You might just use your logo on your own computer in Microsoft Publisher, or you hired a designer to create your logo that will be deployed across your web site, apparel, brochures, banners, advertisements and more. In either case, I promise you that taking a moment to internalize this article before you really settle on a logo will save you loads of time, money aggravation in the long run.

Knowing a little about logos ahead of time will save a lot down the road.

There are essentially two main categories that logos, and for that matter, graphics can be designed in: raster and vector. Both have pros and cons, and you'll ideally know what format the logo is going to be in before it's created for you. Having the logo designed in the right format will allow you to easily transfer it to a t-shirt, a business card, a trade show banner, whatever you want - this format is called vector.

In order to get the most out of your logo, you'll want to ensure that it's designed in a vector format. Vector logos and graphics are comprised not of tiny pixels like raster graphics but mathematical equations. Logos designed in vector format can be enlarged to banner size and beyond. As the graphic enlarges the mathematical equations and relations change and the logo never experiences loss of quality or degradation. This means your logo will always look crisp and clear.

I know, who cares?

Well, if you or someone you hire creates your original logo in a raster format, you may run into problems down the line. Take for example, Mindi, she's a good friend and client who had a designer create some DVD cover art for her a while back. In the process the artist quickly created a sort of a logo for her and slapped it on the DVD cover. The logo was designed in a raster format.

On the DVDs her logo looked fine, so Mindi didn't think anything of it. Recently she made a decision to have a trade show banner created and wanted to use the same logo. That's where things got complicated. Mindi's logo was created in a raster format, and when you enlarge it to banner size it doesn't look so good. In fact, it looked "fuzzy" or "jagged" - not the professional image she was shooting for.

Mindi was faced with a difficult decision because her logo was not created correctly in vector format. She could just not use the logo or have the logo recreated in vector form, which will cost her some time and money. Either way, the decision was not a fun one.

If you intend on using your logo for more than just business cards you print out on your computer you want to ensure you know your logo is being created in vector format so you can avoid the quandary Mindi found herself in. So remember, even if your logo looks good on the computer screen it may not look as good when printed, this is especially true when printing a logo in what they call "large format" printing (banners, etc.).

The best way to ensure your logo will look good on whatever you place it on is to work with an experienced, savvy graphic designer. He or she will create your logo so you can use it, your staff can use it, and it will be welcomed and accepted by any printing professional. You will have the peace of mind knowing your logo will look outstanding whether it's on a business card or a banner. If you have any questions about your logo or feedback about this article, give me a call at 480-391-0704, or email me at comments@candographics.com. I would be happy to talk to you about your logo and how to get the most out of it.

Jeremy Tuber runs the only business savvy graphic design firm who helps companies build more confidence and credibility into their business identities.