A Cheap Logo Design Could Cost More than Expected
Written by Tara: Freelance Designer on Monday, 11 of August , 2008 at 9:54 am
I have written before why I think a logo design is worth investing a little time and money on, but a friend told me something a little while ago that shed a whole new light on cheap logo design.
My friend another freelance designer had recently started working with a new client who unfortunately had already had their logo design done by a cheap logo designer. He had now approached my friend to help with some design work after the problems they had had with the cheap logo. They had basically commissioned someone to do a really cheap logo, they were happy with the design and so had it printed on they stationery, literature and vans. The problem began when they found another local company in the same line of work had a very similar logo. I don’t know whether both logos were done by the same designer, or perhaps two different designers used some logo clip art, or the designer copied the other logo, but either way it was an expensive mistake. The cost of van graphics, literature and stationery could easily outweigh the costs of using a reputable graphic designer who charges realistic prices because they spend time thinking about and designing a logo and not just using clip art or copying designs.
Its a pretty embarrassing thing to be driving a van which looks very similar to your competitor too.
Category: General Graphic Design, logo design
- Add this post to
- Del.icio.us -
- Stumble it! -
- Digg
Comment by Jackson
Made Monday, 11 of August , 2008 at 10:16 am
It is really good to know about graphic designs. Your blog is great with beneficial content that is helpful to everyone. Here I came to the point’s that I am not aware of.
Comment by Steve
Made Monday, 11 of August , 2008 at 11:24 am
Hi Tara,
I think the problem is that people do not know enough about graphic design and logo design. And if you do not know the difference between a cheap designer and a skilled graphic designer, why would they pay more. Unfortunately, it takes something like the situation above for clients to realise the difference. We have worked for clients before who want to rebrand but do not want their logo changed as it would be too expensive to reprint stationary and vehicle graphics. This makes rebranding very hard as no matter what you do, you are still stuck with the badly designed logo. So although they know they need to change the cheap logo they had designed, they simply can not afford to do so.
Comment by Robin
Made Monday, 11 of August , 2008 at 12:05 pm
This is a big problem actually. There are a lot of businesses doing very cheap logo design - mass producing it! And with such low costs - they also gets a lot of clients, because as Steve Eightyone Design said, not everyone know enough about graphic design.
Comment by Tracey Grady
Made Monday, 11 of August , 2008 at 12:12 pm
I think that Steve’s right - it can be very tricky for a prospective client who doesn’t understand the ins and outs of commercial design, especially if faced with a cut-rate operator who’s promising a professional standard job.
It’s important to educate your prospective clients as they’re embarking upon a design job with you: give them an outline of what you will be doing for them, the reasons for the cost involved and why it will be of value for them in the long run. For example, with logo design, the work and time involved doing research into the client’s industry and competition in order to make the client stand out (thus avoiding the look-alike logos).
Comment by Jacob Cass
Made Monday, 11 of August , 2008 at 1:40 pm
I believe it also due to the cookie cutter sites that come up ranked #1 on google with $99 logo design… people don’t know what they are getting.
I actually wrote a post on why logo design does not cost $5.00 which relates to this very much so.
I’m a designer who I suspect lets the side down and play my part in de-valuing logo design, I regularly advertise logo designs on ebay for £35. The reason I can afford to do this is because I am currently registered disabled due to mental health problems and receive incapacity benefit and I am very limited in the amount I can charge before it starts to affect benefits. All my clients so far have been small businesses, usually sole traders and small non-profits who can not justify paying the same price for logo design as a larger business with their bigger budgets. I take pride in my work and never use clip art or copy other designs, I used to work for a small design firm before getting ill, they charge £250 for a logo design for small businesses and £500 for a large business. I think there is a place in the market for bottom feeders like me, I see what I do as a service for small businesses which keeps my portfolio fresh and keeps my skills sharp whilst I am unable to work, I typically spend 6 to 10 hours on design and always get a detailed brief off clients before starting work.
The Nike swoosh logo was designed by an art student friend of the founder for $20, she was rewarded years later with a massive amount of shares in Nike, remember cheap doesn’t always mean nasty
Comment by Tara: Freelance Designer
Made Monday, 11 of August , 2008 at 2:13 pm
Hi Jackson, thanks for your comment, I am glad the information was useful.
Hi Steve and Tracey, I am sure this is the case with some clients and I appreciate every one likes a bargain. I just want to bring to the forefront that that “cheap logo” can in fact cost far more than anticipated. I think I would advise anyone with a limited design budget to spend more on the logo, any other peice of literature can be short lived a logo sticks around for a long time and as you say is aplied to everything which is costly to replace.
Hi Jacob, thanks for the link
Hi Rob, while I appreciate that you want to keep your hand in with design and that you are in a difficult situation, you may find it difficult should you in the future want to freelance full time. It would be difficult to change your charges from such a low fee (that you could not support yourself on) to a real wage. If you spend 10 hours on a logo at £35 you are in fact charging less than UK minimum wage.
