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THE IMPORTANCE OF BRANDING
When you create a logo, you create a brand that will become recognizable over time and through marketing effect. In essence, your logo becomes the face of your company.
Think for example, of the impact the golden arches of McDonald’s or the three-pointed Mercedes logo has had on the world.
Every serious business owner will, at some point, require a logo. The question is whether to hire a graphic designer to create it, or to follow the DIY route.
THE BENEFITS
- Expertise – A professional graphic designer is usually up-to-date with the latest technology and will use a variety of colors, themes, fonts, and styles to create a unique, original, and impressive logo that best illustrates your specific brand or company persona.
- A Variety of Options – Although you may be specific in your requirements in the job description, graphic designers might still provide you with different options to choose from. These might differ slightly from what you had in mind but may also surprise and delight you.
- High Standards – Since the person you hire is a professional, the quality of the design will be better than someone who is inexperienced. You would also be in your perfect right to demand a minimum standard, as you are paying for the results.
- Time Factor – The fact is that you don’t have time to do everything, and by hiring a graphic designer to design your logo, you save loads of time. Time is money, right?
THE DRAWBACKS
There are a few downsides to hiring a graphic designer for your logo as well:
- Expensive Propositions – If you hire, you have to pay, especially for quality and originality. So, you need to ensure that the services of a professional are within your budget.
- Customization – You will be restricted by the number of revisions you can request. It is frustrating when a designer is just not getting what you have in mind.
- Accessibility – During the process, you will not have access to the project at all times. Sometimes you will need to wait until the graphic designer is available. Some even disappear and leave you high and dry
HOW TO DECIDE
Ask yourself these questions to confirm if you need to hire a graphic designer to design your logo:
- Is branding and image important to me or not really?
- Do I want my company or brand to appear professional?
- Has my company grown to such a point where it warrants hiring a professional?
If your company has grown to a point where you can afford a professional graphic designer, and you feel the need to add a professional logo to your marketing material and brand, it might be a good idea to hire a skilled graphic designer.
- Can I afford to pay $100 to $500 for a quality, original, and professional logo design?
(Determine how much you can spend on professional logo design. Some designers might do it for $100 while others charge even up to $5,000 or more.) - Do I have the time to design a logo myself?
- Do I have the skills to design my own logo?
- Does anyone else in my company have the skills or time to design a logo?
- Do I really know what type of design I want for my logo, or is it time to find some new concepts and ideas?
PREPARING TO HIRE
Did answering the above questions clarify if you need to hire a designer? If you find you it might be better to hire a professional graphic designer to design your logo consider the following before you hire:
- Be clear about what you want. (What type of logo do you desire? Typography or icon style, or both? Colors? Features? Look and feel?)
- Write a creative brief to explain what you have in mind.
- Find some logos online that you like, which are similar to what you would like for your logo. Send these to your graphic designer and explain that you want something similar.
- Hire a professional who has experience in the type of logo design style you need.
- Compare the portfolios of the different designers when they apply.
- Create a minimum and maximum budget for your logo. Remember that if you don’t provide the graphic designer with the details upfront but later add some details or request an update, you might be asked to pay for such. Time is money, to graphic designers as well.
Be open and communicative, and respond to your graphic designers’ request for more information or provide feedback on work delivered.
THE DECISION IS YOURS
At the end of the day, there will come a time that you just know it’s time to create a new logo. If and when the time comes, simply follow the useful tips we listed, and you will be well on your way to getting the logo you have always dreamed about. Or something even better!
