A logo for only $100! (Pt. 2)
April 13, 2014 § Leave a comment
And why you shouldn’t fall for it.
First, I’d like to address why I’ve never won the battle against an online logo service. By the time a company calls me and requests a proposal, they have already made up their mind to purchase the logo they’ve received online. They’re not giving me a fair chance, and they’re not placing any more value to my services than that of an online logo service. The best I can offer them that afternoon isn’t a logo- it’s simply a proposal. Words and a price estimate. Each time I’ve talked with a company in this situation, I’ve tried to get to know them and begin the research process- to hear their needs, find out more about their target audience… I go into consultation mode. And they simply don’t want it or don’t think they have time for it. They want me to tell them that I can match the price of an online logo for 20+ hours of custom design work, in-depth one-on-one meetings, several well thought out, thorough design concepts, specific revisions, and the implementation of not just that logo- but that identity into every visual avenue of their business. I simply cannot do that for what an online service is asking- I would be selling myself, my talent, and my services short.
So let’s dive into why you should choose a personal professional designer over an online logo service.
1. A personal designer is just that- personal. First of all, let’s look at why those companies called me before purchasing their logos online in the first place. Is it possible that they know better? They know that what they purchase online simply can’t compare to what they’d receive from me- so they decide to “give it a shot” before settling for something they found online. A personal designer goes beyond a brief form that’s filled out in a few minutes. There’s a relationship you’re making, a partnership you’re establishing, and that designer has your vision and your company’s best interest in mind.
As I’ve mentioned before, a designer’s job is to visually problem solve. How can a designer solve a problem sufficiently if they’ve never had a fluid conversation with you? Sure, a designer can receive detailed specs on your project, but unless you’re sitting face to face (or Skype to Skype), talking about the lovely weather and your child’s soccer team- certain pertinent details about you and your company will never surface. I take pride in my one-on-one time with my clients. I can often gain a real understanding of what my client’s personal preferences are simply from the light conversations that we have. My goal is to understand you, your business, and your target market as much as I am able. The success of your company rides on my ability to communicate your company to the public- and I don’t believe this can happen through a brief online form. How well can these designers see your heart, your vision, your direction?
2. Your logo design goes beyond your logo. If a handful of designers are able to put together a design for your company logo that you’re happy with, does it really stop there? A logo is just a piece of a big picture your company communicates. A designer shouldn’t create a logo with just a logo in mind. They should be thinking through how a logo looks when placed on one of your photos, when included in a brochure, when the elements are used in letterhead, business cards, and websites… it’s your company’s identity, it’s your company’s image.
After I’ve established a partnership with my clients and their businesses, they return to me for other design pieces, because I know their company’s identity better than anyone else. I know how to put together a brochure that says “your business” better than a designer who sees a generic logo, several colors, and some specs. Your logo design goes far, far beyond just an icon with your company name- and that’s something these random designers cannot control.
3. Your custom logo may not really be all that custom. How is it that it takes me from 15 to 20 active working hours to come up with three, great concepts tailored for your business- when online, a few designers can come up with around fifteen concepts for your business in less than 24 hours? It’s not that these logos have been used before, or that some aren’t even made from scratch just for your business (which I believe may be the case for several reputable online companies such as the one I used as an example in my previous post), but these logos are already made to a certain point, waiting to be tweaked with varying colors and font types, being “customized” for your business. Just browse through some of these online sites at the logo examples. Is there a theme throughout certain groups of logos? Are you guaranteed to end up with a leaf in your logo if your company has anything to do with gardens? How innovative are these logos? Remember, they’re showing their BEST projects and their BEST work. If you’re not blown away by the creativity they’re displaying as their best, you can’t be sure of what you might get, especially if you didn’t pay the extra fee for a top designer.
Designers have the eye for truly great design. If you can’t tell whether or not the logos on the website are really all that great, grab a design friend or someone with a keen eye for good design and get their opinion. How do you feel about the logo that they’re showing as their best work? There’s a reason why the logos of well noted organizations across the world aren’t seen on any of these websites. I’m not implying that there aren’t good and talented designers that work through these sites. I’m not saying that you’re guaranteed to end up with a poorly designed logo. What I am saying is that you probably aren’t going to end up with the very BEST logo for you and your business. If you aren’t pleased with the website’s examples- you won’t be pleased with the logo you’ll receive.
4. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is. If you do decide that you’d really like to go with an online service, please know that what you pay for is really what you’ll get. Steer clear of poorly designed websites or websites full of ads and flashing red prices. Avoid anything that advertises a too-cheap-to-be-true final cost; READ THAT FINE PRINT! Often times you’ll be tricked into paying up front for concepts, and then paying again for final files, additional files, rights to files, etc. etc. Be prepared for some curve balls and lots of unchecking of boxes that opt you in to things you’re not interested in.
Say you’re convinced that working personally with a designer is definitely far better than gambling with a cheap online logo service, but you simply don’t feel like you have the money or resources to use a designer. Well don’t settle, as easy as it might seem!
Here are a few tips for you and your startup to make hiring a personal professional designer possible:
1. Do your research and find a designer whose work you admire and think could capture your vision.
2. Get a rough quote from that designer so you have a figure to work towards and can anticipate, plan, and budget for.
3. Decide on the importance in investing in something that’s the best for your company from the very beginning. It is truly an investment, and in the long run- it will benefit your company.
