First, I want to thank you for taking the time to read this article. As a graphic designer and entrepreneur myself, I know how valuable your time is and how important it is that we carefully choose what we’re going to spend it on.
Well, if you’re reading this, then I’m guessing that one of two things happened: you were looking for some inspiration or advice on how to start your own logo design business, or you stumbled across my site while searching for something else (which is awesome!). Either way, welcome!
This guide is a summary of what I learned during my first logo design campaign. I’ll share 10 lessons that helped me get started, and you can use the same techniques to start your own successful logo design business!
| Takeaways |
|---|
| 1. Understand the Target Audience |
| 2. Simplicity is Key |
| 3. Effective Color Palette |
| 4. Research Competitors |
| 5. Versatility Matters |
| 6. Collaborate with Clients |
| 7. Sketch and Iterate |
| 8. Typography Matters |
| 9. Test Across Platforms |
| 10. Embrace Creative Challenges |
Learn From Your Ideal Client
To get the best results from your logo design campaign, you need to know who your ideal client is. The more you understand their goals, challenges, priorities, and preferences—and how they differ from what’s expected of them in their role the better your designs will resonate with the people that matter most.
To help you learn about your ideal client:
- Understand their needs and requirements
- Know what matters most to them
Exploring various types of freelance work beyond writing can open up new avenues for your career. Learn more about these opportunities in our article on 14 Types of Freelance Work That Don’t Involve Writing.
Work On A Few Concepts With Your Client Before Presenting The Final Designs
Working with a client is a two-way street. You have to be willing to listen, and they need to be open-minded enough to let you do your thing.
That’s why it’s important to work on a few concepts with your client before presenting the final designs. This can help you get a feel for what they’re looking for, which will make the whole process go much more smoothly in the end.
If you’ve done your research and taken some time out of your busy schedule (and if you haven’t yet, do that now), then by this point in the campaign process, you should have at least an idea of what kind of branding style(s) would work well for their business or organization.
That means asking questions like: “What kind of logos do people usually expect from companies like yours?” Or “How would people describe what makes this brand unique?” These types of questions will give you insight into how they perceive themselves as well as other similar brands within their industry or community (if applicable).
Your Feedback Loop Should Be Easy And Quick To Use
Once you’ve got your logo design campaign up and running, your feedback loop must be easy and quick to use. You don’t want to spend a lot of time waiting for people to give you feedback on their logo designs. You need a client-friendly way for them to communicate with you about any changes they’d like made or any additional information they need from you.
That’s why I recommend using tools like Slack or SurveyMonkey (or both!) to keep your clients happy and give them the best possible experience throughout the entire process.
With these tools in place, it’ll be much easier for clients who have questions or concerns about their logo design to work with you and easier still if those questions are being sent directly through an email address or phone number provided by the tool instead of having them call into voicemail!
Embarking on a career in logo design? Gain insights from the world of ghostwriting to better understand client expectations and needs. Find out how in How to Get Started in Ghostwriting: My Experience.
Consider Sharing A Google Doc Of All The Fonts, Colors, And Design Elements
I started by creating a Google doc with all of my ideas and fonts. I then shared it with my client and asked for feedback on what they liked and disliked. This was an easy way to get everyone on the same page about what we were aiming for with the logo design campaign.
I use Trello to track projects, so I created a project card in Trello called “Logo Design Campaign” that had tasks like: “Collect all ideas in one place” and “Create Google Doc of fonts, colors & design elements” as well as other tasks related to sharing and getting feedback from clients/team members/public, etc…
Include Gentle Reminders About Delays & Payments In Your Proposal
It’s important to set expectations for your client from the beginning. Include a timeline and payment terms in your proposal, and make sure that both are clear. It might seem like common sense, but it’s easy for a freelancer working with a client remotely to forget about the logistics of delivering their work on time or in full.
Make sure you outline how long it will take for you to deliver the final product so that there is no confusion later on when it comes down to making payments. I highly recommend including specific dates (and even times) when clients should expect their first drafts as well as when they should expect final versions of their logo designs.
This can help them plan and prepare themselves; instead of panicking at the last second because they don’t have enough time before their next big event or launch party, they will know exactly what stage of production they’re at with regards to their logo design project and thus be able to give more attention towards other aspects of preparation if necessary.
