It's not the logo size that matters. It's the logo budget. If you've set aside $100 for your logo design budget, you're very likely not doing anything to help your future income source (your business). In fact, you may be harming it from the get-go.

We're not saying you need to spend as much as the big brands do (some spend 100's of thousands of dollars). We are, however, saying to budget at least in the thousands when dealing with logo and brand pricing.

If you're new to running a business and new to working with a designer, you may already have your own impressions of what logo design is - this could be based on what's advertised online, or how a friend may have made their logo in free software, or whatnot. You may think that a simple logo = cheap. It's actually the opposite - the best logos ARE simple, but they are extremely refined, and intentionally designed to gear your brand specifically towards your target audience. Well-refined brands are extremely powerful because they're INSTANTLY recognized. There is value in owning a unique, memorable logo that integrates your company roots and offerings (what you do, who you are, your niche, why your business exists, etc) and becomes synonymous with the trust and loyalty you will build with your future customers.

Aside from your products and services, your logo and branding are one of the most important investments of your business. Would you prefer a recognizable, clever, simple, and clean logo? Or, would you like something that's been pulled from a clipart application or a crowd source site? Before you answer, there are some things you should know: Clipart logos (and stationery templates) will be used elsewhere, by people around the world and even in your own community. This means that you won't have an original logo and will not stand out - even if you only use some elements. A logo that seems like a great price / cheap, may not come with proper file formats, print-ready colours, or proper orientations to fit a variety of applications (advertising / merchandise / stationery). Free and low-budget logos may also come with licensing restrictions. Do you want to be stuck using a specific company who won't allow you the rights to print your logo elsewhere? Also, clipart and non-exclusive licensing means that you may not ever be able to trademark your logo. In the end, you'll likely need to pay a skilled designer to clean up any files and create further variations. Or, you'll need a new logo all-together, and need to rebrand everything (this can get pricey, especially if you factor in vehicle graphics, signage, etc). With proper logo design, you need to work with a professional Graphic Designer who has the ability to develop an original image for your company so that your clients will easily recognize YOUR brand. A well-developed brand will literally WORK for you.

Why do logos take so long to make? Logo design can take a few weeks to months from start to finish. This depends on both sides - client and designer. To properly develop and design logos, it requires clear communication from clients (very important), alongside research, sketching / concepts, font searches and customization, colour palettes, digitizing, proofing, any revisions, variations, and final brand asset files for print and web. Although it can happen from time to time, most brilliant logos really can't be created in an hour (for perspective, a lot of clients only budget $100-$300 for their own brand. Experienced designers charge $85-$150/hr, or more. They also bring a lot to the table. Logo design is not just knowing how to use software.

To develop a logo, we strategically incorporate your provided information with clever concepts. We pay careful attention to ensuring accessibility and legibility at various sizes while keeping all sorts of applications in mind - business cards, websites, vehicles and even billboards. Your logo should have the ability to be applied onto anything and still retain consistency and recognizability whether horizontal, vertical, full colour, or black and white, etc. Your logo should be seen as a brand...not "just a logo." It's the spacing, the palette, the tone...the recognizability and impression that's made with the overall appearance.

Once a logo has been approved, we provide asset variations to you with the most universal and high resolution vector file format (scaling infinitely larger, without losing quality) for print applications. We also provide popular web formats for websites and social media usage. Everything is packaged together with multiple colour formats (full colour, black and white, etc), in all variations that are applicable to your design (horizontal, vertical, icon), and any other file formats and sizes that may be specifically requested.

In conclusion, while bigger budgets can be better. It's not always the case, and it's certainly not always doable. For more experienced designers, the cost for a complete brand package (includes logo design, asset files, brand guide with fonts and colour palette, etc) could be anywhere from $2500-$15,000, or higher. Less experienced designers might charge around $1000-$2500. Shop around, and check out a designer's work and find out their background experience. Don't just judge a designer by something online such as their Instagram feed. It may looks great in their consistently coloured images, but do any brands stand out, or do they all use similar colours and fonts? Ask local companies who designed their logo, and do some digging into what's expected from the designer when all is said and done. You should know exactly what you are paying for.

While clients generally have a budget. The truth is, a small budget is restricting and you may not get what you *COULD* get. It's your logo, your company, and you're going to see your logo on everything, so make sure you love it. That being said, if you're working with an experienced Graphic Designer, our advice is to trust them. Ask questions, but let them do the designing. If you're wondering why they've done something a certain way, just ask. There is likely a reason. Professionals always design with intention.