Logo Sketch

So you are starting a business and need a logo design! Great. The only problem is you’ve spent your start up money on other parts of the business. How can you have a logo designed without taking out another loan?

TIP #1 – BE PREPARED! (this is the most important tip and the other tips fall under this)

Know what you want before you even contact a logo designer. If you have a great idea for your logo design,  sketch it out on a piece of paper. The less work a designer has to do the less money he/she will charge. Here are a few things to think about when brainstorming for your logo design:

#1 goal of a logo is to communicate.  What do you need to communicate? Think about:

• What do you actually do?
• Who you are marketing to?
• What type of logo style goes with your product or service?
• What colors convey the mood you want to go for?

TIP #2 – Ask for the hourly rate

This goes along with being prepared. Many designers have a logo package but also have a set hourly rate anywhere from $40-$100+/hour. As long as you are prepared, you will save money.

TIP #3 – Be specific, but not too specific

What you sketched out your logo, it will be hard to match exactly and unless you have a hidden artistic talent, it will probably look rough on paper. If you envision elegant script-like writing in your logo, designers can accommodate your choice with many script font options and can match what you want pretty closely.

TIP #4 – Bring samples of the style of logo you like.

This is probably one of the better things you can do, because designers can see a visual example of what style you want. Visuals are almost always better for communicating with designers. Instead of saying you want something elegant, you can actually show them just how elegant you want the logo to be.

Check these sites out for logos styles:

www.logopond.com
www.identityarchives.com

TIP #5 – Keep it simple.

Don’t sketch something so complex that the designer is going to spend a day recreating it on the computer. A logo should be simple.

TIP #6 Let the designer design. Give him/her freedom!

Some of the best designs come from when a designer is given the most freedom. Give them freedom to let the creativity flow and you will have a great logo design for a great price!