Regarding the Nike swoosh, there are always situations when designers create logos/designs for friends and charities as favours, this is not the same situation as buying a logo online at a very low rate.
Comment by Ken
Made Monday, 11 of August , 2008 at 10:46 pm
I have always remained disciplined with my starting cost for logos. Yet, I also try to gauge it’s value to the client’s business in relation to their product or service. If a high profile, international company comes to me for a quotation, the estimate could be up to ten and even a fifty times the starting fee I note to most of my small-business clients. This is because the value, function and travel of that logo would be very significant to the company’s identity and brand initiation within their undoubtedly vast marketplace. Also, if I didn’t come in with a higher, albeit reasonable and justifiable price (this is where researching the client can pay off), these clients may tend to question my quality of work or expertise, as they tend to [usually] understand the get-what-you-pay-for principle. They also be educated about our skills and our field when we present concepts based on actual research and process.
I agree with the lack of education some clients may have in regard to the value of what we do and how it can significantly effect (+ or -) their business. However, most businesses expecting to operate with a currency perspective such as a 100.00 logo, likely don’t understand the value of their other suppliers and even their own product (they probably err on the high side for their own). In turn, they likely won’t be turning into a high-revenue or repeat client. In my experience, they also tend to be the least trusting in our skills and quickly become a nightmare client.
I recommend setting your minimum relative to the value of our field and what we do, maintain it, adjust upwards relative to the client’s use of and return on the logo’s exposure and know that you’ll be attracting quality clients who understand the value of what you’ll provide. Remaining worth your hire will draw the kind of clients that will lend to the growth of your business as well as the subsequent value of the design industry on the whole.
I think ![]()
Comment by LaurenMarie - Creative Curio
Made Tuesday, 12 of August , 2008 at 12:18 am
Yikes! Good reminder and I hope that most businesses don’t have to learn the hard way like this.
A situation I’m running into a lot recently is those internet startups that say they only need a logo design at screen res, so they hire someone who designs logos in Photoshop. Well, when we want to promote our affiliation with this now fairly well-known internet site, we can’t use their logo in our print materials!
A warning to designers, too: check logos you receive for various jobs in Illustrator (or similar graphics program) because I’m finding a lot of companies/”designers” don’t understand exactly what EPS means (vector!!) and simply throw a JPG in an Illustrator file and export to EPS. It’s infinitely resizable that way, right? Or they will have a texture/gradient that is a JPG as part of the logo with a clipping mask. It’s a very bizarre thing I’m coming across more and more and a reason trained, professional designers need to be hired to create this important part of the company identity.
Sorry for such a long winded comment… it’s an aggravating situation I’m dealing with at the moment!
Comment by Gareth
Made Tuesday, 12 of August , 2008 at 9:29 am
As a designer i’m always annoyed when a customer. Sees a competitors logo and wants thier logo to be very similar.
Annoyed!
Comment by Nick
Made Tuesday, 12 of August , 2008 at 5:18 pm
I think that this is a problem rife within all aspects of the industry. The client wants something as cheap as possible and doesn’t consider that the saying ‘you get what you pay for’ even stretches to the lowly designers.
The amount of web design companies out there offering generic template designs at dirt-cheap prices is testament to this. It’s only when the client sees their new site looks and handles like a sack of bricks that they see realise the false economy they’ve invested in, and even then a lot of them can’t see it.
Comment by Jason
Made Thursday, 14 of August , 2008 at 1:15 am
You know I don’t know why it never occurred to me that a nightmare scenario like that could take place as a result of getting a cheap logo. It makes a great selling point for pricier logos.
Comment by Tracy
Made Monday, 18 of August , 2008 at 1:09 pm
I agree with Gareth that this is a common problem with the customer who want cut cost and speedy logo, want to have their logo just like their customer if the designer kept out exactly the same, they yell out, this the Xerox copy, and if we deliver with little bit a difference they go opposed all over, that this is a totally different what they want! What is this? Very annoyed! How to coup up from this situation?
Comment by Dot Design
Made Tuesday, 19 of August , 2008 at 2:29 pm
Some great comments here on this subject. I’ve heard this debate a fair few times now and it is a problem. But I think only a problem if your clients are all small sole trade business’s. Those slightly larger business will have someone who is responsible for the marketing budget and they can usually spot quality as well as price. I know this isn’t always the case and there most definately is a problem, but you just have to stick to the way you work eg: quality for a fair price and as long as the work is good you will get clients who are prepared to pay for that quality work.
But getting back to Tara’s original subject, you get what you pay for! Although admittedly you don’t usually pay for a logo that someone else is using and that is disgusting to say the least!
When has cost got anything to do with somebody replicating somebody else’s work?
