When you are launching your business—or rebranding it—put some serious thought into your logo. A well-conceived, well-designed logo captures people’s attention and isn’t easy to forget.

As you think about how you want to represent your organization with a new logo, be sure to follow these tried-and-true rules.

1. Don’t copy anybody

So maybe you love the logo of a competitor or other popular company. You never want to mimic another business. Logos are often protected by trademarks, and you could wind up in court if yours matches another logo a little too closely. But beyond that, you want your logo to stand out. You want it to be unique. You want it to be memorable.

It’s the face of your business, and the first impression you will make on people, so don’t get lost in a sea of similar, boring logos.

2. Make it relevant to your brand

Really drill down and answer the questions “What defines my business?” and “What is the one thing I want people to know about my business?” Then think about ways to replicate that in an image that people can both relate to and understand.

3. Don’t be too abstract

If customers have to read an explanation about your logo or how it connects to your business, you’ve missed the mark. Stick to images that people instantly recognize, and make the connection to your business obvious.

4. Keep it simple

Simple, clean logos are more recognizable than overly complicated ones. As important, however, is that you need your logo to be scalable, meaning it looks as good on your business card as it would plastered across the side of a building. It needs to look clear, whether it is rendered on a smartphone or a movie screen.

Complex design elements can be lost when you reduce the size of the logo, so the simpler and cleaner the better.

5. Use color – but sparingly

Bold colors are eye-catching, but experts recommend that you don’t use more than three colors in your logo. More than that and it starts to look busy.

Additionally, it’s critical that your logo looks good in black and white, as not every customer will view it in color. Before you sign off on anything, print it in black and white first and make sure it looks as good as it does in color.