Okay, I get it! Running a business is hard and sometimes we have to make things a bit easier. But getting a great logo design that not only looks great but connects with your target audience can make all the difference. Great branding is key. So I just wanted to share with you guys some reasons why you shouldn’t be DIYing your logo.

1) A logo should be timeless and avoid trends

Your logo is more than just a pretty design. It’s the face of your brand. It’s the first thing people see. To remain consistent and so people know who you are, your logo should always be the most permanent part of your brand. While most companies have a brand refresh every couple of years to help it align with their changing business, the logo is usually kept the same or with very minor changes made.  You should make sure your logo is solid from the offset. It should communicate who you are, and what you do perfectly to your customers and it should withstand the test of time by being able to work as a stand-alone item avoid trends that will eventually go out of style. A Professional designer will have years of experience and training, whether self-taught or at a university. That cost them countless pennies and countless hours over the years. The professional designer really have to study their subject, from history to other designers, we also have to look around at the world around us to gather inspiration and critique. (when you study design, you never look at anything the same way again – from studying shop signs to the menu’s when you’re out having a bite to eat… yes this happens) A pro will craft you a timeless logo that can withstand time.

2) Don’t connect to your target audience, brand & business values

Marketing is very psychological, and there are a whole bunch of factors that play into the mind of a buyer to make them buy. Your friend might be able to do a “pretty” flyer, but a logo is a whole other cup of tea. You may think that your friend, cousin, sister or whoever may have a talent for design but on the contrary, people can FEEL when a logo was not done professionally, and it leaves an impression about your business whether you or they recognise it or not. It’s easy to assume that graphic design is just making things ‘look nice’, but graphic design is actually all about visual communication. You have to make sure that no matter what you are designing, it is saying the right thing, all from the colours and font’s you use.

3) Colour Theory

Now while the psychology of colour is highly debated, there is no denying that colour plays a part in aligning the perception of a company’s image. For example, if your looking for a baby massage place, would you hire them if their website and branding were all bright red and crazy? I highly doubt it. Colour theory is very important in making sure designs are pleasing and sends the right message. If you was an instant impact on the person viewing the design, you need to make sure your colours are right. And if you are using more then one colour, you have to make sure they complement each other with colour theory.

4) The design is not versatile

Now here is the next aspect that is highly overlooked. Having your logo created in the correct format. There is something called vector that allows a logo to be scaled beyond your wildest imagination, which not even Photoshop can effectively do. Most DIY’ers don’t have the skill to execute this and are not even aware of the various file formats that the logo should clearly be able to be reproduced in. Being handed a PSD file or PNG of your logo may suit your needs for now but when you come to need a sign or a high-quality VECTOR version to send to the printers, your going to need to do the whole process again. It actually makes sense to save money by hiring a professional right from the start. Not to mention that good branding can take your business from meh, to wow, allowing you to charge more, increase sales etc.

“If you think good design is expensive, you should look at the cost of bad design.” – Ralf Speth

There is so much more to logo design than meets the eye. There are many designers out there who would be more than happy to work with you. If budget is an issue, no worries; there is a designer to suit almost any budget. Be upfront about your budget, and TIP ask if they use a vector-based program to create their logos. This is an excellent way to separate the pros from DIY’ers.