How much $$ for a logo design??

[katie b. - maine]

I want to have a logo designed for this upcoming year. I haven't looked into it

a lot so I'm not sure how much the average design costs. I have a friend of a

friend who is a graphic designer and says he'll do a logo for $300. Is this the

average price? It seems a little steep to me but I really have no idea. For

those of you who paid to have a logo designed for you, how much did you spend??

Thanks!!

[tony_hoffer]

Katie,

I work full-time as a Graphic Designer as well. Feel free to email me if you're interested. We

could definitely work out something cheaper than $300.

 

Tony

[ellis_vener_photography]

Logo alne or as part of an overarching marketing/ branding approach to your business?

 

Even at $300, a logo alone won't be worth it. I know because I've been down that road

twice. You have to look at it as just one part of your identity and marketing strategy

(branding). This includes Logo, website, portfolio presentation, letterhead, business cards,

choice of papers, direct mail and e-mail signatures, and follow through.

 

All that stuff is an extension of you. It has to say something about you or your business,

make you and your business memorable to be worthwhile.

 

It's a component of success not an afterthought.

[william-porter]

Katie,

 

The cost of graphic designers varies greatly, and the work involved in making a logo also varies depending on what kind of logo you want, how much creativity is involved, how many drafts you want to see, how much of an idea you can give the designer to start with, and how quickly you're satisfied. In other words, it's really tricky to estimate.

 

If you know exactly what you want and just need someone with Photoshop (or whatever) to realize your idea, and assuming that the idea isn't terribly complicated, well, then you should be able to get something done in an hour and pay $100 or something like that. If you're a major company, plan to use the logo for the next decade or two, and you want to do some market testing with various drafts, you could easily spend $10,000 or more on the logo. Get the idea?

 

Good luck. I hope Tony H. can help you and give you a good price.

[katie b. - maine]

Thanks for the responses! This is the e-mail I received with the proposal of the $300. He is throwing in the stationary package for "free" because I'm a friend of a friend. But I don't think I really need anything that extensive. I figure once I have the actual logo I can design my own stationary and business cards like I already am.

 

Logo package generally includes:

- 3 to 5 initial designs with color schemes.

- Revisions (normally around three).

- Delivery of multiple formats and sizes of the chosen

logo, for print and web.

 

Stationary package generally includes:

- Design of Business card

- Design of Envelope

- Design of Letterhead

- Revisions

- Delivery of print ready PDF and EPS format + source

files.

 

Thanks for the offer Tony, you will probably be getting an e-mail from me :) Ellis - I realize this is a major part of branding. And that's why I want to get it done soon, I'm also in the middle of a new website. Last year my business was just a side thing that I didn't put too much effort into building and advertising my self as a business. But I want to be able to quit my day job after this year so I know I really need to start branding and marketing myself. Thanks for reassuring me on that point :) William, I didn't realize having a logo design could be so extensive, looks like I need to figure out exactly what I want out of this process. Thanks!

[peterlyons]

For logo design also check out the design contests at sitepoint.com.

[tony_hoffer]

Sounds good Katie. My phone number is also on my photography website if you'd rather call.

[joshroot]

Don't forget, artists (graphic or illustrators) are businessmen/women just like we are. Don't discount the time and energy it takes to deal with picky clients and their "can you change this a little bit" requests. I watch my graphic design friends deal with clients that make nightmare-brides look like a walk in the park. Especially since the job is for a $300 logo or $500 brochure layout.

[leicaglow]

One option is logomaker.com. I think it's about $49. But Ellis is spot on. It's more than a logo.

[marv_stasak___southfield__]

I used LogoWorks, a web based design company for my logo, letterhead, and business card. I wasn't terribly impressed. They just didn't seem to "get it" with the logo design. I finally got one that I liked, but it really came after input from a separate designer. When they printed my business cards, the font size for the address and phone number was too small and difficult to read and I had to have them done over. Ditto with the letterhead.

[jana w.]

I was referred to Tara Andrysiak by a fellow photographer <tara_andrysiak@yahoo.com> . She is really affordable ($50) and has a really good turn around time.

[annealmasy]

A logo is... WOW. So important. Actually, as Ellis said, BRANDING is incredibly important.

 

I looked at your website, and you have lovely work, but absolutely ZERO branding

happening at this point. $300 sounds like a deal to have a truly solid logo and brand

created for someone who doesn't really even have any foundational branding going on.

 

I absolutely believe the price the designer gave you for the package he described is more

than reasonable, and absolutely worth it.

 

You need to look for a designer who has experience creating brands that you connect

with. You need to see samples of his/her work, and feel certain that you will get

something that will truly define you and set you apart.

 

Branding is an investment, not a random purchase.

 

Be very cautious about assuming something is overpriced just because it's new to you. I

know many, many people who have paid much more for a good branding package.

