According to some, not very much…
“I need a logo for my client that i’m building a online store for xxxxxx she wants a logo, her budget for the logo is $25. We kind of have a logo up there but she wants some something entirely different, something that encompasses here corporate name which is xxxxxx. plus also displays the actual website address. Upon accepting this job you will be transferred over to working directly with her so she can give you more details on what she likes. Keep in mind though I will need the logo in photoshop format and it will need to have a transparent background because it will be going on that header. Also note that that header is multi colored and will most likely need a white border. She’s told us a few things what she wants in a logo, she said blue text but basically you will be working with her on the design. I’m going to select the best person for her budget. I can’t take them at any higher price because she has already told me the limit she will spend. Pl ease post links to some of your work, I will not take a bid without some samples of past work, and positive feedback ratings are typically a must so I can trust that the work is actually yours.”
It seems pretty clear to me that if you’ve only budgeted $25 for your new company logo design, your business plan needs a little bit of a rework. After all, this is the mark that’s going to be among the first things any potential client sees. It has to sum up, in a nano-second, what your company is about and attempt to give a lasting (favorable) impression. Your logo is going to be the cornerstone of all your marketing efforts and will, hopefully, last the lifetime of your company. Doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that any ‘designer’ (and I use the term loosely) that, for $25, is willing to put in the R & D, concepts and back-and-forth that is generally required for any logo design project, probably isn’t the most experienced and/or skilled person for the job.
Hiring some kid at the local high school for your logo design is great (gives them some terrific experience) but even then, throw them a few more bucks. Hell, the first ‘professional’ logo gig I ever had was the development of my high school radio station logo (as part of a design contest) and even then (w-a-a-a-y back then) I received the princely sum of $100. My logo was selected because it was ‘neat’ (the name – Chinguacousy Radio – could be viewed regardless of whether the radio logo was right side up or not, as in a turntable – get it?). While this was arguably clever (especially for a 14 year old), because of the visual gymnastics I had to do to accomplish such a feat, the final image didn’t do much for the readability of the text. it never even occured to me that I needed to factor in the aspects of a logo that I now know are important. I merely made a pretty cool picture that happened to feature the name of the radio station. It looked incredibly complex when reproduced small, gummed up when reproduced in black and white (though admitedly, it did look pretty killer eight-feet-tall on the school cafeteria wall). But none of this mattered – I was $100 richer and had the bragging rights.
However, you certainly shouldn’t expect a professional to take a job bid like this seriously, and any bids that you do receive aren’t (and I’m going out on a limb here) from designers who understand the value, and importance, of an effective logo design either. If your budget for a logo is only $25 (or thereabouts) it’s pretty safe to say that your company is not ready to undertake serious branding just yet. Better to develop the bones of your company and revisit the logo design part at a time when you can approach its development professionally – from both client and designer perspectives.
That’s not to say you have to spend thousands and thousands – you don’t – but $25 is pretty well an insult (though I notice on the referenced job post the bidding topped off at $20. Sigh). There are lots of reasonably priced logo design solutions (shameless plug warning – The Logo Factory is but one). At least the $25 logo bid recognizes one of the true dangers of shopping your logo project in this manner – namely getting a ripped off design – when they ask for ratings so that they can “can trust that the work is actually yours’ (ie: the designers).
Now, you might argue that I have an axe to grind (which obviously I do), but even pro-small-business stalwarts like Entrepreneur Magazine realize the importance of an effective logo and the value of same. In their How to Create a Logo feature (fairy decent for a general overview), they suggest that you shouldn’t nickle-and-dime on this vitally important aspect of your business:
Don’t hire someone just because of their bargain price. Find a designer who’s familiar with your field . . . and with your competition. If the cost still seems exorbitant, Evenson says, “remember that a good logo should last at least 10 years. If you look at the amortization of that cost over a 10-year period, it doesn’t seem so bad. Your logo is the foundation of all your promotional materials, so this is one area where spending a little more now can really pay off later.”
Pretty solid advice. And while it’s true that you probably can get someone to design your logo for a paltry fee, you have to ask yourself – is this a wise investment? Is it really an effective logo value vs. cost decision? Better off spending the cash on a decent meal, and devoting a little more time on your business plan as your savor that $25 steak…
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