Online marketplaces like Fiverr have dominated the design industry for the past few years and it’s easy to see why. The services they offer are quick, convenient and supplies your enterprise with a logo for, well, a fiver. It sounds like an ideal solution, especially for a start-up with limited funds.However, the truth is that a cheap logo risks damaging your business in several ways further down the line. If you are contemplating whether or not to hire a professional to design a logo, then this article highlights what you should take into account.
First impressions
Ultimately, a logo is not a brand.
By hiring a cheap designer, you are demonstrating to the world – and, more importantly, potential customers – that you either do not understand or have misunderstood a logo’s purpose.
It is the first impression a customer has of your business, and it only takes 0.05 of a second to form.
The colour, typography and style of a logo will reveal plenty about you, which is why an accurate representation is crucial.
It is a way in which a customer connects to your brand, which is why its importance cannot be overstated.
Enlisting the skill and expertise of a professional is the most effective way to guarantee that your key business messages can be translated visually.
A well-designed logo is sometimes sufficient to attract a customer’s interest, which is why first impressions are so important.
Failing to have a full brand strategy in place can compromise its overall effectiveness, resulting in a lack of engagement and potential customers moving on.
With the help of a specialist, yours can be precisely how you want.
Originality
A logo forms part of your business’ foundation.
It is a starting point when it comes to branding and will be seen, both live and online, on each piece of marketing, every product and business card.
With that in mind, are you happy to invest in a logo that needs only minutes to be created?
Those for sale in online stores are also likely being used by several other companies with only slight modifications.
We think a logo should be original, unique and, above all, represent your business – all of them attributes that are worth more than a fiver.
By choosing an established agency to design yours, you can rest assured they will draw on a wealth of knowledge and experience in their chosen field to create something individual and sustainable.
Unlike an off-the-shelf designer like the ones used by Wix or Fiverr, a professional alternative will pay attention to detail.
They will research intensively your company’s target market, competition and, of course, your values so that the result – in terms of colour, shape and typography – is an original and purposeful logo that sets your business apart.
Looking ahead
When it comes to nurturing a brand beyond a simple logo, the limitations of a cheap option become apparent quickly.
Some creatives will tell you straight away that they cannot work with it.
In a worst-case scenario, a reverse image search using Google will demonstrate how many other businesses adopted the same approach.
Their logo might look the same, distinguished only by name or colour.
In those instances, most designers will advise that they will have to start from scratch.
The end result is wasted time, and a higher bill, than would have been the case had you employed them at the outset.
Naturally, the easiest way to avoid this happening is to approach a professional at the start.
As we said above, a logo alone is not a brand.
One as unoriginal, or basic, as those produced by Fiverr or Wix might not be fit for purpose.
With 77 per cent of marketers believing that branding is a crucial factor in future growth, a well-designed and representative logo is essential when it comes to future-proofing your business.
A professional will ensure your logo and brand have longevity, adding value to your business all the while.
Brand consistency
By opting for a quick-fix logo, you are vulnerable to having to rebrand entirely.
In turn, that could alienate a fledgling customer base.
Brand consistency is important if customers are to remember and recognise who you are, and a drastic change risks losing business after working hard to attract it.
Remember, consumers trust what – and who – they know, which is why consistent brand presentation has been seen to increase revenue by 33 per cent.
There is a reason multinational companies pay large sums of cash when it comes to branding, employing the talent and expertise of professional design agencies equipped to take a concept and convert it into something that is visually stimulating.
The result is a logo and brand that not only looks professional but, most importantly, conveys a consistent message that can be used to market your business in several ways.
A distinctive colour scheme, typography and style reassures customers of who you are, making them more likely to remain loyal.
Unexpected costs
As the title suggests, think before you print.
Business cards, letterheads, envelopes, mugs, stationary, shirts, lanyards and brochures with a logo from a budget producer will be useless if you have to rebrand completely.
The money you saved initially from buying a cheap logo will be a smaller sum than the one you lose from having to redo everything.
Although it may appear an unnecessary expense, especially for a start-up, hiring a professional agency to create a unique logo and brand for your business will pay off.
The resulting growth, and longevity, outweighs those initial costs – permitting you to see a return on your investment.
If you are looking to create a sustainable brand that reflects who you are, what you stand for, and how you do things differently, then why not get in touch with us?
Branding is at the heart of everything we do, which is why we have been helping businesses create original and innovative logos for more than 20 years.
Let the team at Dawn Creative help you to outshine your rivals.
Call us on 0161 711 0910 or send an email to wakeup@dawncreative.co.uk