A cheap logo does not mean it’s been stolen! Plus an expensive logo does not make it original! Take for example Quark’s logo which is as derivative as it comes… I can’t imaging they paid £35.00 for that! I do agree that those $99.00 logo sites are not doing anyone any favours but this argument hold no water at all…
Comment by Dot Design
Made Tuesday, 19 of August , 2008 at 10:27 pm
I think I got abit off track I was commenting more on cheap logo designs rather than stolen ones.
“A cheap logo does not mean it’s been stolen! Plus an expensive logo does not make it original! ” Yes your right Rick.
A cheap logo will usually mean that its been thought about very little and will usually be a generic symbol, shape etc which fair more likely to have been used previously and not reflect the values that that company has. Your really paying for time and thought, or should be when you purchase logo design.
Comment by Quote Catcher
Made Thursday, 21 of August , 2008 at 4:29 pm
That is amazing. Logo design is extremely important. If your company takes off this is what people will remember you by so it is worth taking the extra time to pay a bit more and have it done right.
Comment by Leicester Creare
Made Thursday, 21 of August , 2008 at 5:11 pm
Great Blog, That’s quite a painful story! Shame you couldn’t upload a photo or something but that is quite common problem.
One of my colleagues sat and made a logo for an electrical company, and without realising it, completely copied the logo of a air conditioning manufacturer.
Like all these things, it’s impossible to work out whether it really is a coicedence, melicious or a blatant copy!
Comment by SEO Consultant
Made Friday, 22 of August , 2008 at 1:23 am
Yeah it comes down to the old saying “you get what you pay for” there are no free/cheap things - the difference will always be in the quality and the deliverables.
Comment by Seattle Ratings
Made Saturday, 23 of August , 2008 at 12:14 am
yea i think so many people underestimate the importance of a good icon. It’s what defines you and what sets you apart from others. It a way of being recognized and many people will make judgements and/or form opinions just by looking at someones logo.
-Mike
Comment by Kay
Made Sunday, 24 of August , 2008 at 10:53 pm
We have come across this kind of scenario many times. In this case, the client who has invested in printed material and signage using the “similar” logo will get off lightly for having to redisgn and replace what has been done.
Serious cases arise when someone files a law suit against you for trading as/passing off as them by having a similar looking logo.
Save in the long run by hiring a professional branding company that will design exactly and unique to your needs.
We transfer full copyrights to our clients upon completion which is something that people should consider before hiring a company to design for them.
Good article!
Comment by Amanda Vlahakis
Made Monday, 25 of August , 2008 at 9:58 pm
Pay Cheap - Pay Twice. I’ve heard that sentiment more than once, and it’s entirely accurate.
I’m sure we’ve all had enough customers come to us with tail between legs admitting that they tried the cheap option first only to regret it and have to use someone decent (and more expensive) in the end after all anyway.
Comment by Red Roters
Made Tuesday, 26 of August , 2008 at 10:56 pm
yea i learned alot about logo design last semester i really am glad i did it because its a college class that i will accually use in my life
Comment by Web Design Newbie
Made Thursday, 28 of August , 2008 at 3:38 pm
Yup, I fully agree.
Comment by Kinza
Made Saturday, 30 of August , 2008 at 8:49 am
Wow.. What a great article. Comprehensive, informative and to the point. Yes i 100% agree with you that cheap log designs cost more.
Comment by Mastermind
Made Monday, 1 of September , 2008 at 8:15 am
Great blog , its really very nice . i am going to subscribe for this , i can know many things from your blog that i am not aware of , thanx
Comment by reverse phone search
Made Tuesday, 2 of September , 2008 at 8:28 pm
Awesome info thanks. im gonna get a logo
Comment by bengt seo
Made Tuesday, 2 of September , 2008 at 10:16 pm
We so often have to work with companies whose logo’s are aweful because of exactly what you have said, people go cheap and then they cannot understand why they are not taken seriously. Digg your post.
Comment by Electrical Creative
Made Friday, 5 of September , 2008 at 3:38 pm
I’ve never been good at logo design but I’ve tried to design a few for small companies I do work for and they have all been very simple. This is some very helpful information and I will have to read the related posts. Thanks.
A company I work for always writes their name in Times New Roman. I’ve tried to change it but they insist that it’s not a logo and that they don’t have a logo. BUT, they put it on all their products and business cards! It’s embarrassing more than anything.
Comment by Rob Cubbon
Made Saturday, 6 of September , 2008 at 3:35 pm
It’s never a good idea for a company to scrimp on their identity. Not only can problems like the ones described above (LaurenMarie in particular has a point) but employing a cheap/inexperienced graphic designer can lead to extra problems. One company, for example, who contacted me recently, had actually lost the details of the designer who did their logo originally and now they wanted the identity augmented to include several sub brands, so I had to painstakingly re-create another designer’s work! If they’d employed a good designer or design company they would have been able to track them down again easily and saved a bit of money!
