Do you need a logo design for your small business? There are plenty of options for getting one, including our easy-to-use, do-it-yourself design tool. But our tool isn’t right for everyone. Your business may be better off with a logo created by a professional designer.
How do you know which option is best for you? Below are a few things to keep in mind if you are considering hiring a professional to help with your logo design.
When To Hire a Logo Designer
You have a budget
You won’t get a good logo design for free. Or for $5. Designers need to buy groceries and pay rent. So the first thing you need before you hire a designer is a budget. For something simple like a logo, you won’t need $10,000. But for a good logo designer, you will need something in the range of $250-1000. If you only have a marketing budget of a few hundreds dollars to launch your new business, you can easily spend it all on your logo, leaving nothing for your marketing efforts. If you don’t have a large enough budget, there are other more affordable options for getting a logo for your business.
You are willing to pay even if you don’t like the work they do
Sometimes projects don’t work out. You hire a designer and don’t like what they create. It happens. Often a designer can make changes that bring their designs closer to what you had in mind, but other times, it just doesn’t work out. Unfortunately you still have to pay for your designer’s work. This is generally called a “kill fee” and it’s what you pay the designer to end your contract. You end up with nothing, but you still pay. This is definitely something to consider and discuss with your designer before you hire her.
You don’t have time to do it yourself
This one is tough. As a small business owner, you probably don’t have much time for anything other than running your business. So squeezing in time to create a logo can be a hardship. On the other hand, if you hire a designer, you’ll have to spend sufficient time with them to help them understand your expectations, the ideas represented by your company, and how you will be using your logo.
You need ideas
If you have absolutely no idea what you want for your logo (but you do have a pretty good grasp on your business and what makes it different from others), it may be worth investing in a relationship with someone who can help create a professional logo design. Designers are creative and are at their best when challenged to come up with new ideas. If you can’t find logo ideas on your own, you may want to consider hiring a designer to help.
You are in a design-competitive field
In industries where an image is critical (fashion, photography, other creative fields), having a professional help create your logo may be worth it. They can help you make sure your logo is hip and attractive to your audience. If you’re not in one of these fields, you may be able to get away with a do-it-yourself logo design.
You are willing to take advice from someone else
Designers are opinionated. They tend to care very deeply about the work they create. And they’ll make sure to tell you what they think is best for your business. If you need a second opinion about the colors and images your customers will respond to, you may want the help of a professional. However, if you already know what you want or aren’t willing to trust someone who doesn’t know your business as well as you do, hiring a professional may be more than you need.
Final thoughts on choosing a professional logo designer
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. We’ve linked to it above, but if you need an inexpensive logo your best bet is to do it yourself using a tool like Logomaker.
