Here’s a scenario.
You are a startup with a great product idea. And you don’t have a marketing budget, yet. You need to develop some prototype out, so you can score some funding. Until then, you figure you will come up with a logo yourself and stick it there in the header of your web site.
Well, my (somewhat radical) opinion is that you don’t need a logo when you can’t hire a designer yet. Instead, you should work on honing your brand idea first (more about that later).
But say that’s not an option, or you think my opinion is stupid.
What to do? Join a growing region of do-it-youselfers and be the designer yourself, of course!
There’re a number of how-to programs out there and companies like FedexKinko’s and HP are always eager to help you “be creative!” The other day, I found the “Ultimate” guide (by youthedesigner.com, via behance) that will turn you to a mean logo-making machine.
Seriously, though, this guide (seems it’s been written more for budding designers, actually) has lots of good points.
To summarize:
- The concept first!
- Do a sketch on paper before turning to computer
- Have the end results in mind
- Keep the design simple
- Test with colors, sizes, etc.
Spending the time to come up with strong concepts, sketching before turning to our gadgets, and keeping it simple and clean… basically, these things are what we try to adhere to at Design Kompany as well.
It’s a tall order for a DIYer, for sure. But you believe in your own creativity (you should!). You have the time. You have enough money in the bank to buy the tools, and support yourself while you learn how to use them yourself, instead of making the deals and the sales.
So, why would you ever want to hire us to help you, even if you had the money?
Besides the fact we are professional designers with real skills and experience (all twenty years combined!), we are branding experts.
Branding is more than making a spiffy-looking logo.
In fact, it comes in before you design the logo, and carries you all the way through sales and future development.
It’s frequently said that the brand is the most important asset of any given company. A logo is only a part of it. Not even the beginning of it, actually.
How do you get started, then? That’s a topic for another post, but it has to do with finding your business’ soul. We have a process we call FOCUS, that guides you through this soul-searching process.
Give us a call, and we can give you a walk through!
yeah, though i am pro-DIY, sometimes i think about hidden costs of making things yourself rather than to hire a professional. so i do things by myself if i really enjoy a process (and result isn’t very important).
Xlt, thanks for the comment. You are absolutely right! I think it can be so much fun figuring something out on your own, not to mention the satisfaction!
Something also to be considered that only occurred to me recently, another opportunity cost of going DIY: forgoing the chance to know someone who’s an expert in doing something and has something to teach you. All too often we think too much of minimizing the cost, time, effort (of shopping around, etc.), that we forget that it’s an opportunity to reach out and collaborate. More important nowadays, when we tend to get more and more from on-line/catalog/big-box shops without a face…