Comment by polet
Made Sunday, 7 of September , 2008 at 8:05 am
If you get a good customer who like your work it will really not be cheap but nowadays graphic making becomes cheaper because of the competition.
Comment by Diego
Made Tuesday, 9 of September , 2008 at 4:33 pm
Having a good logo is the first step to a big and successful business!!
Tara: Your post bring to the table a very “problematic” issue. (I apologize in advance because English is not my mother language. In my country what you say about some designers, charging too little for a logo design I think happens all around the globe. In my country (Uruguay, south of the world, between the colossal Argentina and Brazil), competition for the work is ruthless.
I personally think that (like in other orders of life) you receive what you deserve, so if a client wants to buy a “BMW” but wants to pay for a “Ford T”… it is most probable he will be deserved.
I am a Freelance designer too, and there had been times I decided to say no to cheap work. The most important thing for working (I think) is to have our budget very clear, how much we charge for hour, for work, in order not to find ourselves feeling like slaves. Finally clients could not know about our work, but we should not underestimate them. Most of the times, an open and honest explanation is enough. I like this blog, and will be visiting.
Comment by Jam
Made Wednesday, 10 of September , 2008 at 10:18 pm
I forgot!. It is also important not to charge too much. ![]()
Comment by Amy
Made Thursday, 11 of September , 2008 at 4:51 pm
We have worked with a couple of clients that have had their logo designed on the cheap and we find that quite often they havent sufficiently been tested to ensure they work at different scales and in different formats etc.
Comment by Natalie
Made Friday, 12 of September , 2008 at 12:42 am
I’m just surprised that people believe that for something so important and custom made you can pay so little. If you have a leak in your plumbing you are going to call a plumber and pay him for one hour of work 10 times more than you are ready to pay to a designer who had to go to college and get years of experience to master his skill and who is supposed to get to know your company and design a logo not in one hour. What’s wrong with those people? I think they deserve it.
Comment by Labelle
Made Tuesday, 16 of September , 2008 at 9:28 am
This is a big problem actually. There are a lot of businesses doing very cheap logo design - mass producing it! And with such low costs - they also gets a lot of clients, because as Steve Eightyone Design said, not everyone know enough about graphic design.
Comment by PHP Web Development
Made Thursday, 18 of September , 2008 at 1:02 pm
Its really good to know about designing from you blog… and too agree with you Labelle
I have to disagree somewhat with this argument. Although a cheap logo may be more risky because the designer uses more generic symbols, etc. This can happen to any designer no matter how much they charge. The only way a business can be absolutely sure that they have all rights to a design for their product/service is to have a trademark search done, which is too costly for many businesses. Just because you hire a pricey designer who puts a lot of thought into their work, it doesn’t mean someone else out there hasn’t already had that idea first.
Comment by Engineering designer
Made Thursday, 25 of September , 2008 at 11:48 am
Having a quality logo design is really important for a business, recently I’ve found that few realise that.
Comment by Montan
Made Friday, 3 of October , 2008 at 5:03 am
Hi,
The collection is great and I hope you have worked hard to do all these. Thanks for your interest.
Comment by Mike Riley
Made Monday, 6 of October , 2008 at 2:54 am
This extends out into the graphic design world beyond just on logo design, I’ve made the mistake too many times of hiring someone on the cheap for a website layout and have paid dearly for it.
Comment by Roger Hamilton
Made Wednesday, 8 of October , 2008 at 2:25 pm
They should be aware of the competitor in the first place and know that their logo looks similar to theirs.
Comment by Nigel
Made Thursday, 9 of October , 2008 at 2:32 pm
I find it very annoying when I request a client’s logo to go on a design I’m working on, and they have used a cheap logo designer or web designer that has not designed the logo in Illustrator or other vector software, and I get a too small to use bitmap image from them. Then they don’t understand why I can’t use the logo without me trying to re-draw it as vector artwork. Thanks for sharing this.
Comment by K Gift
Made Saturday, 11 of October , 2008 at 2:56 pm
I so agree with what you say, a logo is the brand of a business and should be treated as that. Spend the extra money and ensure that its credible and can build respect.
Comment by Kaycee
Made Monday, 13 of October , 2008 at 10:39 am
actually anybody can create a logo design there are softwares that offers easy logo design but when you say expert then i guess they should be a master and besides should be payed more than just a cheap logo designer.
Comment by Andrew
Made Wednesday, 15 of October , 2008 at 4:50 pm
I never actually like the idea of just doing a logo, it should be part of a much bigger picture in creating a brand.
You pay cheap… you get cheap.
Comment by Peter
Made Thursday, 16 of October , 2008 at 8:02 pm
You are so right. Logo is extremely important and should not be outsourced to the cheapest bidder. Most of the time, the cheapest designer is the worst. It will cost you money and time.
