Answers from a Top Atlanta Logo Design & Branding Firm

The first question we get is always, how much is a logo?

While we totally understand why, it is like asking, “How much is a house?”

So the response is, “What kind of house? How big? How upscale? And how unique?”

You want a logo for a business, a product, or some personal use. How do you decide what you should spend and require the design to accomplish?

Well, this all depends on what you need from it and how it is going to be used. So you need to ask yourself some questions that will help you make some decisions on what is the right path for your brand.

Below is a guide to help you think through your needs and requirements.

CONSIDERATIONS:

• How am I going to use this logo? (where a logo goes has design impact: Readability, ease of application, cost of application, etc.)

1. 1. Stationary
   2. On a product
   3. On the web
   4. On a sign or building
   5. On vehicles and trailers

• What kind of company is it for? (The kind of company drives its style, look, feel, need for uniqueness so it will be recognizable and stand out the competitive

1. 1. Restaurant – a single location or multiple potential locations
   2. Tech service or product
   3. Professional Services
   4. Consumer Services
   5. Upscale
   6. Value
   7. Clothing
   8. Hardware
   9. Software

• How important is it that this brand be unique and recognizable from the competition? (this is where you need to look at your competition and make sure you are different to avoid confusion, legal issues, and drive )

1. 1. Say you have the logo on a yard sign or side of a truck – your hope from this is that other people will see it and reach out to you for services. That means it needs to be unique, communicate quality and value to the audience you are speaking
   2. Say you are fashion or creative business – the brand should reflect style, creativity, uniqueness, and enhance your image of being
   3. Say you are a lawyer or accountant and your Name is an important message, personal reputation; this means that you can go with a simple type of execution where it is very readable, and your name is primary
   4. A simple font style logo with minimal customization can
   5. If you something unique maybe a simple mark or ligature 

• Why does cost matter to the design? (the cost is driven by the quality of the designer/marketer, the time required to do the job right, and how much research need to be done in a competitive marketplace, how easy you are to please- if you drive time up with many changes and trying a million ways, expect the Designer to ask for more )

1. If you are a large profile company, you need to be unique and have the legal risk of copyright infringement you need to consider and protect. This costs a lot and expects to pay in the thousands,
2. If you want a unique mark and something that reflects your brands style and personality you need to do research of competition, find a positioning that is unique to you and represents a benefit to your audience of using you over them, pay for the time for the Designer to customize the type and elements, so it is not so generic and stands out as unique as yours.
3. The cheaper you want it to expect the corners to be cut to reduce time, and this will limit the uniqueness and quality of the final. Also expect fewer options to choose from time is money; it is the only thing the Designer has to sell. And expect the quality of the Designer and their strategic and marketing savvy of them to be lower if you are tightening the budget.

• How can I help the Designer create a design I am more likely to like?

1. Be prepared to give input questions
2. Find logos you like that are in the look and feel you might be interested
3. Allow the Designer to not only do what you think but be open-minded to them, making suggestions that you might not have thought of or But ask them to tell you why their ideas are better and strategically smarter.
4. Pay the Designer for his time and work; they will be more willing to push themselves if you are paying for their efforts.
5. If you want a cheap logo, say it upfront. Have a budget in mind and be prepared to tell the designers you are asking for quotes, here is what I can spend and can you meet my needs for this money? You and not going to get a real pro to do it for minimum wage or below. And it takes time to do a quality job. But they might want just to do it. Has some time, likes the job, building a portfolio,
   1. They can consider if they want to spend $6-$10 biddings on a $50 job, the willingness of your responders to meet your budget will be better if they accept the deal before

 

• What should I expect for the money? (this is an example of what a logo for a small to medium business on a budget might cost and why)
  • Designers:
    • $35 - $45 per hour – A basic beginner level designer. They may have talent, but might now be "Brand" Savvy. The logo is just the face of the brand, not the voice, personality ar authenticity.
    • $50-$75 per hour - Professional Designer with some marketing, design and technical savvy
    • $85-$125 - Branding Expert - they are more likely to be able to identify a brand strategy, competitive positioning and help you create a voice and story for your brand.

Budget Logo - Type font – generic icon for symbol or mark.