4. Let your designer treat you to coffee and a good conversation. Talk things through with them, figure out what exactly your needs are, then discuss budget. Many designers offer stages and individual costs for each stage for your logo and brand identity, helping make the final figure more attainable.
Also remember you don’t have to live around the corner from a designer to work personally with them. I say if you have a phone and a computer- we can work together! It can be just as personal having a Skype session to talk through your ideas and vision as it can be sitting in a coffee shop together (though I’m afraid I won’t be able to say that your coffee is on me). No matter which path you pursue, or what decisions you make for you company- I hope that it’s the very best and that you thrive. It’s entrepreneurs and business owners like you that make a difference in our community and our economy.
Melody Christian- finickydesigns.com
A logo for only $100! (Pt. 1)
April 12, 2014 § 3 Comments
Don’t we all just love a good deal?
It’s happened to me several times. I receive a call from a company looking to update their brand. They’re tight on budget and time, and let me know that they’ve found the perfect logo online and are just a click away from purchasing it. BUT, they heard from a friend that I do great design work for businesses, and want to see what I can offer them before they go through with it.
I’ll be completely honest with you: not once have I been chosen above the $100 logo they’ve found through an online logo service. My proposal disappears into a bottomless pit of an email inbox. The company hasn’t even taken the time to send me a kind reply of rejection. (Tomorrow I’ll explain why this is.)
In this blog post, I’m going to dissect the appeal of these online logo services and the reason why I’ve never won the battle against them. Then stay tuned for a follow-up blog post about why you should choose a personal designer over an online logo service.
1. It’s cheap. When you look at comparing costs between working one-on-one with a designer and simply plugging in your information online and getting a variety of logo choices- the online resource wins by a landslide. I simply cannot hand over a logo that is worth 20+ hours of my hard work for $100. Nor $200. Nor even $300. So when a potential client asks me to “do one better,” I can offer that client a referral discount, or if they’re a non-profit- a ministry discount… but I cannot compete directly with that price.
2. It’s fast. Remember my little post about time being key for a designer? Well apparently the designers these online services hire don’t need the time! Many (if not all) boast to have logo concepts to you as quickly as 24 hours! Literally, you can sign up this morning, and wake up tomorrow with an inbox full of designs for your company. Our culture is a culture of RIGHT NOW. So why not a logo?
3. There are SO MANY concepts to choose from. Often times these sites break up the price points depending on how many concepts you want. Sometimes the lowest price bracket offers a minimum of 15 concepts. Fifteen! And from there, you can receive as many as 120 concepts depending on how much you would like to pay! WOW. Why choose a designer who can only provide you with three, maybe four concepts when you could have as many as 120?
4. Multiple designers, all competing for your business. Who wouldn’t like to have dozens- no, hundreds of graphic designers working on YOUR logo? And if you want to pay just a little bit more, you can be guaranteed to have some of the site’s TOP designers working on your project. Sure, you can put your project out there and have multiple designers give you a proposal from which you can choose from. But multiple designers all presenting you with real concepts- OH, and your money is refundable if you don’t like any of them? Surely, how can this be beat?
I’m going to quickly walk you through using one of these online logo services- and to make sure you’re confident I have nothing to hide, I’m even going to walk you through one that is one of the top logo design services. They’re reasonable (no $79 package here), they’re thorough (very limited in the fine print), and they have an overall decent design of their website (which means they actually contract out designers that can design). So, here we go.
And that’s it! Depending on your choices- you can expect to see up to 120 concepts within a week or two.
Now before I completely lose you and you help yourself to one of these sites- let me ask (and please do answer in the comments)… what’s the catch? Why do you think it’s better to hire a local designer to design your company logo than go online through a service? Why is it that a cheap, quick logo with hundreds of concepts and multiple designers working on your business identity shouldn’t be a reasonable option?
Read part 2 of “A logo for only $100!” and discover why you would choose a designer like me over a service like this.
One Child Matters
October 18, 2012 § Leave a comment
Today is a very important day for the organization I work for because -insert drum roll here- we changed our name! Yep, that’s right, we went from Mission of Mercy to One Child Matters.
While I’d rather love to claim I designed our new logo, the truth is I did not. But I have designed a number of pieces associated with the new brand. Check out the website splash pages for example: www.onechildmatters.org. (Many have asked to see some of my design work. Well, here’s your chance!)
What’s more important than a redesign? How about the reason behind the redesign?
Our organization is centered around these precious faces:
So isn’t One Child Matters rather appropriate? For me, this is the child that matters:
This is Lenhle, from Swaziland. She just turned five, and from the looks of it, she’s quite the little dynamo. Her mother has passed away, but thankfully her father is still alive and willing to nurture and take care of her.
I could spend the next half hour explaining to you the passion I have for the organization I work for, the work they accomplish, and the lives that they (and ultimately we) change, but instead I want you to discover it for yourself. Whereas you’d usually spend the next five minutes reading my post, instead visit One Child Matters’ website (or Facebook– whichever is more your style) and uncover the joys behind changing a child’s life through sponsorship.
And since you’re already into reading blogs, I know you would so enjoying reading the amazing stories of lives changed: One Child Matters Blog.
Thanks for the taking the time to read a little about what’s important in my life.