It’s also helpful if you provide information about how often payments are due following each milestone completion date this way everyone involved knows exactly what’s expected from one another!
Get Approval Of Each Version Of The Logo Before Moving Forward
As you start to move through the approval process with your client, it’s important to get the approval of each version before moving on to the next. If a client says they like something and you move forward, but then later they have problems with that design, you’re going to have wasted time and money.
It’s also worth noting that you should never present multiple versions of the same logo this is confusing for clients and makes it harder for them to pick their favorite. In my experience, when I’ve presented several versions of a design as part of an approval process (but not all), clients will usually like one or two designs better than others but are unsure which one is best.
They’ll often ask me which ones I prefer so they can base their decision on my opinion rather than trying to decide themselves!
Crafting effective press releases involves more than just words – it’s about visual representation too. Dive into our guide on The Savvy Blogger’s Guide to Writing Effective Press Releases to discover the art of combining design and content.
Communicate With Your Client As If They Were A-Team Members In Your Company
When you’re working with a client, it’s important to communicate as if they were a team member of your company. You want them to feel like they’re an integral part of the process, and that means communicating with them professionally.
Be professional: Always act in a manner that would make your mom proud. Be respectful of their time, their budget, and their ideas.
Be patient: Don’t take any criticism personally (even if it feels like it is). If something doesn’t work out right away or exactly how you had planned it, know that sometimes things need time to marinate before they are ready for prime time!
Don’t Be Afraid To Ask For More Money When It Makes Sense To Do So
You should ask for more money when it makes sense to do so. There are two reasons why this is true. First, you will get more money if you ask for it. And second, you will get more money if you deserve it.
The best way to make sure that clients respect your work and value your time is by setting a fair rate of pay from the beginning and sticking to your guns when working with them on revisions or additional features (but also don’t be afraid to negotiate).
By doing this, not only are you making sure that the client knows what they’re getting into when they hire someone like yourself but you are also showing them that their project matters enough for them to spend their hard-earned dollars on quality design work! Make no mistake: Clients want a good design and they will gladly pay well too!
Leave Personal Feelings Out Of It When Giving & Receiving Feedback
“Feedback is a gift,” they say. And this is true: it’s only when we ask for feedback that we can improve ourselves, and often as designers, we’re not able to articulate exactly what we want from our clients.
I’ve been on both sides of the feedback fence; I’ve received plenty of helpful critiques from my professors in school, friends and family members who are designers themselves, and my co-workers at Standard Digital – but also some pretty harsh ones too.
The difference between these two sets of responses was night and day: while one helped point out things that needed improvement or fine-tuning in my work, the other tended to make me feel worse about myself than before I had asked them (and often made me feel like an idiot…but that’s another story). So where did these types of responses come from?
Branding is an integral part of logo design campaigns. Learn valuable lessons about branding from an unexpected source in our reflection on What I Learned About Branding While Watching The Biggest Loser.
Additional Ways You Can Make Money Selling Logos Online
There are a few ways to make extra money from your logo design campaigns. Here are a few of my favorite options:
Sell it on Fiverr. This is the most straightforward way to sell your logos online, but it’s also the least lucrative. You can list your logo as a gig on Fiverr and wait for someone to purchase it before you move on to the next gig in line.
This method typically only brings in around $2-$3 per sale and isn’t great if you have multiple designs that need to be sold quickly since there is no way to batch listings or set prices higher than what they cost at $5 each time (unless they include extras like custom font work).
Sell it on Etsy. If you want more control over how much you charge for your work, Etsy may be an option worth exploring as well. The site allows sellers more flexibility with pricing structure than Fiverr does although if you want to make money selling designs online through Etsy then it will take some time (and more marketing) before things start turning around for yourself financially.
Once again though: this all depends on how many orders come rolling through month after month…
When client information is limited, assessing their needs becomes an art. Delve into our insights on How to Evaluate a Design Client’s Needs When They Haven’t Provided Much Information to enhance your understanding of client-centered design.
Final Thoughts
You’ve read through this guide and started your first logo design campaign. Congratulations! You are now ready to grow, earn new skills and knowledge, and become a better designer.
