Logo Design - How much should I pay?

[Future_RKC]

In my experience you always get what you pay for but with prices ranging from £19 to £150 for a logo design I am curious as to how much I should pay?

 

[Fresco_Creative]

To be fair, pay for what you will be happy with

Consider whether you are working with someone who can give you THE design you want

Honestly, quality and then secondly value, is what you should be looking for

 

[Future_RKC]

To be fair, pay for what you will be happy with

Consider whether you are working with someone who can give you THE design you want

Honestly, quality and then secondly value, is what you should be looking for

How will I know if I am working with the right person until they actually design me a logo?

Correct me if I am wrong but If I instruct someone to design me a logo then I have employed them for which I will have to pay something?

 

[Dawg]

Do you really think £19 will cover the training, studio costs, living expenses etc of someone with the talent and experience to brand your business effectively?
Possibly in some parts of the third world, but will they understand what appeals to your local audience?
Personally I think £150 is cheap for an important part of your company's/business's public face.

If you instruct someone to make you a logo you have entered into a contract with them.

 

[Deancourt Design]

"How will I know if I am working with the right person until they actually design me a logo?"

Well, ask to see previous examples of work to see if their style suits you, give them as much information about your business as you can and, at the end of the day, you'll just have to trust them.

They are offering a service just like any other business, and as others have said, if you want a good logo that does it's job, then you get what you pay for.

 

[Future_RKC]

Do you really think £19 will cover the training, studio costs, living expenses etc of someone with the talent and experience to brand your business effectively?
Possibly in some parts of the third world, but will they understand what appeals to your local audience?
Personally I think £150 is cheap for an important part of your company's/business's public face.

If you instruct someone to make you a logo you have entered into a contract with them.

Certain industrys have become so competitive prices have been driven down. I am wondering if this is the case with logo design especially when you see so many adverts on google with low quotations.

Hence why I have started this thread to gather some opinion!

 

[Tommo]

Have a look at peoples portfolios - when you find a designer that has the right style - pay what they charge.

My MS paint skills beat a large number of designers who charge excessive amounts.
You don't necessarily get what you pay for (works both ways)

 

[Deancourt Design]

"Certain industrys have become so competitive prices have been driven down. I am wondering if this is the case with logo design especially when you see so many adverts on google with low quotations."

I think the crux to this discussion is what you think a logo is and how it relates to your 'brand'. If you think a logo is simply a graphic at the top of your letterhead, that takes a few minutes to think up, then by all means go for the cheapest price you can get.

However if you think, as designers do, that a logo is the most important aspect to a business and sums up, in one glance everything you stand for, then you will, and ought to pay more.

I think you need to ask yourself, do I want the former, or the latter. Most small business think of the former.

Are they right? well I run a design and print business so I'd say no, but there's more to it than that - it's a very difficult argument to win, when you can get any number of logos for £10 from competition websites.

In the end, companies like mine have to convince customers like you that logos are the cornerstone of your business.

 

[Baz Watkins]

A company I worked for paid £20k for a series of brand logo's. As this was a worldwide brand all manner of discussions took place on the merits of a design including the psychology behind it, the message it gave, the recognition it would develop etc.

I still think they overpaid, but the process did take months of meetings, examples were adapted or dismissed and so on. In the end, the company had 30 prime examples, all with subtle variances, and they chose the one they liked. The logo had no monetary value in reality, but the process of choosing it, and understanding the reasons behind the choice took all the time and money.

As others have said, a logo's price is based on the need for it and its use. If you want an image at the top of a page, a designer can deliver one out in an hour and charge you £30. If you want a brand design, that will be seen on every single bit of stock, contact info or promotion you deliver, you will pay a LOT more.

Also it depends if you want an image designed, or ar happy with a text design. I can do text designs like most other people, but if you want something illustrated, you need a suitably qualified graphic designer who has knowledge of various software including Photoshop, Illustrator, Fireworks, Coreldraw and can also draw freehand and build a design concept up from scratch, and that I'm afraid takes money and time.

I read an article once that stated the most vauable part of Nike's business was it's logo, it was known worldwide and transended languages. Apparently at one stage the brand logo, was worth more than the company itself, or something like that.

