If you’re thinking about designing a logo for your business or renovating an existing one but are concerned about the costs, you should consider how much value a logo can add to your business. Logos are the foundation of all company communication. Your identity appears on more than company letterhead, business cards, and above the entrance of company office locations. It is on all advertising, marketing, and promotional material. And good logos get better over time. In 2004 a newly constituted Bank of America launched a new image with a flag symbol in red, blue, and black squared off and inverted into an interesting and eye catching shape. Today that image can stand on its own, symbol only with no text needed for viewers to know its Bank of America. Many logo design experts say a well designed logo should last about ten years before it needs renovation. So depreciating your cost investment in logo design over ten years shows it actually may not be as expensive as you think.
Finding a Professional
So where do you start? First, there’s the old fashioned “word of mouth” approach. Talk to your business associates and ask them who designed their logos. If you belong to any Industry groups or know of an industry related forum on the web, check them out as well; you’ll often find great referrals to logo designers. Check with the Chamber of Commerce in your area for local sources. A recommendation from someone you know and trust is always very helpful.
Low Cost Internet Designers
Internet technology has driven the costs of logo design down to extremely attractive levels. It’s possible to get a basic logo design for under a hundred dollars. Most Internet designers offer a variety of packages, with the price of the package increasing with the number of concept ideas included. Revisions are also something to consider when evaluating a package. A design package that will give you six concepts from which to choose but only one revision of your selection is not as valuable as a package that includes three or more revisions. To further differentiate themselves from the competition Web logo designers often include a variety of giveaways in their packages, like free business cards.
“Brick and Mortar” Designers
A logo designer with a physical location is going to have to charge more to cover overhead costs. Is it worth the extra money? The price difference here can run into the thousands of dollars. In today’s age of new media, the internet makes it much more affordable and also much easier to review a designer’s portfolio of previous designs. You can get a “feel” for your deign right from the comfort of your home or office. There really is no reason you should be paying thousands of dollars for a custom logo design to a brick and mortar design firm. Costs have dramatically decreased over the years so don’t be fooled into believing the cost of your new identity has to set you back thousands.