 

Branding is serious business. If you're serious about YOUR business, it really must be a

top priority.

 

:)

 

Good luck!

 

:)

[jay_m.]

LOL - $300

 

Are you kidding ? Dont be fooled by the people who told you it would cost you that much ! Go to GURU.COM and post a job on there for Logo design. Pro designers will bid for the Job and you can get it done from any where from $30 to $50 ! Spending more is just stupid.

[linda guerra]

WOW! The same thing happens to good graphic designers that happens to good photographers..."Don't be fooled into paying $3000 for a wedding, just go to craigslist and there's some dude on there that will do it for $300, paying more is just stupid." Righteously, ironically funny!! Well, not to some. Buyer beware and you get what you pay for, and all those things Mother used to say.

[tobias_vanderwerken]

Jay's logo looks like it cost $30.

[jill_gately1]

Hi Katie,

 

I would still recommend using the graphic designer to make your stationary templates and business cards. My graphic designer friend designed my logo. In return, I am giving her a portrait session of her new baby and I gave her credit on my web site. But if she wasn't already married I would have photographed her wedding for free since branding is so important. So you can always trade services if parties are willing. But, a good graphic designer will not only be able to make your logo, but will lay out the business cards, stationary, folders, etc....in such a way that it will tie in with all of your branding. Think of it as a photographer giving a client amazing pictures and having the client make a crummy album. There is a way to make a good logo look bad.

 

I gave my graphic designer friend some ideas, and then she went a totally different direction (after all she is the professional) and designed something that I immediately connected with. And she made my business cards and they are nice and clean. I wouldn't have been able to make that nice of a business card with the logo :).

 

Best of luck getting a logo that suits you!

 

My logo is attached.

 

Jill

www.jillgately.com<div></div>

[mike_lotz]

Peter...that sitepoint contest is pretty cool.

 

mike

[mreul]

Hi - i'm also a graphic artist. I've done much research on pricing in my market and nationally, since i work as free-lancer as well. For a small business 1,200 is the going rate for a logo. Just like photography many people do not understand the depth of what goes into building a great brand or logo for a client. If you can get a good logo for 300 than that is a steal. You don't always get what you pay for because there are many talented photographers and designers who will create awesome products for people that could be worth much more as much as there are crappy photographers and designers charging a lot of money and give a crappy product. This can also be switched around. With that said - DO YOUR RESEARCH. SHOP AROUND. and Take other professions seriously. I really despise people saying how expensive "design" is and then bitch about how photography is undervalued.

[mreul]

btw - branding & your logo is the face of your business. it's the first thing a client sees. this is very important. it defines who you are and defines what you are looking for. i understand some people can't afford this when beginning a small biz but do what ever you can to get a great brand/look and feel for yourself.

[fotografz]

In reality, for this kind of business a traditional "logo" isn't necessary.

 

Logo's are a "short hand" identity marker for a Brand ... like the Nike swoop, Honda's stylized "H", Chrysler's Pentastar, or Apple's logo ... it's meaningless unless you are mass communicating in the marketplace and establish that marque as standing for the brand ... which

wedding photographers don't do.

 

Frankly, Logo's for wedding photographers are just a vanity item, and a waste of valuable marketing money.

 

Design is a whole other matter. Establishing your Brand Personality through design elements and how you present yourself emanates from a well thought out business plan that includes a positioning statement or mission statement for your business. This takes thought and

some research of your specific market. Think of "positioning" as a parking lot. You don't want to try and park your car where someone has already parked. look for your own parking space.

 

Once you have that aspect on paper in concise language, a good graphic designer can translate it into an over-all personality that will provide long term continuity and guide all future communication pieces you may wish to do. This often includes what is known as a "Logo

Type" ... where the name of the company is a key design element. Examples of this are such "Logo Types as: Mobil, FedEx, Visa, IKEA, Lays, Dell, Land Rover, Ford, K-Mart, Denny's etc. Logo types are far more numerous as the key identity design element than logo's alone.

 

Unfortunately, most people are to lazy or cheap to do this, and just waste their money and time on fruitless efforts.

[jay_m.]

To Tobias Vanderwerken,- I happen to LOVE my logo and Its funny to think you can talk trash about my logo when you dont even have one or a website. Try getting a website and your own logo before you start trashing other peoples. And for your no clue comment, if you did or would spend $300 on a logo that just makes you a sucker.

 

To Linda Guerra, I do agree with your comment about your get what you pay for, but thats where It stops. There is no reason someone should spend $5000 for a wedding or $300 for a logo. There are way to many people out there that "expect" that there stuff is worth so much more than everyone else. And most of the time its not, so there isnt a reason why you should waste your money on a logo, when you get something just as good if not better for allot less than $300.