Every other day, our phone rings, and we hear: "How much do you charge for logo design?" The truth is, you're asking the wrong question. And you're also asking the most open-ended question in the creative industry.
We must know more about the project and your business to answer this question accurately.
Another thing we hear a lot: "More than €50 for a logo design? I can get my cousin's friend's wife's cat to do it on Microsoft Paint for free."
Then why are you approaching a professional creative agency? If you don't see value in design for a business, that's fine. But give us a chance to explain.
Some people don't like talking about money.
If there are secrets regarding the budget, this kind of client often tries to get the cheapest deal, not the best service. These are not the sort of people that we would like to work with.
Being honest with your design agency about your budget is essential.
We want to work with people looking for the best ROI (return on investment).
And that's exactly what design is for your business - an investment.
People on freelance platforms or social media often offer logo design for less than €20. That is just absurd, and in this blog post, we're going to look at the reasons that logo design shouldn't just cost €20, why professional designers don't charge €20, and the reasons why you and your business have to invest in a professional logo and visual identity.
And don't forget:
While this post will focus specifically on logo design, much of this applies to the creative industry.
WHY DO YOU NEED A LOGO?
To understand the importance of a professional logo, we first need to understand what it is and what it is used for.
Your logo is often the first interaction potential clients have with your brand. And that's why your logo design must be effective.
As the expression goes, "first impressions last", and often "the first impression is the last impression."
Why not put that first impression in the hands of professionals? A professional logo design will bring instant recognition to your brand.
THE PROBLEM WITH CHEAP LOGO DESIGN
Let's look at the quality you can expect from cheap logo designers (€10-€100).
The following logos may offend professional designers or people with any design sense. Have a look, and let's discuss.
The first thing to notice about this "logofolio" from Fiverr is the unbelievably low price for a logo - €20.
That is less than the hourly rate we charge for design work. A client would get about 30 minutes of our time for that price. It's only around 2 hours of the Cypriot minimum wage. This leads to the next thought; you get what you pay for.
A " designer " process from Fiverr includes asking you for your business name and the colours you want them to use. That's it.
A professional designer or design agency should know everything there is to know about your business. If they don't, the logo won't reflect your brand and won't resonate with your target audience.
But what does a professional logo design process look like?
THE LOGO DESIGN PROCESS
The design process that ends with a great logo design is long. And it certainly costs more than €20!
At Ergon Creative, our logo design process looks like this:
Design Brief & Discussion: The designer meets with you and interviews you to help flesh out the project design brief.
Research: The graphic designer begins to research the client's company, their competitors, and their industry. During this section of the process, existing and successful logos in the client's industry will also be researched.
Sketches & Concepts: The designer begins sketching ideas and concepts for the logo. These are then shown to the client.
Mockups: The approved concept(s) are developed into something more solid for reflection.
Reflection: The mockups are put aside for several days and then revisited once the mind is clear and the ideas have matured. This allows for extra focus and highlights things that weren't apparent before.
Presentation: After the reflection, the final logo is completed alongside any other parts of the project. Once the last instalment is paid, the required logo files are handed over to the client.
Breathe a Sigh of Relief: The designer grabs a beer and enjoys the rewarding feeling of signing a project you're proud of.
More than €20's worth of effort and work goes into creating a logo that makes the right first impression, looks great and will stand the test of time.
Don't you agree?
WHAT DOES YOUR LOGO DESIGN PROJECT INVOLVE?
There's a reason that professional agencies don't price their work off a logo design price sheet. Every project is different.
Here is an example:
Designing a logo for a cafe is entirely different from creating a logo for a massive corporate entity.
And often, when people ask about the costs of a logo design project, they want us to work on their entire brand identity.
Sometimes companies need to re-brand. Other times they're creating brands from scratch. And again, this is entirely different from a single standalone logo project.
Your business is entirely different to your neighbour's business. And that's why design agencies don't work from a standard graphic design price list.
WHAT SHOULD YOU GET FOR YOUR MONEY?
When you have a logo professionally designed, at the end of the project, you should receive an email containing the following files:
Logo design in full colour
Logo design in a single colour
Horizontal lockup
Vertical lockup
Different file formats, including (JPEG, PNG, EPS and PDF)
Original editable artwork files
Any stationery design
Any other agreed applications of work (merchandise, social avatars etc.)
Check the contract you should have signed at the beginning of your project for exact deliverables, but if you need something extra, don't be afraid to ask!
WORKING OUT THE COSTS OF A LOGO
Businesses should expect to spend between €500 and €1000 on a well-designed professional logo. Towards the lower end of that scale, you're looking at a simple logo design such as a word mark or text-based logo.
As your logo design budget increases, so does the work's complexity. More intricate work may take place with the logo, or perhaps an icon or logo mark will be created to sit alongside your company name.
However, there is no set figure, and each logo design price can vary greatly. It's easier to give an estimate with a detailed branding brief.
Everybody charges something different. But I'm not a total cop-out, and I want you to leave this article with a rough idea of what pricing to expect.
If you were to come to Ergon Creative (remember, we're a graphic design studio) and ask for a quote for a single logo design, you'd always get a reply asking you more questions.
From there:
We advise our clients to invest a minimum of €1000 into their logo design and brand identity. We won't work on a logo design for any less than that.
And no, your cat's owner's brother's daughter's mother couldn't do it for cheaper and better because they're not a professional graphic designer!
A close friend of mine, had has this to say about pricing logo designs:
"I always advise them that their logo is a crucial part of their business and should be treated as such. As a rule of thumb, I would always advise someone who has a minimum budget of €500, but in an ideal world, something in the region of €1,000+ is a safer option to ensure that enough time can be spent on the logo that they can be confident it will be something they will be happy with."
Then there are people like Jacob Cass, Graham "I'm Just Creative" Smith and David Airey who advise bigger budgets such as €10,000-€15,000+.
Admittedly, with prices over the €6000+ mark, you're looking at more than just a logo design.
HOW MUCH DOES LOGO DESIGN COST?
These are ballpark figures, but they should give you an idea about what you should be looking to invest if you're serious about getting your business venture or brand off to the best start.
To get an accurate quote for your logo design, contact a graphic designer or design agency and have them draw up a custom quote for your project.
That is the only way to know how much your logo design will cost. How you choose your design agency is a different matter altogether.
If you're ready to start your logo design project, you can get a free quote from Ergon Creative by contacting us, or you may want to check out our design portfolio first.
We've already worked with some fantastic clients from the UK to the USA to create high-quality, professional logos that brands can be proud of, and we can do the same for you!
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