Peter
Comment by Live Wire
Made Friday, 17 of October , 2008 at 9:52 pm
i wouldnt want a cheap looking logo… that says a lot about your company, and im sure no one wants people to think that their company is cheap :/
-jason
Comment by casino
Made Sunday, 19 of October , 2008 at 2:04 pm
logo could be very expensive . and also very cheap
Davidson [the creator of nike’s logo] submitted a bill for $35 for her work.
Comment by Jumping Dog Design
Made Monday, 20 of October , 2008 at 2:25 am
Pay peanuts you get monkies - the big problem is that many clients just don’t have the eye, background or experience to discern between a really good or a really bad logo.
Comment by Rachelloury
Made Monday, 20 of October , 2008 at 6:59 am
As a designer i’m always annoyed when a customer. Sees a competitors logo and wants thier logo to be very similar.
Comment by No Gi Grappling
Made Monday, 20 of October , 2008 at 6:22 pm
Great point to the article. It is always worth paying a little extra to have something done right than going the cheap route.
Didn’t think about how it could cost you by having to repaint the logo on trucks. That hurts !
Comment by Indrajit
Made Wednesday, 22 of October , 2008 at 11:44 am
Treat each client as he or she is your only client - this is a vital freelance logo design business characteristic. Take an extra minute to write a nice message, to create an additional mockup or to deliver the files promptly - if you do so the client will be happy and will return with future projects.
Comment by Home builders Houston
Made Friday, 24 of October , 2008 at 7:20 pm
Tara,
I empathize with your friend’s client. I know somebody who had done the same thing. The thing was I warned my friend to research and think about her company so that she can come up with something original. She agreed with me, but the thing was she didn’t want to spend the money hiring a graphic designer, so she ended up hiring somebody through an ad. What happened was that the person’s portfolio was phony. It was pictures from the internet and other people’s creativity. This person knew the basics of the software, but wasn’t good at it. Later, she ended up seeing her logo in the internet for some company overseas. In a hurry, she took her logo down and had to start all over again. She never got in contact with the designer. I hope your readers can understand and learn from your article.
Comment by internet business
Made Sunday, 26 of October , 2008 at 1:08 pm
I would prefer a high rate graphic designer than those who are cheap. It is just the same since a cheap designer would cost a lot and spend a lot of time. I agree with your post.
Comment by Paul Antony Jose
Made Monday, 27 of October , 2008 at 6:25 am
I am very glad ,i would nt need an logo designer for a long time since iam running a blog
Comment by Paul Antony Jose
Made Monday, 27 of October , 2008 at 6:26 am
i am very glad i have a blog , and not a website ,you dont even have to put a logo in there
Comment by Quicky
Made Tuesday, 28 of October , 2008 at 1:52 pm
You may pay a lot or a little for the design, it does not really matter.
It is the quality of the design that matters and if it will sell your company or business.
If people are worried about peoples work not being genuine they can always ask for a few examples of work and then contact those companies to see if they are genuine.
Real designers will be proud of there work and more than happy to offer companies where references can be obtained from.
Comment by Connie
Made Tuesday, 28 of October , 2008 at 7:34 pm
My husband does my logo’s with some software we bought. Probably not professional looking but I think they are pretty close.
Comment by Clindy
Made Wednesday, 29 of October , 2008 at 5:45 am
It’s important to educate your prospective clients as they’re embarking upon a design job with you: give them an outline of what you will be doing for them, the reasons for the cost involved and why it will be of value for them in the long run.
Comment by Jon Williams
Made Wednesday, 29 of October , 2008 at 4:53 pm
I see your point here and it is a valid one. I certainly agree that a logo is more than just a flashy little icon and is deserving of proper attention. However, I also find fault with the company not knowing its competitors branding either. Sure, a good designer will also do this kind of checking, but a company should definately research their competitors enough to know what their branding is offhand. I think it may be a stretch to assume the “cheap” designer whipped up some clipart without thinking. It could be the case that the competition with similar branding doesn’t even have a website. Aside form driving around the location in question looking for vans, it would be impossible for them to have avoided the problem. So as I still agree with the main point, I hesitate to associate “cheap” design with bad design.. we all have to pay the bills don’t we?
Comment by Web Designer
Made Thursday, 30 of October , 2008 at 1:33 pm
I completely aggree with your point. As a web designer, we get customers who come to us asking for a website using the poor logo design that they paid next to nothing for as a starting point.
As corporate design is the basis of the website design it can prove very costly down the line.
Comment by Monique GraphicFusion
Made Thursday, 30 of October , 2008 at 10:13 pm
Yes! Im sure every designer worth his lick in salt has had to struggle with the common problem of convincing others the value of good logo design. Thanks for sharing this as I plan to bring up this example the next time I face this challenge.
