When you start a business, one of the first things you tackle is branding. Designing company logos is at the top of the list. In fact, sometimes the symbology exists before the actual enterprise does. In the latter case, it’s obviously stuck in your brain.

My advice on designing a logo is simple: Channel your inner middle-schooler.

Here’s why. Remember when you were that age and how many band, TV show, car, and product logos you doodled on the cover of your notebooks during math and social studies classes?

They were simple images burned into your brain brought to life through ball-point lines. You drew them over and over until you could do it perfectly, almost in your sleep.

That’s the effect you want the image to have with potential customers, too: your brand, seared into their consciousness.

Keeping a brand logo design simple is important for several reasons:

1. Quickly recognized: It’s easier to remember than a complex one. A logo that’s familiar at a glance can help create brand awareness and build brand recognition over time.
2. Versatile: It can be used across a variety of mediums and sizes without losing its clarity or impact. It can also be easily resized without losing its visual appeal.
3. Timeless: It’s less likely to go out of style or become outdated quickly. That saves you money; rebranding can be costly and time-consuming.
4. Memorable: It’s easier to remember than a complex one. That can help consumers associate it with your brand, making it more likely they will choose it over competitors.
5. Distinctive: Making it complex or similar to other logos can make it difficult for consumers to differentiate your brand from the pack.

When designing your logo, the best thing you can do is revise, revise, revise. Get down to the bare minimum you find best represents your business. Think about how it will age and reproduce. Look at your competition and make it different.

You’ll know you’re there when you keep doodling it on every notepad and blank space.