6 Reasons to Invest in a Professional Brand Designer
These days there are a lot of websites offering logo designs on the cheap. It may seem tempting to use one of these to save money, especially when you’re starting out. But the benefits of working with a professional on your branding far outweighs the cost difference. Below I’ve put together the five main reasons why you should invest in your branding by hiring a professional designer.
The Personal Touch. A professional designer will meet with you (in person or virtually) to discuss and take the time to get to know your business. Usually, a professional brand designer will provide you will a worksheet to help you figure out exactly how you want your company to be represented. They’ll ask about your values, audience, and competitors and really work out what message your brand needs to communicate.
Tailor-Made Design. Once the designer has all of the info they need, they’ll do research into your industry and the branding of your competitors. They’ll research your ideal client. And after they’ve done that, they will create a visual brand for you that fits your business and helps you stand out from your competition. I know there are websites where you can buy pre-made logos, but do you want to spend money on one of those to find out that there are five other companies using the same logo? Worse, what if one of them was a competitor?
Don’t Buy a Lawsuit. A professional designer will have a clause in their contract that states that all work they do is original and does not violate any copyright. Some of the “designers” on those cheap websites have been known to use Google images in their work. Google images are just images from websites around the world. These are not royalty-free images but many “designers” use these images as if they were. If you were to purchase a logo from one of these “designers,” you would be liable for a copyright lawsuit. Not good.
Visual Brand Roadmap. Professional designers will, in most cases, provide you with a brand guide. A brand guide is usually a PDF that displays your logo(s) and any marks or sub-marks, along with a list of your brand colors (and their breakdowns), fonts, and assets. This may also include images that represent your brand’s aesthetic. This file is helpful when you switch designers or even hire your own designer. It gives other designers an idea of what your brand is about and shows how to keep continuity in your brand across all media.
Variety of File Types. When you have approved the design of your visual identity, your designer will provide you with multiple versions of the different assets. There will be web-ready files in RGB and print-ready files saved in CMYK. There should even be a version of your logo to be used on a dark background, usually called a reverse logo. Also included will be a file that ends in .eps or .ai. You probably won’t be able to open these and may wonder why you have them. These files are the original Illustrator files and will be needed for any large printing—such as billboards or vehicle wraps. Promotional companies will also require either .eps or .ai files for embroidery and screen-printing. And if you decide to change something down the road, another designer can use these files to make small alterations to your original logo.
The Long Run. Spending the money for a professional logo will also ensure that you won’t have to rebrand again in a year or two. A professional will be able to design something that stands up for many years to come. Sure, you could save by spending $50 now for a quick logo, but if you’ll just need to rebrand again in a year, how much are you really saving? Eventually, you will need to invest more to create a brand that is timeless. So why not invest upfront?
Obviously, there are many benefits to working with a professional designer on your visual branding. As the saying goes, “You get what you pay for.” Your branding is the face of your business. Isn’t it worth the investment to be sure it’s done correctly?
Are you ready to invest in your visual brand? Contact me to discuss the possibilities.
