Your brand’s logo is often the first thing people know about you as a company. It sets the tone for all of your future interactions, and it’s the best tell they have about who you are as an organization. It could be fun and flirty, or serious and business-like.

Your logo design should be memorable, simplified, versatile and unique. If you’re not up for the task, consider outsourcing it to get the best results possible. Here’s how you can accomplish that and nail the ever-so-important first impression:

1. Keep It Simple

Minimalism is the dominating design trend these days, and with good reason. Minimalistic logos elegantly scale from mobile to web to paper without becoming overwhelming. They look great on television, and on smartphones. Once your minimalistic logo is on your website, it allows consumers’ attention to travel from your striking design to other places on the site—such as your call to action. Make your logo too intricate, and it will dominate the page. Since it won’t be a dominant feature on the page, however, you’ll also be able to do away with some standard “tricks” like making each button huge and red. This will give your site less of an in-your-face sales feeling, which will, in turn, make your customers more comfortable browsing.

2. Be Versatile

Mobile is huge right now, but that doesn’t mean that consumers aren’t still going to be looking at your logo filling their television screens or their computer screens. In 2012, 69 percent of us were accessing the web through mobile. Today, that percentage is even higher. That doesn’t mean, however, that people aren’t seeing your logo elsewhere. Your logo needs to look great when it’s enlarged, and when it’s shrunk down to miniscule proportions. It should be as effective on business cards as on billboards. Minimalistic design principles can help with this, but you’ll also want to consider color schemes and whitespace.

3. Have Originality

You don’t want your logo to look just like everyone else’s, right? That’s hardly memorable, and it smacks a little like creative plagiarism. You want your logo to be as unique as your company is. You can use popular design themes, like minimalism, and still make it your own by choosing different colors, dominating shapes and alignments. Get creative, and don’t just copy from other companies

4. Make It Memorable

Don’t be afraid to go a little crazy. Your logo is what represents you, so make sure it’s actually doing that accurately. If you’re a stiff, buttoned-up sort, then having a simple initial might be the best way to describe your company. More fun-loving companies, however, should look into sweeping designs and possibly even line drawings.

When creating your logo, don’t forget that first impressions are lasting. It’s entirely possible that the only thing potential consumers will know about you is what your logo looks like. Don’t squander that chance with bad design. Make a strong, memorable impression the first time.