Comment by Sean
Made Thursday, 30 of October , 2008 at 11:31 pm
Graphics design can be an incredible tool to have in your pocket. It is certainly something anyone with interest in web design should learn.
Comment by Marie
Made Friday, 31 of October , 2008 at 6:31 pm
Good post. I am in the process of helping an offline business redo their website and help with SEO and they are looking at redoing their logo. I agree that they need to be willing to spend a little bit to get one that is completely unique to them, and one that effectively shows what their business is about.
Comment by Jim
Made Saturday, 1 of November , 2008 at 8:00 am
Tara, I agree completely, branding is an essential component of marketing a business. And logo design is a vital tool in that activity. A good logo will stand the test of time - think about the nike swoosh, and the chevy “bowtie.”
And I think that a business logo should say something about a business’ intent, mission, and style.
Great post - Jim
Comment by International Shipping
Made Saturday, 1 of November , 2008 at 1:16 pm
Hi there
Thanks for the interesting article. I will really have to do some digging around. I paid somebody a few dollars to do a logo design for a new company. I found the person on a webmaster forum and I am now panicing a little that I may have a problem down the line. Some of the designers on these sites have turnaround time of a few hours. I am thinking it may be worth my while once the business is up and running to sit down and spend some time with an experienced designer.
Thanks Again
Gerard
Comment by Evolutia Web Design
Made Saturday, 1 of November , 2008 at 2:09 pm
I totally agree.
I get people trying to force their existing logo and corporate design into their website design. In the long run this means they have to redo the website, logo design, stationary, etc. Buy cheap buy twice.
Comment by Decals
Made Tuesday, 4 of November , 2008 at 4:43 pm
It is always best to invest a little extra money to get a good brand logo.
Hi Tara,
Thanks for your great bit of valued information. this is a subject that gets overlooked by alot of small and new businesses and I guess everyone is guilty of it, and that is everyone is out to look for a bargain. its alright if your looking for an Xbox or a Wii because this is driven on price, but a logo should not be driven on price. the client should look at the quality of the designer, the portfolio of the designer the testimonials then this will give a client a good idea of how much that designers time is worth.
Thanks
Regards
Taz
Comment by Graphic Design Wigan
Made Thursday, 6 of November , 2008 at 12:24 pm
Hi Tara,
Thanks for your great bit of valued information. this is a subject that gets overlooked by alot of small and new businesses and I guess everyone is guilty of it, and that is everyone is out to look for a bargain. its alright if your looking for an Xbox or a Wii because this is driven on price, but a logo should not be driven on price. the client should look at the quality of the designer, the portfolio of the designer the testimonials then this will give a client a good idea of how much that designers time is worth.
Thanks
Taz
Comment by Crystal Layden
Made Saturday, 8 of November , 2008 at 3:46 am
Your story make me believe more than price does matter. Investing on logo is not waste when we seriously want to buil a brand.
Comment by Quicky
Made Saturday, 8 of November , 2008 at 10:02 am
Price does not matter…
QUALITY matters
Comment by Teds Shopping Cart
Made Sunday, 9 of November , 2008 at 6:40 pm
Yes, Quality matters, not price, but honestly, can you tell a good logo from a bad one? I can sometimes, but I’m not a graphic pro.
Hiring a professional is a great way to help get quality
Comment by Quicky
Made Sunday, 9 of November , 2008 at 9:16 pm
Hiring a professional is a great way to help get quality
Not always the case believe me…I can vouch for that with the amout of fixing work I have done for people over the years.
Comment by Teds Shopping Cart
Made Monday, 10 of November , 2008 at 1:38 am
True Quicky, unfortunately
That’s why I said “help” get quality, not guarantee.
Comment by Penny Bright
Made Friday, 14 of November , 2008 at 5:55 am
I know some people who consider logo as something that unimportant. Those people don’t understand that logo is as important as their business reputation. A logo is the representation of a company.
Comment by James
Made Saturday, 15 of November , 2008 at 2:43 am
Yeah that’s right PRICE does not matter…
QUALITY matters… ![]()
Comment by James
Made Saturday, 15 of November , 2008 at 2:46 am
Graphics design can be a credible tool to have in your pocket. This is something specific to anyone with interest in web design should.
Comment by Kirk
Made Tuesday, 18 of November , 2008 at 6:15 pm
that’s the downside of getting your logo designed for less… sometimes it’s hard to resist a seemingly good cheap deal, but as it often turns out, there’s a catch…
Comment by Why does my computer freeze
Made Monday, 24 of November , 2008 at 5:01 am
Logo is one of the more important yet overlooked aspects of a website design. The logo is essentially your “brand”, when someone thinks of your website this image pops into their head. It is of utmost importance!
