Logo Design For Startups — Choosing The Right Option That Works For You
A detailed evaluation of available options
As an early stage startup, you might relate to the feeling of spreading yourself too thin between recruiting, looking for an office space and getting funded.
Once you’ve ticked the boxes on all of the above, you realize that you need to a brand identity to convey who you really are and what you stand for.
Chances are that your product or service is ready to hit the market but you have been hitting the wall when it comes to designing your logo.
Here’s a list of all possibilities, so that you can weigh your options at hand.
Working with The Pros: Getting a Design Agency on Board
Taking the agency route ensures that you get professional advice, the specialists, and experience. This option allows you to work in detail, at length with the team to develop your logo.
Usually, the agency’s approach is consultative and along with that, they provide the vector files. However, agencies don’t often work with freelancers or startups because of their large fee structures and operational costs.
Design agencies work with multiple clients, so you have to factor in additional time for getting the final results, which includes several rounds of iterations.
There’s no doubt that hiring a design agency gives you a high chance of getting something bespoke.
You might find yourself in a classic ‘chicken and egg story’ conundrum — spending big money to get a good logo in place or the other way around.
Tip: Do your research well to figure if the personality of the agency is a good fit for your brand.
Going Solo: Working with a Freelancer
Working with a design freelancer is the option that might deliver the highest level of customization and attention.
Freelancers charge a fixed fee or an hourly rate. Choosing an hourly rate can be tricky, as a number of edits can get the fees to go out of control.
If the freelancer is passionate about the assignment, chances are that you will get an excellent quality logo along with all the working files and vectors.
However, be prepared to invest time to work together to get the best results. The reality is that not all freelancers have the same talent.
Finding one that shares your vision, aesthetics and is professional when it comes to operations can be a daunting task.
Tip: Look for work samples that appeal to you to gauge the aesthetics of the freelancer. Be clear about your expectations, the brief and ways of working.
By The people: Crowdsourcing Your Logo
Crowdsourcing is the process of inviting multiple designers to create various renditions of your design logo while you can choose which you like the most.
A popular way of doing this is by holding a contest. A big advantage of this process is the opportunity of working with diverse talent from all over the world.
But you need to factor in the waiting time required as you wait for the logo options to be created while also being ready to have an ‘always on’ approach to communication.
While this option is budget-friendly, this requires you to hand over the power of the creative aspect of the design process to the designer.
Tip: Understand your requirements in advance and draft a concise design brief which is easy to understand. Choose a logo crowdsourcing platform such as 48hourslogo which has an extensive portfolio.
Keeping It At Close Quarters: Embracing DIY
Some people like doing it all by themselves. It’s a given that the understanding of your brand and what it stands for is the closest to you and there’s nothing wrong with that.
Thanks to the free knowledge movement, there are plenty of tutorials and resources available for you to help you acquire the skills necessary to design your dream logo.
However, the nuance of design is not easy. It involves translating your idea onto a paper and then the screen. Handling design software can be intimidating and uncomfortable.
The biggest payoff of this option is keeping control in close quarters and the only cost involved is — time and possibly a software subscription cost.
Tip: Ai or Sketch — choose a software option that is best suitable for your skill level.
Ready to use: using logo templates
This is an economical alternative that combines the aspect of templates and other elements that are designed individually by experts. However, a point to note that only buying these templates is not enough. You still need the design know-how and the man-hours to put the design in place. The biggest downside of this alternative is that these elements are available to all so the end result is not exclusive.
Tip: Do your checks to ensure that the vector files are available as a part of the package.
A Mix of Man and Machine: Online Logo Creators
Online logo creators help you design your logo by working intuitively to shortlist the best design for you based on your choices. There are free options but usually, they deliver low-resolution files.
On the other hand, there are advanced options that involve a fee but are relatively more budget-friendly in comparison to hiring an agency or a designer.
Evaluate different options and use a trial service, if available to assess the kind of results you can expect. Not all online logo creators deliver professional looking logos because they may have amateurish vectors and fonts.
This is the best option for you if you don’t have a big budget but still want a professional looking logo with the freedom of choosing. Also, the interface is mostly user-friendly and won’t require technical knowledge.
Tip: Choose a paid service over free so that you get end-to-end value across the process including vector files.
The smart Ai technology of LogoAi.com helps you design a logo in a jiffy. Now, we don’t want to add another layer of complexity and time consumption to your already busy life.
Instead, you get a bunch of created designs, and as you choose your favorite designs, the technology sifts through colours, fonts, vectors, and layouts to arrive at the perfect logo for you. The essence of your brand is not lost in translation when you decide to take ownership of designing your own logo.
Besides, designing a logo is absolutely free! You pay only when you are completely happy. All you need is clarity of thought, a vision, and some basic guidelines so that you avoid common designing pitfalls.
What Do You Think?
What are your main challenges when it comes to deciding on a logo? Let us know in the comments below 😊
