Logo for a professional organization in North America

Company Name:
North American Association of Sales Engineers (NAASE)

Company Activity:
Professional organization, membership, certification for Sales Engineers

Distribution Channels and Sales Geography:
North America

Target Audience Profile:
Technicians, age 45+, usually male. Here is a bit about the profession from a book by a well-known specialist in the field:
A Sales Engineer is a hybrid role that combines empathy and communication from the sales department with the technical precision of engineering. I define it as "the art and science of designing the sales process that delivers the greatest success to the client."
We translate business goals into technical solutions, conduct discovery, design options, and demonstrate reliability; we reduce risks and complexity rather than exaggerate features. In practice, we are trusted advisors in the room: educators, architects, and storytellers at the same time. We help clients move from objections to solutions and support teams in selecting, validating, and implementing the right solution. When done well, sales engineers make deals larger, better, and faster, aligning technology with outcomes and honestly discussing trade-offs.

Closest Competitors:
Formally, there are no competitors; this is the only organization for people in this profession in North America, existing for 5 years.
However, with some stretch, we can mention

https://www.presalescollective.com/ - for the same profession, but focused only on IT
https://www.nationalsse.org/- for students

Is the logo being created for the first time or has it existed before and is currently being recreated - rebranding (if rebranding, please add an image of the current logo)?

We currently have a logo on the website https://sales-engineering.org/
This is a slightly modernized version of what was previously https://web.archive.org/web/20240920170830/https://sales-engineering.org/
When we did the redesign, we postponed the development of a proper logo, just pulled what was there.
The logo consists of a symbol that should fit well into a circle so that it can be used independently as the organization's profile image on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/naase/
or YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@NAASE_Official
Next to this symbol, we write North American Association of Sales Engineers. For desktop - in two lines, for mobile version - in three lines.
Also, we currently do not use the abbreviated name of the organization - NAASE anywhere in the logo. But perhaps it makes sense to try.

Where do we plan to use the logo?
Mainly on LinkedIn, YouTube, and the organization's website. Also branded emails. And also - merchandise: pens, mugs, etc.
We currently think that we cannot avoid having a square-round element, with the full name next to it. But we are open to ideas.

What should be depicted in the logo?
We are very open to any ideas, which is why it's a competition. But for those looking for inspiration, below are visual images understandable to representatives of the profession. I'm not sure if any of them can be used.

• Markers on a board / diagrams with arrows → discovery, demo, collaboration.

• API connector / puzzle connections → integrations, solutions.

• Nodes and edges / network diagram → systems thinking, stakeholder maps.

• Checklist table → validation, clarity.
  
  

Are there any unwanted elements to be used in the logo?
It is necessary to avoid what you would like to use if you were making a logo for a sales association. Because a sales engineer takes great pride in not being just an ordinary salesperson, but a very smart technician who solves complex issues to facilitate sales. It is not their duty to "push" the client.

It is also worth avoiding purely stereotypical engineering images like gears, as sales engineers do not create products.

Are there preferred main colors? If so, which colors do you prefer?

Blue #127edc, white, black.