Why should your logo cost more than your lunch?

Logo Design Quality | A logo isn’t just a pretty graphic printed next to your company’s name. It is an essential part of your brand and usually the very first thing a client sees. A professionally designed logo boosts your image, conveys your professionalism and tells potential clients that you care about quality. That’s a whole lot of power for such a small piece of graphic to hold all on its own. Knowing the goal is to design something intended to carry this massive responsibility, even professional graphic designers approach these projects with a mix of thrill, dread, anxiety, fear and pride.

Your logo should look professional and appropriate to the business you’re in. It will be seen in ads, on merchandise, labels, signage, on the web and on social networks. Hiring a designer does require more of an investment, but the end result will be a logo with timeless beauty. Keep in mind that a poorly designed logo can hurt a brand’s image, so using a professional designer is always the best idea.

Audience

Designing a logo isn’t just about creating a pretty visual. What you’re doing, or taking part in with the professional designer, is building a brand and communicating a position. A professional designer will research the target audience to determine what appeals to it, and this goes a long way toward delivering a positive reception of the brand. You must consider not only age, but also gender, location, education and income. All of these factors influence what people are attracted to and how they spend their money.

Originality

The last thing you want from your business logo is to have it mistaken for a competitor’s logo. So when considering logo design, it’s important to keep it original. Every professional logo designer will look at what’s out there and find an opening for something new. Creating a unique design isn’t all about avoiding imitation, but also about creating something out-of-the-box. It’s tempting to just throw an industry icon on the page, but it’s vital to think creatively.

Color

Nothing makes an impact quite like color, which is why choosing the right palette is vital in logo design. However, every color has a different implication and can bring nuance to your message — an amateur designer will easily fall into the trap of communicating the wrong message because of the wrong color choice. Even if you have a good eye for color and a sense of what you want your logo to look like, you should still consult a professional designer. They will know whether or not a logo design will transfer easily into print or onto a sign.

Versatility

A logo is your company’s public face, so it must be easily transferable to any medium that bears your brand — whether it’s a fleet of trucks, business cards, online ads, social networks, or all of these. Your logo will appear in many sizes throughout your brand’s life cycle. Test it at business card size and billboard size to make sure it’s scalable. Making sure a logo looks right in any environment is a huge benefit of hiring a professional that will save you time and trouble over the long term.

Timelessness

Most logo designs are used for years, and a professional designer will rarely use ‘of the moment’ fonts or styles that may date quickly. Trends come and go, and when you’re talking about changing a pair of jeans, or buying a pair of new shoes, that’s fine, but where your brand identity is concerned, longevity is key. The design basis for an effective logo should be timeless elegance, so it will look right no matter how many years have passed or how many changes your business goes through as it grows.

Your logo is often the first experience a client will have with your company, which is why it must communicate the right message and make a large impact. When you hire a professional logo designer you’re getting training and experience that not everyone has. They not only have the education that covers the technical steps of creating a logo design, but also knowledge on consumer trends and marketing as well. However, if you choose to hire a logo designer, don’t do it on the cheap. $5 will not buy you a great logo or a good experience with a professional logo designer.