Sure it does. A logo is the first step in branding your company and its products in the minds of consumers. Effective logos create a psychological link to who you are and what you do. This is accomplished in a number of ways ranging from the shape of the logo to the colors that adorn it.

Here are some tips to guide you as you begin to consider what your company’s logo should look like:

(1) Describe your company

Begin by making a list of words that you would use to describe your business. More specifically, decide what words you would like consumers to use when they describe your business and your products.

Take the lawn care industry. It’s no accident that green is the preferred color for lawn care logos. Lawn care companies want their customers to associate their business with words like health and vitality, in this case represented by the color green.

As you begin to narrow down the terms you want consumers to associate with your company, you should start to get a clearer picture of the image you want to convey to the world. Be careful, however, to make sure the image you convey in your logo is in line with the target market for your products. A hip, young logo will do nothing for you if your business is providing healthcare products for the elderly.

(2) Assess the competition

Spend some time examining the logos of your competition. How have they used their logo to describe their business? What elements do they have in common with one another?

Your company’s success will partially depend on your ability to differentiate yourself from your competition. The trick is to design a logo that sets you apart from the others while at the same time maintaining the themes that are common across the board.

Using the lawn care industry as an illustration again, the color green represents an industry-wide theme that you want to maintain. However, the symbols and words contained within the logo can be used to set your business apart from the rest.

(3) Avoid fads

A circle with a slash through it was popularized by the movie Ghostbusters. That was great in the eighties, but nowadays . . . not so much. You need a logo that has long-term staying power. If you can’t envision your logo being relevant ten years from now, then you need to go back to the drawing board because you haven’t found the right logo yet.

(4) Consider hiring a graphic designer

Graphic designers specialize in creating images that communicate ideas. The money that you spend on their services may very well make the difference between a logo that fizzles and one that sizzles.