the owners.
Color Selection
Color and font style are other key elements that make up a logo design. Color can really set the mood and convey a lot of emotion so you should really think about the colors that you use. There are many websites that publish charts with colors and what characteristics each one represents. Most professional looking logos are kept fairly simple and are made up of only two or three colors. A design with too many colors will usually look cluttered and amateurish.
Choosing a Font
The font or lettering style also plays an important role in creating the right image. The right font can send a certain message about your hotel or motel that can enhance the overall logo. Cursive scripts that appear to be hand written can give out an impression of luxury and tradition. Modern looking fonts can create a different impression altogether.
Choosing and Working With a Design Company
There are many sectors in the market for accommodation that range from cheap motels and bed and breakfasts right up to luxury accommodation and five star hotels. It is important that your designer knows exactly what portion of the market you want to target so that they can design something that appeals to this group.
The best option for getting a logo that is both professional and affordable is to use an online custom logo service. These design firms usually offer a variety of packages, often with multiple designers assigned to your case. There are many out there on the Internet so it is just a matter of visiting some sites and looking over their prices, portfolios of past work and guarantee policies.
Once you have chosen a custom logo design company to work with you will usually initiate your project by completing a briefing form. This form should contain information that gives your design team a good understanding of your business and lets them know what you have in mind.
Once you submit your order for a custom logo your design team will look over your briefing form and then create a series of initial concepts especially for your hotel or bed and breakfast. You then have the option of having them revise or alter the initial concepts until you arrive at a final design that you are happy with.
If you are going into the hotel business or are looking at setting up a motel or a bed and breakfast then you should put some time into getting a logo that can satisfy your branding needs. For less than a couple of hundred dollars you can create the image that you need to be a success in this business. A small investment now in a logo design will reap huge rewards over the years if it is done right.