Branding 101

Why professional logo design does not cost 5 dollars

It's always in the best interest of an entreprenuer to cut back on expenses, and it's also an entreprenuers' dream to stand out from the competition. And so, important to realize when cheap is expensive.

Logo design in today's world is underated. People do not understand how important a good logo is and how valuable it it to their business. This is why am going to outline some very important facts as to why logo design should not cost 5 dollars and why your logo is not something you shoul take lightly.

I want you to know why professional logo designers do not charge such low fees and why you should invest in a professional logo design.

What is a Logo?

To understand what a LOGO is meant to do, you must know what a logo is. A logo's design is for immediate recognition, inspiring trust, admiration and loyalty. This gives you implied superiority. The logo is one aspect of a company's commercial brand, or economic entity and it's shape, colours, fonts, and images usually are different from others in a similar market.

It makes me wonder why people have no logo or why they would even bother with a cheap logo design if a logo is meant to do all of these things.

Spec Work & Design Contest

Before I get into comparing cheap Vs professional logo design I want to talk to you a bit about speculative design work.

ie. You design this for me, and I will pay you if I like it. This is not right.

To clarify, let's create a scenario in another industry where "spec work" does NOT exist

“I went for a dental check-up one day. After the dentist inspected my teeth, she suggested some work to prevent further tooth decay. I told her to go ahead, and if the dental work was satisfactory, I’d be more than happy to pay. She responded that she wouldn’t be able to do that, because she normally provides a service when a fee is agreed upon up-front. I said I’d let her know after I checked in with other local dentists.”

This scenario happens in the design industry all the time and is seen as very unethical. A designer should not have to invest time and resources with no guarantee of payment much alike a dentist or any other professional.

I do not want to go into this any further as much has been written about it but I would like to say please avoid design contests and spec work at all costs.Logo design contest are bad for your business. Period.

Cheap Logo design (5 dollars)

" An institution (not going to name it) had a logo competition back in the year 2017, in the hope to get as many logo entries to choose from. but sadly the vetting panel could not come to a consensus over a even a single logo. What they didn't realize is that, because they didn't guarantee payment, everybody was just aiming for the price. Non of the logos had the basic rules of what makes a good logo i.e describable, memorable, effective without colour and scalable. So eventually when the institution engaged a professional designer, they got a good logo and much more which is working very well for them"

If you have a cheap logo, look at it and ASK yourself these questions in regards to the logo

• Can you describe or remember the logo?
• Is the logo effective without colour?
• Is it scalable?
• Does it gain immediate recognition?
• Does it convey the company's personality, character or attitude?
• Relate to your client by conveying a feeling of familiarity and credibility?
• Have associations with quality and satisfaction

I will leave these questions for you to decide

Professional Logo design

Professional logo designers have an actual design process that involves research, sketching, conceptualization, and refelction and this is why they do not charge $5.00

The design process of a professional logo designer usually consists of:

1. The Design Brief: They conduct a questionnaire or interview with the client to get the design brief.
2. Research: They conduct research focused on the industry itself, on its history, and on its competitors.
3. Reference: They conduct research into logo designs that have been successful and current styles and trends that are related to the design brief.
4. Sketching & Conceptualising: They develop the logo design concept(s) around the brief and research. They use creavity and know how to design a logo.
5. Reflection: They take breaks throughout their design process. This lets their ideas mature and lets them get renewed enthusiasm and receive feedback.
6. Presentation: They then choose whether to present only a select few logos to the client or a whole collection.
7. Celebration: They then drink beer or eat chocolate or sleep or start on next logo design. Or a combination.

Do you believe doing all of that costs $5.00?

On that note, A logo from a professional designer will be accompanied by a brand strategy and styles guidline.

More Reasons

Here are some more responses from other designers on reasons why logo design does not cost $5.00.

Tara from Graphic Design Blog outlines in her 6 reasons why a logo should cost more than your lunch that

1. A logo is the very first impression people get of your company.
2. A logo needs longevity.
3. A logo needs to be original.
4. A logo should look professional.
5. A logo should reflect the time and thought gone in to designing it.
6. A logo is the starting point of your whole corporate image.

Now look back at those $5.00 logo designs or your even own logo to see if adheres to the above points.

How much does a logo cost?

This is the single most frequently asked question, though it is the hardest one to answer without more details of the project.

The cost of a professional logo design is a question that cannot be easily answered as every company has different needs, however, the best way to approach this question is to draw up a customised quote for each individual.

A number of factors have to be taken into consideration when designing a logo, such as how many logo concepts need to be presented, how many revisions are required, how much research is needed, the size of the business and so on.

The best way to find out how much a logo design will cost is to get a quote from the designer them self.

Time To Invest?

Isn’t it about time you invested in a professional logo design? You can can get a free quote for a professional logo design by clicking here or you may like to look at my portfolio first.