Through my first year of post-graduation, and looking for full-time work, I have been very optimistic that my creativity and appreciation for graphic design and writing would help me reach that goal.
I love being a freelance artist. Designing different projects for different clients makes my job creative, adventurous, and refreshing. In particular, logos are my favorite kind of projects, because I have the privilege to start a chapter in a company’s history. Making a difference like that to companies and consumers alike is gratifying to me.
However, I frequent several freelancing websites where clients want logos done for dirt cheap. To those who understand the world of marketing, this should be baffling to you. If I had the time and resources to contact each client, I would let them know how valuable a logo actually is. Usually, I see posts like “I need a logo for my Facebook banner. I’ll give ya $20.” And believe me, many designers are desperate to take that twenty-dollar job, so that’s how they get away with offering such paltry amounts.
But here is what is wrong with that: When we think of Pepsi, we think of an iconic red and blue circle. When we think of KFC, we think of the Colonel. It’s these brands that customers remember and go back to, which is how companies have grown and made billions. Without logos, you wouldn’t be able to identify your favorite brands, which is why they are so important to begin with.
Designers aren’t just creating an image when they’re designing a logo. They are creating a company’s identity, that can be used in whatever ways its client sees fit, that they would be free to use for years to come, and that would reach out to possibly millions of people, in an attempt to make that said client large profits. By wanting all of this for pennies on the dollar, clients show they don’t care for or respect designers or creativity in general. It comes to mind if these clients ever feel dirty getting a symbol of marketability, unwilling to pay the proper amount for it.
This is why I would be pushing for laws to make creative assets such as logos to cost a much more appropriate minimum that is at least in the 3-digit range. This is not to try to make us designers greedy, but rather to justify the true value of what clients want in a brand. A designer who asks for an appropriate price for a logo isn’t ripping a client off, the client is ripping the designer off by charging much less, because they fail to understand how much a brand is worth, or else they don’t care. They want it fast and cheap, which is not how it works in the marketing world, and if they’re not willing to pay fairly, then federal and/or state laws need to make them.
It would be nice for gas, food, and utilities to cost what businesses are willing to pay for brands now, but unfortunately, they don’t. We need these things in order to civilize, just as businesses need great marketing and promotion in order to grow. There is a double standard there that needs to be undone one way or the other. There are reasons why good things cost good money.
Go big or don’t go at all. If business owners are really serious about making their dreams a reality and taking their businesses to that next level, they need to respect the business of the other people they work with to help get them there. I was told a few times by clients that they didn’t have the money for a logo, while many startup companies are recommended to take business loans to pay for locations, employees, and possibly equipment. Marketing should be included in their budget as well. I mean why not? It’s a very vital part of what makes companies successful.
A hundred-dollar expense is only a drop in the bucket compared to all the money that they hope to make with their new logo. And for us designers trying to make ends meet, that hundred dollars makes a world of difference to our livelihoods. Taking into account that many companies would make back that money almost instantly, this is not asking for much.
Designers, not to capitalize off of a popular hashtag, but let people know that our lives, talents, and careers matter. Your work takes lots of time and effort spent on the watch of your clientele. Show how you are too creative and talented to be earning chump change for a profession you spent several years and tens of thousands of dollars for.
For more information, Sheila from Apex Creative wrote an article called “10 Reasons Why A Logo Should Never Cost Less Than $200. You can check her page out here:
"10 Reasons Why A Logo Should Never Cost Less Than $200.” Apex Creative, 28th Sept. 2011.
http://apexcreative.net/10-reasons-why-a-logo-should-never-cost-less-than-200/
I've gotten a lot out of watching Roberto Blake on YouTube. He has such great advice for graphic designers and how to build a business that values you, your time, and your creativity. I'm not a designer, but he covers other topics that matter to me, so that's how I found his stuff. Good luck with your graphic design business!
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