1. .5 Hours - Discuss with the client their product of service and understand not only what you do but try to learn a little about the pope involved and their culture so I know if you are mom and pop, friendly, pro, corporate, etc. This way the logo reflects the company and its
   1. From this, we are looking for insight that will guide the style of the mark and many add a suggestion for a tag or theme to the brand and how that works with the logo mark.
2. 1 Hours - Design time where we would give a minimum of 3 completely different concepts with variations. More versions if we have things we like - sometimes that

• Give them to you to look at pick from and comment

1. .5 Hour- Revisions on a single option
2. .5 Hour - After Approval, we will execute the final version in a variety of forms for use in different environments. So you have all the assets you will

TOTAL: $65 - $100

 

A Basic Logo: Basic Font and a simple mark or symbol

1. .5 Hours - Discuss with the client their product of service and understand not only what you do but try to learn a little about the pope involved and their culture, so I know if you are mom and pop, friendly, pro, corporate, etc. This way the logo reflects the company and its
   1. From this, we are looking for insight that will guide the style of the mark and many add a suggestion for a tag or theme to the brand and how that works with the logo mark.
2. .5 Hour - Research the marketplace for competitive brands and banding positions so we do not infringe or mimic your service losing branding ability, or get into legal issues with
3. 2-3 Hours - Design time, where we would give a minimum of 3 completely different concepts with variations. More versions if we have things we like - sometimes that 
   1. 1 Hour- Revisions on a single option
   2. 1 Hour - After Approval, we will execute the final version in a variety of forms for use in different environments. So you have all the assets you will

 TOTAL: $200 - $250

  

A Simple Custom Logo: Logo Type (not just a stock font) and Mark or Symbol

1. .5 Hours - Discuss with the client their product of service and understand not only what you do but try to learn a little about the pope involved and their culture, so I know if you are mom and pop, friendly, pro, corporate, etc. This way the logo reflects the company and its
   1. From this, we are looking for insight that will guide the style of the mark and many add a suggestion for a tag or theme to the brand and how that works with the logo mark.
2. 1 Hour - Research the marketplace for competitive brands and banding positions so we do not infringe or mimic your service losing branding ability, or get into legal issues with
3. 4-6 Hours - Design time, where we would give a minimum of 3 completely different concepts with variations. More versions if we have things we like - sometimes that

1. 1. Give them to you to look at pick from and comment
   2. 1-2 Hours for revisions if they are complex then return to you for Approval on two options
   3. 1 Hour - After Approval, we will execute the final version in a variety of forms for use in different environments. So you have all the assets you will

TOTAL: $350 - $500

 

Copyrightable Logo - A completely custom unique logo that is researched and unique for your category. Important when you are using the logo in mass media and paid media 

1. 2 Hours - Discuss with the client their product of service and understand not only what you do but try to learn a little about the people involved and their culture so I know if you are mom and pop, friendly, pro, corporate, etc. This way the logo reflects the company and its
   1. 1. Creative briefed and approved by the client
   2. From this, we are looking for insight that will guide the style of the mark and many add a suggestion for a tag or theme to the brand and how that works with the logo
   3. 6-8 Hours - Research the category and do a competitive review for visual and positioning in the marketplace.

• 16 Hours – Concepting based on positioning and competitive Minimum of 5 design concept directions and variations on each.

1. 1 Hour – Design review for input and direction from
2. 6-8 Hours – revised on 2-3 options to a more complete finish
3. 1 Hour – Design review for input and direction from the client to choose final

• 4 Hours – Finalize the logo design and versions for different media
• Final Logo

1. 2-3 Hours - After Approval, we will execute the final version in a variety of forms for use in different environments. So you have all the assets you will

TOTAL: $1,500 - $2000 

 

Corporate Identity & Style Guide – This is a brand and all the elements involved in communicating that brand to your audiences. This is a guide that includes design and use guidelines for marketing uses of the logo. Often times include marketing guides for Adverting, Print, Digital, etc. Including visual samples of use and instructions. It gives fonts, colors and design grids to be used to create a consistent look and style for the brand. This is used when the company desires to brand consistency and work being done by different sources. Guides non-design people to preserve the brands

Total - $3000 - $5000

 

EwingWorks is an Atlanta Logo Design FIrm. We do Branding, Website Design and much more.

Our Atlanta Design Firm is more than a logo design studio. We are a branding company that can give your brand a voice and authenticity.

Understand that the logo is just the face of the brand, but for the face to be memorable and have anyone care, it needs so much more.

A Brand is more than a pretty face; it's a Personality, Voice, Values, Reasons to Trust, and Authenticity.