How Much Does A Logo Cost?

Today, we’re going to talk about how much a logo is worth and how much you should pay for one.

 

First, let us dispel of the notion of a cheap logo. No logo is cheap. If you buy a logo for $250, you’re likely to end up replacing it in a year or less. It’ll be stale, unproductive, it’ll feel aged and corny compared to your competition. You’re going to spend more money patching holes in your brand and compensating with advertising than you would if you just did it right the first time. If you work with a designer to create a unique branding and identity system, you’re going to be the one setting the trends. You wouldn’t go to a job interview or a client meeting in a ratty t-shirt and gym shorts, right? Then why should your business look anything but fabulous in every customer interaction?

 

Your logo is an organ of the living, breathing, changing system that is your brand. When you put it into this context, would you go price-shopping for a liver transplant?

 

Let’s think of that in terms of value: a logo is just a vector object, while a brand identity is how your communications look, from tone of voice, to colors, fonts, patterns, icons, logo versions, brand story, and most importantly, strategy.

Getting a brand identity system is like having a specialized surgeon skillfully transplant your liver, sew you back up, and meet with you when you wake up to make sure everything going well and prescribe medications as necessary, checking up periodically to make sure the surgery was a success. A logo alone is like the UPS guy driving up to your door with a box that says “keep refrigerated” and asking you to sign the clipboard.

 

Which is more valuable to you as a patient?

 

 

You’re not a surgeon! And even if you are, self-operation is pretty hardcore. I’m here as a branding designer and consultant to help you map out a path to success with your business. A significant part of that is visual identity and communications, and that’s one of the areas where I can really give you an edge. In fact, a good brand, including an excellent logo, can actually make you money.

 

What? A Logo Could…Make Me Money?

 

YES! That’s what I’ve been saying! Design work is an investment in your company and its future. Having a well planned and executed brand and strategy is essential if you want to grow. Just like it’s more expensive to invest in Apple or Google on the stock market because they’re dependable and predicted to grow, getting a significant return on your branding requires a significant investment. A $2,500+ branding system is going to help you out more than a $250 logo ever could, because it comes installed and with instructions!

A strong brand means continued business. If you do great work, treat your customers well, and look professional in your market, you will have continued success. Looking successful and professional makes you more attractive to your audience, leading to more business and continued success, starting the loop over again. You need great products, great service, and great branding. All three ensure that you’ll grow and prosper in the future.

 

When we think about your brand in terms of the value it can provide you, it turns the typical client-designer relationship on its head. Instead of the zero-sum game that currently exists, you’re equal partners with your designer and you’re both focused on the same goal: creating value and finding the right solution for your brand and business. And that’s how its supposed to be. I’m your partner here, you’re an expert in what you do, and I’m an expert in making you look fantastic while doing it.

In the end, the question is not “How much is this going to cost?” The question is “How much is this going to make for me?” The price of a branding project is a function of its value to the client. That’s it. It’s just a fraction of how much it’s going to make you. That varies widely from client to client and even project to project. That’s why I price out projects on an individual basis. Everything I do is custom work and you will never find another brand like the one I’ll craft for you. That’s a promise. I work very hard to come up with the best solution for your business, to help you get from where you’re at to where you want to be. Because that’s what a good designer does. I provide full branding strategies, not logos. Bare logos are for businesses that cut corners and try to scrape by with spending as little as possible. This is a mindset of scarcity and compromise, not one of growth, and your audience can tell. In order to grow, you need to think in the long-term and plan for the future.

 

How much can a logo make for you? We’ve touched on this a little here, but we’ll really break that down next week as talk about the value of brand perception and a few strategies to increase brand value.

 

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