Getting your logo designed can be tricky to navigate, so here are some tips to help you navigate the process!

1. Branding process

Your logo is just one element of your whole branding. Therefore any discussion with a graphic designer should include questions about any existing branding, or some in depth questions about your business or organisation (such as your target market, the products/services your offer, and so on). This helps the designer to get a good impression so they can design a logo that is appropriate.

Most graphic designers will include a number of concepts in the price of designing a logo. You should ensure that any ideas you have will be considered, but you should also be open to allowing the graphic designer to come up with concepts, based on their impression of your business. A good designer is likely to come up with some ideas that you never would have thought of!

2. What program is it being designed in?

Logos should always be designed in a program such as Adobe Illustrator, or a simliar program that can create vector images (this blog article explains it really well). If anyone tells you they use Photoshop to design logos, do not use them! Your logo will be limited to the size of the original image - if you need to make it larger, it will be pixelated. Vector programs like Illustrator also give the designer much more scope with effects and endless possiblities for design.

3. What final file formats should I be given?

Some graphic designers choose to provide only 'raster image' files (e.g. JPG, GIF, etc) and then charge you a (much higher) additional fee for an 'EPS' (or vector) file. The reasons for doing this can vary, but generally it is a way of ensuring that you will continue to utilise their services (because they 'own' your original logo files).

At Shel Design, we choose to provide our clients with an 'EPS' file within the standard cost of designing any logo (as welll as JPG and PNG), as we know how important that file is for your business or organisation. If you need to work with signwriters, uniform companies and other promotional companies, an EPS file is essential. It can be enlarged to ANY size, it can be manipulated to work in reverse colours (e.g. if you need colours varied when the logo is placed on a dark background) and it has a transparent background (very important!). Plus there are other 'design advantages' that I won't bore you with, but that are also important too!

And we want our clients to come back to us for future jobs becuase they love our work, not because they are beholden to us!

4. Check portfolios

It is always a good idea to look at other logos a graphic designer has created (most graphic designers have a website with a portfolio - if not, ask for some samples to be sent via email or view them in person). See if you think the quality appears to be good and the variety wide.

If you are ready to have your logo designed by Shel Design, contact us for a quote!

As a business owner, you’ve probably spent a great deal of time in the past (and hopefully in an ongoing manner) on your branding. As a graphic designer I spend a lot of time talking to clients about the ethos, culture and ‘feel’ of their business, before I even attempt to create a logo for them. This is because a logo should not be the focal point of your business brand, it should be a reflection of it. Your branding discussions (within your team and/or with marketing and design consultants) should revolve around the following things:

1. Clarification. Every aspect of your branding (logo, website, staff uniforms, shopfront, and so on) should clarify for your customers what your ‘brand’ is about. Although a little intrigue can be a great marketing tool, if customers struggle to understand what it is you are offering, the prettiest logo in the universe is not going to help.
2. Delight. Create a positive, delightful experience for your customers so they’re more likely to come back. Spend time on making your brand aesthetically pleasing, but also spend time on making your messages relevant to your target (talk to them like real people). Work hard to create a seamless experience so that the interaction for your customers is not with just a ‘pretty face’, but functions well, meets their needs and keep them coming back for more.
3. Reassurance. Good design and usability inspires confidence in your customers. Spend time on the smaller details so that your customers trust you. If you have spend time working out a solid brand and detailing exactly what that means in practice for customers, they will in turn become ‘devotees’ of your business.
   

Michelle Grice writes a weekly column for business women in The Western Weekender

Everyone is familiar with the phrase: ‘you get what you pay for’. This isn’t true in all situations, but there are many for which it definitely is. For example: • Nappies – buy the cheapest nappies and you generally make up the cost in washing wet clothes, bed sheets and anything else your child comes in to contact with • Tea Bags – if you are buying no name tea bags, you need to seriously consider if you are actually a tea lover or just someone who might as well drink dish water. The same applies in business. There are some aspects of running a business that you may be able to do ‘on the cheap’ (marketing is a great example: if you can find cheap or free ways to advertise your business, that doesn’t impact negatively on your business brand, then go for it!). But there are some areas you shouldn’t skimp on: • Domain Registration – you would choose the cheapest, right? Wrong. When you need to make changes to your domain you are likely to find out that the ‘cheap’ registration didn’t include access to all the areas it should. You either end up paying more than the ‘expensive’ option OR you can’t access your domain registration at all. • Graphic design – your neighbour’s cousin’s girlfriend loves drawing and has completed a 6 wk introduction to graphic design course. She’s only charging $100 for a logo – bargain! And yes, you may be lucky and get a great product. But more likely, you will find that you don’t get what you asked for and/or don’t receive the professional branding your business really needs. • Insurance – this is not something for which we like paying any more than necessary. However, finding the cheapest possible business insurance (or ‘cutting corners’) is a dangerous game to play. Make sure you are fully insured for all areas relevant to your business (including loss of income).

Michelle Grice writes a weekly column for business women in The Western Weekender