So your logo's price is based purely on the value you place on its need and use.

 

[Zack Donovan]

I can recommend a fantastic designer if you wish. She'd probably do it for £200-250.

I can show you some of her work if you PM me. I am sure you'll be impressed.

 

[Paul Norman]

Here is another way of looking at it.

How long do you want your logo designer to spend on your logo? An hour - then you should budget about £50 to £75. A day - maybe £200 to £400.

I think £500 is not expensive for a good logo.

 

[iDMG]

I've used this technique a couple of times.

Over at Digital Point you can post a "competition" for someone to design your logo for you. Set a prize of say $50 and give them a brief. People will then post their entries, pick your favourites, get them to make any tweaks you want and then pay them the $50. The higher you set the prize, the more (and better) applicants you will get.

Just be careful over at DigitalPoint of any scammers - make sure you have the artwork before sending payment.

 

[Tommo]

Only problem (experience) is DigitalPoint is full of 12 year old kids peddling warez scripts, got to be so careful these days (See Getty thread) that your logo is clean in regards to stock images and fonts.

 

[Paul Norman]

Listening to the comments on here...I really hope all your people are cheap as chips with the services you provide! I still think £500 for a logo is no way expensive.

 

[Baz Watkins]

Me neither, once you take into consideration:

1. Researching the client.
2. Researching their market.
3. Working out their core message.
4. Demo's and dry runs.
5. Redesigns because client has seen, heard or thought of something new.
6. Last minute what if's.
7. Minimum hourly rate.
8. The time stuff actually takes to do.

B.

Listening to the comments on here...I really hope all your people are cheap as chips with the services you provide! I still think £500 for a logo is no way expensive.

 

[umbrella-technologies]

Logo is an identity through which your brand will be recognized.

One cannot justify the cost of the logo but what ever logo you choose, make sure it is unique and going to stay long.

We decide the cost after knowing the clients requirement as you get an idea how much efforts you need to take.

For me a company's hard working, quality service and product makes a logo great.

 

[thetime22]

I've used this technique a couple of times.

Over at Digital Point you can post a "competition" for someone to design your logo for you. Set a prize of say $50 and give them a brief. People will then post their entries, pick your favourites, get them to make any tweaks you want and then pay them the $50. The higher you set the prize, the more (and better) applicants you will get.

Just be careful over at DigitalPoint of any scammers - make sure you have the artwork before sending payment.

Brilliant idea! Thanks for sharing.

 

[Tommo]

Show me your £500 logos for a small business.

 

[pickaweb]

A logo is very important, can take a few revisions to get it right.
You can find freelance designers in places like odesk.com to do it for you.

 

[Future_RKC]

Some really good responses here, I appreciate all of your input and you have really made me realise how important it is to get it right.

I am trying to create a brand (somewhat). I am in the fitness industry more specifically I am a strength and conditioning coach who specialises with kettlebell training.

At the moment my target customer is looking for fat loss but long term my aim is to cater to amateur and professional athletes who are looking to increase their sports peformance.

When I think of my long term aim for my company then I realise how important it is!

Thank you for your answers.

 

[Pocket Money Designs]

This article that I have written may be of some use in the quest for a great logo

 

[MelanieMartinPhotography]

Wow £19 is that one of those generator companies. I was lucky enough to have a talented friend who in return for photos did my logo. I used to work in a design company and they charged £3,000 for a logo. So if you can get one for £19 wow.

 

[Eagle]

In my experience you always get what you pay for but with prices ranging from £19 to £150 for a logo design...

You're definitely searching in the 'lower end' of the price scale for professional logo design, there.

 

[tallsdav]

Some really good responses here, I appreciate all of your input and you have really made me realise how important it is to get it right.

I am trying to create a brand (somewhat). I am in the fitness industry more specifically I am a strength and conditioning coach who specialises with kettlebell training.

At the moment my target customer is looking for fat loss but long term my aim is to cater to amateur and professional athletes who are looking to increase their sports peformance.

When I think of my long term aim for my company then I realise how important it is!

Thank you for your answers.

Me too, but i also work as a sports nutritionist.

Good luck with the business!