To produce the best logo design takes experience and experience comes at a price.

Whether you commision a proven high level freelancer or design agency there are factors that contribute to a high price for a successful logo design. Education, experience, training, equipment, software, rent, bills all these things add up to and ultimately allow us to operate and provide a high level and award-winning service.

When searching a price for a logo or brand designer you should take a moment to consider the size of your business and the touchpoints or deliverables where your logo or brand will be seen.

Layers of management

Are you a small business or corporate business. How many layers of management hierarchy are in place within your organisation? How many people will need to be involved in the decision making process?

If you’re a one-man-band business then the decision making process is simple.

If however you are a corporate business, with a marketing manager, finance director above you and board level decision makers above them, then there are layers of management and project complexity to take into account.

The time it will take to reach a decision is far greater and thus, the design of your logo or brand is a more complex process. Which in turn means that the price of your logo will be higher than that of a one-man-band.

Risk factor

One of the other main reasons why we can’t provide a one-price-fits all logo design solution is related to the risk that maybe involved.

How many touchpoints will your logo appear on?

What happens if we get it wrong and the logo doesn’t work? I’m not saying that we will, or that we have in the past. However, we are only human and there is no exact science here.

So if we produced a logo and that logo is displayed on thousands of pounds worth of touchpoints around the world and it has to be changed, because for example, it resembles something offensive in a particular country, then there lies the potential risk that has to be considered.

How we equate that to cost is merely based upon our experience. With our experience of listening, research, planning and process comes a level of service that is worthy of a price that we feel is right for any given project. Whether that be graphic design, branding or even website design.

Global airline analogy

Let me elaborate by using an airline project as an example. Your business is a global airline and you need to rebrand. We go through an extensive rebranding exercise whereby brand, logo, videos, literature, gantry and air craft designs are finally produced and put out into the big wide world.

These are touchpoints for your global air company. To ensure these touchpoints are delivered successfully requires a team of experts. Experts with years of experience ensuring absolute brand consistency and a proven track record of delivery which is reflected in our price.

Some perspective on the cost of a logo design

Please allow me to explain something.

If you were to hire/commission any of the leading brand designers around the globe, designers like, Chipp Kidd, Rob Janoff, Peter Saville, Michael Bierut or even the genius FedEx logo designer Lindon Leader, you’ll be paying in excess of £100 000 + for a logo and £1m+ for a complete brand experience. But hey, these guys are highly experienced and at the top of their game, only big world brands can JUSTIFY paying that kind of money.

Notice how I didn’t say the word ‘afford.’

“Why not?” I hear you ask. Well, it really doesn’t matter what you can afford (to a point), the cost of a logo or brand is really dependant upon the value that you put on your business.

How much do you value your business and the time you put into it? Highly, one would assume. Well, the same should apply to your brand logo, for if you don’t put the time in and have the right logo or brand then you don’t really have a business asset because it won’t touch the right audience.

The time and effort that goes into creating an amazing logo and a brand that resonates with your philosophy and vision for your business should be on parity with your approach to growing your business.

A logo is just a small part of a brand, a brand is huge and requires considerable investment to ensure that everyone involved lives, breathes and believes in it. The logo, no matter how small a percentage of the overall brand experience still requires a high investment of time and money to re-enforce your vision for your business and touch the right audience, leaving a positive and memorable impression.

Allow me to paint another picture for you:

You’re a £150,000 revenue business with a logo that you paid, say, £500 for.

You want to grow your revenue to £500,000 and then £1m some years later whilst using that same logo.

Can you really envisage your £500 logo being the face of your growing business?

Will that same logo be good enough to close lucrative deals or will it make your business look smaller and the perception of your service or product quality questionable?

Experts say that a company would spend 8-15% of their revenue on marketing. 5% on branding and 1-2% on a logo.

So if you’re a £100,000 revenue company, then that’s £1000-£2000 spent on a logo. £1m business £10,000-£20,000 and a whopping £100,000 for a £10m revenue business.

As an example, BP, who are a multi billion pound company with revenue in excess of £100b, spent £136m on their logo.

So, would you pay several hundred thousand pounds for a logo that will help you generate several million in revenue?

The same principles apply to your business

How much is your business worth without a logo or brand? Zero probably.

People buy into brands and a logo is just a small part of that brand but is equally important because it’s the symbol and mark that people recognise. So if you have a business that you can see growing into a million pound company, then a logo that costs £1000 to £50,000 is not really that much at all, is it?

Without a great logo or brand, you don’t have a business so please ask yourself, how much is a logo worth to you and your business?

Food for thought!