Comment by Quicky
Made Monday, 24 of November , 2008 at 10:00 am
A good logo is important. It just does not have to cost the earth and anyone who says it does is just ripping people off.
e.g. Some companies in London chargeing £25,000 for a logo and bullshitting saying they researhing the market and have done analysis when they have got there designer to knock something up in five minutes….(I have worked for them so I know this is fact but I will not name then as I don’t want to get my arse sued or anything)
and then you have the Nike logo, done for $25 or whatever which goes on to be a global brand.
Quality matters not cost….
Comment by Joseph Walker
Made Monday, 24 of November , 2008 at 5:39 pm
Logo has to be really good in order for your business to stand out among the competition. Great article!
Comment by Merleon_C
Made Tuesday, 25 of November , 2008 at 5:58 am
Paying other people to design your web graphics and logos can be quite costly. That is why I design all of my own graphics. Public Domain resources are extremely helpful.
This website is full of tons of helpful information as well.
Comment by kevin
Made Wednesday, 26 of November , 2008 at 4:20 pm
i don’t want a cheap looking logo… logo and design of your page tell a lot about your company, so it’s better to give a little more money for better looking logo, customers will remember it easily…
Comment by Quicky
Made Wednesday, 26 of November , 2008 at 8:36 pm
There does seem to be a train of though on here that more money = better logo.
It does not and never will. Quality of design does.
Comment by Phil
Made Thursday, 27 of November , 2008 at 2:16 am
I agree with you - but it’s worth pointing out that there have been plenty of occasions when very reputable designers and design companies have produced expensive solutions only to discover that they aren’t entirely original. Mimicry, copying or simultaneous creation is not limited to the low fee agencies.
The difficult reality is that little is truly original.
Comment by Internet Marketing
Made Sunday, 30 of November , 2008 at 3:51 am
I agree wholeheartedly. I’ve seen those ‘free’ logo design sites on the internet and the result is stunningly pathetic. I paid $150 for both of mine so far, and I’ll do it again as I have need. It is worth it. You get a very professional image, and as you mentioned, the assurance that yours is unique.
Comment by Paul
Made Thursday, 4 of December , 2008 at 12:07 pm
A company logo is perhaps the biggest single thing that can affect someone’s opinion of your company.
Lots of these cheap logo designers you see advertising do seem to do a decent job, but they have the hallmarks of all looking like it’s the same designer behind them all. Modern and nice, basically.
Cheap labour in India can be tempting to customers, and to be fair a one off logo is the sort of project you could easily outsource oversees.
Comment by windows designer
Made Thursday, 4 of December , 2008 at 2:29 pm
This is a subject that gets overlooked by many small companies - more should realise just how important it is.
Comment by Rajita
Made Monday, 15 of December , 2008 at 12:16 pm
If start up business have low budget then its better they design their own logo and get it improved professionally instead of going for cheap options which are nothing but clipart variations.They are an insult to art and creative skills of genuine logo designers
Comment by metrsofta.info
Made Monday, 15 of December , 2008 at 4:17 pm
Logo is a tool to attract people to a site why it should be cheap
Comment by thenoenkz
Made Tuesday, 16 of December , 2008 at 5:09 am
I agree with you. It is not all that cheap-work cost is good. We must see other factors such as port-folio, reputation, quality assurance and research methods. There are also factors likely accidental / incidental but this is very little possibility. The last one is a risk. This is a risk job.
Comment by Anthony
Made Wednesday, 24 of December , 2008 at 8:01 pm
using stock clipart for a logo? It really pays to check out who is doing your logo and and do some research on the logos others are using so that this doesn’t happen.
Comment by Shopping Cart
Made Saturday, 27 of December , 2008 at 2:14 pm
I’ve had good work with Craigs list and elance for my non-profit work, but it can be hot or miss.
For my corporate work I have a couple professional design firms I use.
Comment by mikel
Made Monday, 29 of December , 2008 at 12:19 pm
really it’s useful interesting and informative. thanks
Comment by Donny
Made Saturday, 3 of January , 2009 at 5:46 am
I totally agree with you Tara, i think now it’s the time to make my own logo..
Comment by Montan
Made Thursday, 8 of January , 2009 at 10:25 am
Its too bad to drive a car which is similar to the opponent..I like it..If we design ourselves we can reduce the costs up to some extent..
Comment by judith
Made Friday, 9 of January , 2009 at 1:14 pm
How I wish all this internet/computer stuff had been available when I was younger. How my career path could have been different. I just love all the tools available for doing design work, it can be so much fun even for the enthusiastic amateur just doing it as a hobby. However, at the end of the day you still need imagination and flare and that’s something you can’t buy or get off the internet. Some people just have it and others don’t. If you’re lucky enough to have it, go for it.
