Here’s the thing, branding is so important, I know it, you know it, we all know it. It contributes to giving your business a personality, recognition, and plays an important role in attracting new customers. If you aren’t sure how much you should expect to pay, or if you don’t know what you should be looking out for in a brand designer, read on, my friend.
I’ll help you figure out how to navigate choosing reputable designers and getting an effective and affordable (for you) small business logo.
Let’s Cut To The Chase, What Is the Minimum Investment to Hire a Logo Designer?
Of course, every business is different, but as a personal rule of thumb, I’d say that you should have at least $500 to work with for your business logo. This is a starting range that will ensure you’ll get a fairly good designer who produces fairly good work. The more you plan to develop your brand, and the better a designer is at their job, the more you can expect to pay. But, as the great Anthony Soprano would say, “but not for nothin’.”
Good designers have higher prices because they’re in higher demand - cause the're good! Just like you’ll be when your product or service is flying off the shelves and booking into next year. Strong designers can’t afford to put the time, knowledge, effort, and skill into logos if they charge too low rates. Designers have to eat too, y’know?
But fear not, while a fully thought out brand identity is insanely beneficial to a business, it's not necessary to go all out. A simple logo will do just fine for most small businesses and will help keep costs low until you’re ready to hire a designer who can fully develop your brand.
Bottom line, can you get a logo for $5? Yes, but you truly don’t want to.
4 Things to Consider When Hiring a Brand Designer Within Your Budget
1. The right fit. If you’re setting out to hire a designer, you should know what you’re looking for. Does your sister’s co-worker's daughter even have the design style you’re looking for in a logo?
Listen, designers are like singers. You wouldn’t ask Blink 182 to sing an Ariana Grande song – (except now that I think of it, that could be amazing). Therefore, you wouldn’t want to ask your family friend who’s a painting major to develop your brand logo.
Every designer’s personal style is different. Some lean into more type-style logos and others make stellar logomarks. Research a designer that has created things that look similar to what you envision for your business and reach out to them!
2. Are they in your budget? You came to this article because you either A. Want validation in spending less on a logo, or B. Want to save up a reasonable amount of money before you go hiring a designer. Take a look at your expenses and figure out what you can truly afford and find designers who offer packages within that range.
Also, a good designer should ask what your budget range is and help you find out if their services can be executed within that range.
Most designers won’t drop their prices for you, but they may help you adapt so they can provide you with something that still meets your needs. A small business logo can cost anywhere from $5 to $10,000. If you choose to work with a designer on Fiverr who charges lower rates, you may get what you pay for low-quality work.
To make sure your logo reflects your company’s image and mission, search for designers who charge the rates you'd like to make as a designer and also have quality work. These professionals are likely to deliver high-quality logos that will help your brand make an impression.
3. Check designer reviews or ask for references. It’s tough to get busy clients to hand out reviews, but I know I have a handful of clients I’d refer to a potential client who can vouch for my work. This can also be a good stage for the designer’s portfolio to come into play.
If you like their work and want something similar done for you, they may be the one you’re looking for! Check out Superlunar’s portfolio for a good example.
4. Be prepared... with materials! Before you start working with any professional, make sure you have all of your relevant information organized and readily available; doing so makes it much easier for everyone involved. This includes anything related to your brand, website or business plan as well as photos of existing marketing collateral (if applicable).
Hiring a designer can be quite exciting, but it’s important to remember that the process takes time. You may be ready to hit pause on traditional promotion and invest in growing your visual identity first. In some cases, an excellent logo can attract plenty of attention and drive people back to your business – without additional promotion expenses.
What Is The Design Process?
The typical design process begins when you hire your graphic designer. There are several types of small business logos, including wordmarks and symbols, so it’s important to communicate clearly with your designer about your preferences. If you aren't sure what those are, your designer should walk you through the different types and should be able to recommend the best option.
Once that's decided, your graphic designer will create a few mockups for you to choose from; after that, all that's left is for you to refine your logo until it's just right!
What If I Want More Than Just the Design?
Graphic designers and ad agencies tend to be great at designing logos, but they may not be well-versed in small business identity development. A comprehensive small business branding strategy needs more than just a logo design; it also requires additional elements such as color palettes, typography systems, brand guidelines, an integrated marketing plan, and much more. Identifying these elements early on can help avoid issues with brand identity down the road.
Superlunar’s designers are pros at developing brands. We offer everything from brand design, web design, and digital graphic art services that will get you noticed online and offline. By the way, at Superlunar Design, there is no one size fits all solution: We take our time listening to your wants and needs in order to create something unique that reflects what you do.
What If I Can’t Afford Anything Above?
While it’s true that quality custom branding can come with a hefty price tag, you don’t have to spend thousands of dollars to create something you love. Many small businesses are finding success using tools like Canva—the graphic design platform with pre-made templates and fonts that can help get your branding started quickly, affordably, and easily. However…
If I Use a Free Version of Something, Will My Brand Look Cheap?:
Anyone who’s ever googled free logo maker online knows how easy it is to find free resources for designing and creating logos online. But this comes with caveats. Using those free services doesn't mean your logo has to look cheap, but making your logo on platforms with preloaded graphics means that the artwork doesn't actually belong to you. Likely, many people will probably be walking around with the same logo elements as you.
However, they are decent when you aren't able to contribute money to get a fully custom logo.
Good News? You have options.
You have options. You don’t have to spend thousands of dollars on your logo. If you're really strapped, you can also try designing it yourself with an online tool like Canva, or take your business to a local freelancer or graphic designer. Keep in mind what we mentioned about rights to your logo and just make sure that whatever you do, you create something that represents what you want in an affordable way and gives your business longevity in its visual image.