Starting Your Company On the Right Foot with a Quality Logo Design

When considering how much to spend for your new logo design, keep in mind that your corporate identity is vitally important. You should consider your logo an investment, not a commodity. Your logo design is the face to your business, helps reach your target market, and acts as your salesman when you are not there. Investing in a quality logo shortly after launching your business is a great way to start off on the right foot.

The Right Design Process

If you\’re looking for logo design online, you\’ll find that most of the websites featured in the organic search listings on Yahoo and Google are \”contests\” and \”do-it-yourself\” design software. These websites feature extremely cheap design services that usually involve inexperienced overseas designers working on your logo.

The true real-world design process does not involve contests. The first step is the completion of a design brief that explains all about your business, your communication goals, and what you are looking to accomplish with your new iconic design. After this, your designer should spend time researching your company, your competitors, and the industry. After several days, the sketch pad finally makes an appearance and your designer begins to bring their ideas to life. Designers will usually digitize your designs before showing you their best concepts. Once feedback is exchanged, the designer will typically take some time to revise your designs and get one step closer to creating a logo you love.

How Much Should my Logo Design Cost?

Over the last ten years, the effects of globalization have played a major role in the cost of graphic design on the internet. No longer are US designers only competing with other designers down the street – they are now competing with designers in China, India, and elsewhere in the world. This has led to a decrease in design prices online for two reasons: increased competition, and lower living costs in developing countries. While high-quality designers certainly exist in developing countries too, the majority of designers in these countries lack formal design training and substantial real-world experience. And unfortunately, the lack of any true copyright infringement enforcement in these countries sometimes means that designers use clip art or blatantly copy other work they see online.

If your company can afford it, it\’s best to stick with reputable designers that you can talk to over the phone. While it is true that art has no language, your logo is much more than art – it should convey the essence of your company. Unless your designer can have an intelligent discussion of your company\’s goals, communication plan, and strategy, it\’s unlikely they can accurately describe your message through artwork.

Startups should look to spend $800 – $4,500 on their logo design. Small and medium sized businesses typically invest $5,000 – $10,000. Larger corporations usually spend $10,000 – $50,000 (or more) on identity design projects.

What do I get With a More Expensive Logo?

Paying more for your logo design will mean that your designer will be able to dedicate more time at every part of the design process. They will listen and better understand your business, spend more time researching the industry, and usually create many more design concepts to choose from. Often times, for more expensive projects, you\’ll also be able to work with more than one designer on your project. This will mean you\’ll receive a larger variety of designs varying in style and in inspiration, and hopefully lead to a situation where you have several top-notch concepts to choose from.

Author Bio: Elliot Michaels has been involved in the branding industry for 15 years, working on packaging design at major European corporations. Learn more about the importance of viewing logo design as an investment.

Category: Business
Keywords: corporate identity, logo design, investment, corporate, business