Comment by B.M. Garrett
Made Monday, 19 of January , 2009 at 2:51 am
That’s why I’m glad I learned how to do my own designs. It’s not that hard. Eventually when I have the money, I’ll definitely get a professional logo done, but for now, my skills are enough to get me by for “FREE”. I definitely don’t trust the cheap logo designers or the websites where they advertise that you can create your logo for free or cheap. Get you Microsoft Paint, Photoshop, Microsoft Digital Image Editor, Photobucket or whatever editing program you can find and just learn how to do it. It’s not too hard.
This does not suprise me at all unfortunately, It is terribly sad when people would rather pay next to nothing for something that may look good but is worthless to them. Places like 99designs do not help!
It is becoming quite big, and i see more and more business use that site, to have a logo designed by a 14 year old who can apparantly carry the title ‘designer’
I am gad i went to university to become qualified, but it does anger me that unqualified people can whack up a website, create generic logo’s, business cards… etc and get paid.
Great blog, glad i came across it.
Comment by Web Design Newbie
Made Monday, 26 of January , 2009 at 10:53 am
That’s why it’s important to take it as an investment and not just a quick job or procedure. The logo is the company’s identity to the public/market, so it needs to be on point.
Comment by Zuls
Made Tuesday, 27 of January , 2009 at 2:10 pm
thx for the tips, i always confuse about how to design logo ,,,
Comment by Anna
Made Tuesday, 27 of January , 2009 at 2:41 pm
I think that its important that we don’t confuse cheep logo design with bad or lazy logo design. Problems arise when designers cut corners to make a fast buck. Using stock logos as a bases and then plowing out lots of very similar logos to businesses within a small radius of each other. This is not good practice and lets the whole profession down. There are ways of working quickly and cheaply with out cutting corners, that can result in original, value for money designs a good starting point is to collect logos that inspire you, if you are after a vector shape to incorporate find a photo with a shape or silhouette that you want and use the pen tool over the top of it, this is much faster than drawing from scratch and the result are much more reliable. Another tool which is useful is Adobe Kular its an online application that allows you to create or view colour swatches and then download then for use in illustrator.
Comment by Utah
Made Wednesday, 28 of January , 2009 at 12:10 pm
Each and every line very good informative lines.It will help for graphic designers.
Comment by San Diego
Made Thursday, 29 of January , 2009 at 12:18 pm
Your blog is great with beneficial content that is helpful to everyone.I have given this link to our designers.They are appreciating me to give that.
Comment by Trevor Collins
Made Friday, 30 of January , 2009 at 6:15 pm
I agree entirely with your article. I make a point of telling my customers that no clip art is used in the creation of there logo. I have see the consequences of two firms having similar logos and it is not good.
Comment by Dave
Made Monday, 2 of February , 2009 at 10:51 am
That is amazing. Logo design is extremely important. If your company takes off this is what people will remember you by so it is worth taking the extra time to pay a bit more and have it done right.
Comment by Owen
Made Tuesday, 3 of February , 2009 at 12:12 am
In my past I would design logo’s that were not all that good. Then I realized exactly what you have written to be the truth…you get what you pay for
Comment by Web Design Newbie
Made Tuesday, 3 of February , 2009 at 9:35 am
And then you’ll have to register a ridiculous logo as your trademark! This brings much problems later on when you have to change your logo when you realize that it’s not that great, and now it will actually cost you more for the change.
Comment by Milton
Made Sunday, 8 of February , 2009 at 11:51 pm
Great article, I have to reassure clients that paying for a well designed and thought out logo can make the difference between you and your competition.
Comment by Lucy
Made Monday, 9 of February , 2009 at 1:27 am
I do believe that price always does matter. You’ll get what you paid. Logo is the soul of company. What ashame when you saw other company logo is similar like yours.
Comment by globallogo
Made Tuesday, 10 of February , 2009 at 4:29 am
Composition is one of the most important features of graphic design such as colors, shapes, lines, type, illustrations and images. Graphic designers are skilled on how to use them.
You can trust them for making effective logo to your business.
Comment by edho
Made Thursday, 12 of February , 2009 at 7:58 am
I like this blog…
Comment by Flena
Made Monday, 16 of February , 2009 at 7:32 am
Logo design is composed of an illustration or an image suggesting the name or nature of the business. With this logo we can get the overall information of the site which we are looking for.
Comment by Jana
Made Tuesday, 17 of February , 2009 at 9:12 am
Fabulous article and great information. I totally agree in all aspects.
Comment by Docran
Made Thursday, 19 of February , 2009 at 3:49 am
Of course a logo should be designed very typical, so it`s easy for customer to remember your brand. I agree, spend some money to build a great logo.
Comment by business marketing ambassadors
Made Wednesday, 24 of June , 2009 at 11:07 am
The logo is the branding of an entity. Big or small your logo should help people identity with your business as a brand.
Take Nike, the famous tick sign or Apple Inc with the apple sign nothing to do with what the company makes but today the brand image is so strong it is identified by hundreds of millions of people all over the world.



