Logo design; what are the options?

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Having a logo designed can be a daunting affair because all you really know is that you want one, and nothing else.

What colour should it be? No idea.

What type of font will best suit your brand? Who knows.

And what are the various design options available to you? Haven’t the foggiest.

Like we said, it’s a daunting affair; but there’s no need to worry because we’ve got you covered. This article will lay out the various options available for your logo so you can make an informed decision on which is best for your brand.

Independent Graphic Designer
Graphic designers are individual freelancers who usually work solo.  They will sit down with you for an initial chat to ask about your brand’s vision and the image you want your logo to embody. And after that, they’ll get to work, creating a number of options and periodically sending you logo revisions until you’re happy.

They can charge from as little as £100 all the way up to about £3000, and where they’re concerned you tend to get what you pay for.  Loosely put, the best and brightest generally charge a premium for their services while the lesser skilled do the exact opposite. If someone quotes you a price that seems too good to be true it’s probably wise to ask yourself what’s going on. Are they brilliantly talented but saintly of heart and not motivated by money? Or are they just a bad designer with a poor track record? Would you ever charge less than the going rate for your services if you were at least average at your profession?

That said, however, there are some exceptions to this rule.  Promising design students or highly skilled graduates who need to establish themselves in the industry will be more than willing to undercharge for their work.

In any event, you’ll want to thoroughly research the designers you’re thinking about hiring because their standard of work can vary. Look at their portfolios, read client testimonials, see how long they’ve been in business, and think about their billing strategies. Do they bill by the hour or at the end of the project? Have them give you an itemised list of their services so you know exactly what you’ll be paying for when you work with them.

Also, realise that depending on the experience level of the designer you hire, your logo could go through many iterations so be aware of the possibility that you might have to give a lot of feedback.

Logo Competition
A logo competition is exactly what it sounds like.  A contest is created in which designers from all around the world submit their work in the hopes of being getting a commission for your new logo. You’ll have the security of paying a flat rate for the work and will also get lots of different logo options to choose from. The contest will take place over a few weeks which will give you lots of time to analyse the work that’s been sent in and speak to the designers that most interest you.

One thing to note is that the higher the prize for your competition then the more skilled the entrants will be. The average is about £2000.

Marketing Agency
An agency can easily charge you upwards of 20K for their services and the biggest companies could even charge into the millions. But that said, it’s unlikely that you’d get a design agency on board just for a logo. They’d most likely be giving you a complete top to bottom rebranding package, for which they’d conduct research and analyse your competition to put together the perfect marketing strategy for your business.

But don’t assume that all agencies are as good as each other because they vary just as wildly as individual designers do. And what’s more, considering the amount you’ll spend on hiring one, the pitfalls of making the wrong choice are even steeper. Make sure you research any and all agencies that you’re interested in hiring.

Software logo design
Online logo designers are now a thing and companies like Logojoy and Canva are leading the charge with handy resources for getting your design ducks in a row. Recent developments in the world of artificial intelligence have allowed automated logo design to make quantum leaps in terms of quality of output.

The way they work is that they employ specialised software that’s been programmed to think like a highly talented designer and has all of the design rules installed that a skilled human being would know. Which colours complement each other best, which fonts and shapes evoke specific emotions, and so on. All of this comes together to create an interface that makes professional pieces of artwork for just under £200.

What usually happens is that you sign up to the website, select the logos you like from a list of examples, enter various bits of info about your brand and then sit back while the system builds you a bespoke piece that’s tailored to your needs.

Another great resource is called “How to Make a Logo” and it gives a visual breakdown of the options covered in this article. Good luck getting a logo you’ll love!

 

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