In today's market selling quantity seems to be the
rule of the day. Slap together something quick and don't worry about
what flies out the door, it doesn't even matter who the purchasers are.
Companies who focus on branding will stand out amongst the crowd. Why?
They have recognized that most buyers' especially online buyers need
confidence in doing business with an established entity. Nothing shows
your commitment to your business like a well developed branding
strategy. Having a great logo is the first major step towards
cultivating this development. Sure there are plenty of "out-of-the-box"
logo solutions and the prices are more than appealing to a business that
doesn't recognize the value of their corporate image.
The Difference
Why should you spend more than $300 on a logo? Would you buy a car for
$1000? Chances are if you do you'll be paying a lot more for maintenance
and the headaches it will bring. You always get what you pay for. This
can't be stressed enough. If you are willing to sabotage your business
from the very beginning by neglecting the image you portray to your
potential clients, that logo will be costing you a lot more than you're
willing to invest. A professional Graphic Designer will invest a lot of
time, researching to produce a logo that is truly unique (vital to
branding and making your mark) and introduce you to a solid first step
in Branding your company as a powerful entity. A logo is further
enhanced by the elements built around it. With everything related to
design, everything should be custom made, now more so than ever because
the competition for capital is increasing. You have to be better than
your competitors in as many ways possible.
For the young start-up company, budgets may disallow you the option of
working with a professional designer. There are plenty of great
designers out there that won't gouge your pocket book but be certain
that they are capable of creating exactly what you want and that they
have the experience to expand upon the logo design provided. You want
someone who is business savvy and has demonstrated their applied
knowledge. They must be able to foresee the bigger picture. The success
of your business rests on this.
Putting it Together
Generally speaking the more experienced the designer the higher the
rates charged. With the experience you will usually get a product that
has been developed and refined over time. A veteran Graphic Designer
will be designing with the big picture in mind taking your investment
dollars further. The numbers quoted are relative to what they generate,
a client will be happy to invest money when they see return. If the
image developed for them attracts customers price becomes secondary.
Recognize the value of your image and take your logo very seriously. As
human beings we are visual.
For the long haul
Generally a business that has quality services to offer and takes their
image seriously will understand the value of investing in professional
design. Most successful businesses know how much they must devote to
marketing in order to generate the sales they desire. Those marketing
dollars will be more effective if your Branding approach was cultivated
properly. If you take your business seriously chances are you'll attract
the same. How do you want to be viewed?
A Bit about the Logo
For the most part focus was placed on the business mentality rather than
the logo itself. There are different types of logos. Many large
corporations utilize strictly text or abbreviations. Companies like
DELL, IBM, RCA, ABB, etc. Text logos are very popular and are easily
integrated across the Branding board. Iconic treatments are also
utilized by many businesses. An icon can be very powerful in identifying
a company. Take Apple or Nike for example. Using imagery is a very
powerful strategy in branding. Symbols guide us in our lives and daily
activities. Icons can be very simple and clean to more complex utilizing
gradients and simulated 3D. Illustrative (beyond iconic) is less
frequently used but can work effectively for companies that usually want
to portray a timelessness or "natural" homey feeling typically found on
a bottle of tomato sauce or organic potato chips.
Everything outlined above can dictate the price of your logo. The logo
is a powerful aspect of your company. It should take time to create and
will require much attention if it is to create a powerful Branding
strategy. Be sure that the logo designer of choice is willing to provide
you with mock ups and multiple revisions and is willing to help take
your company to the next level.
Author Bio
Tyson Fenech is the Creative Director for Core Creative Concepts.
Designing web sites and print materials for the past 7 years helping
both small startups and Fortune 500 companies.
www.coregraphicdesign.com
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