I hope that this guide has helped you learn how to start your own logo design business, or at least given you some inspiration for where to start. If you enjoyed this article, please share it on social media and let me know what other topics I should cover in future posts!
Further Reading
Logo Design Tips from Just CreativeDiscover expert insights and tips for creating impactful logos that effectively communicate your brand’s identity.
The Logo Design Process: How Professionals Do ItDive into the detailed process that professional logo designers follow to create logos that stand out and resonate with audiences.
Life Lessons I’ve Learned as a DesignerGain inspiration from the personal experiences and insights of a designer, touching on both design and life lessons.
People Also Ask
What Is A Logo?
A logo can be a visual or verbal representation of an organization’s name or unique name identifier. Logos are often meant to identify specific services within larger organizations (e.g., Google’s logo represents both its search engine and company).
Logos are usually simple enough to be reproduced at small sizes while still being visible from afar
What Is The Difference Between A Logo And A Brand?
A logo is typically emblematic of your company and its purpose. The logo symbolizes the identity of your business, products, and services. A brand is more than just a logo; it’s an experience that can be expressed through various touchpoints (e.g., website, social media platforms).
A brand also communicates what you stand for as an organization your values, mission, or purpose, and communicates how your business or product adds value to people’s lives in a way that satisfies their needs at various stages in their journey with your brand.
How Do I Know If I Need To Charge More? Several factors go into whether a logo design is expensive or cheap. The size of your client’s business, what their goals are for this project, and how many rounds of revisions they expect all affect the price. That said, if you feel like something is too high or too low for what you normally charge, it could be time to reassess your pricing structure.
How Do I Know If I Need To Charge Less?
If you have trouble selling yourself as a designer because of low prices, consider increasing them. This may sound counterintuitive at first but remember that by making sure clients feel like they’re getting their money’s worth (and even paying more than they would have otherwise) you can make up for any drop in sales volume while still driving more revenue than before!
How Do I Choose A Logo Designer?
This is the most important question you need to ask yourself when starting your first logo design campaign. There are so many designers out there, and they all want to be your designer. But not all of them are right for your company, and this is where it’s essential to know what makes a great logo design.
Can You Give Me Some Tips On How To Choose A Logo Designer?
Asking friends and colleagues who they use or even doing research online can help get you started, but ultimately you must trust your gut instinct when choosing which design is right for your brand.
If something doesn’t feel right about the process or final product, it probably isn’t! If a particular designer inspires confidence in their work then go with that feeling instead of anything else!
What Are The Most Common Mistakes To Avoid When Starting A Logo Design Business?
Not being sure about your target market. If you don’t understand who you’re selling to, how can you create something they want?
Being too picky with the logo design process. Remember, it’s not just about getting a good logo it’s also about finding someone who will work well with you long-term and grow along with your company as it evolves.
Pickiness can be great for finding one-time clients (like when I was first starting), but if this is going to be an ongoing relationship then it may not be worth sacrificing quality just because they were “somewhat” happy with their first experience as long as they’re willing to come back again next time!
What Are The Best Ways To Make Money Selling Logos Online?
The best way to make money selling logos is to do a lot of research and create something that people want. I didn’t just put my logo on the internet and expect it to sell itself. I spent a lot of time looking at other logos that were being sold, taking notes on what worked and what didn’t work, studying how other people packaged their products, etc…
After all that research, I felt like my final product was pretty good compared to everything else out there; so when it came time for me to showcase my work in front of actual customers who could buy it if they wanted to (I mean – why would they not want too!?), they did exactly that! They bought it! And then another one! And another one..etc..etc..etc.
How Do I Know If I Need A Logo?
You don’t. You can’t. You’re not an expert, and neither is anyone else. The best solution is to get as many opinions as possible. This can be accomplished by posting your idea on Facebook or Twitter and asking for feedback from friends, family members, and even strangers who care enough about your brand to respond (and probably don’t).
If you have the money to spend on having someone design your logo for you, it’s worth doing but not because they’re any more qualified than you. It’s because of the time savings alone!
How Much Does A Logo Cost?
Depends on where you go! If you go with a professional designer or agency that specializes in logos rather than just templated templates from Fiverr, then expect to pay anywhere between $300-$1000+ depending on how complicated their portfolio looks like before they were hired by their previous clients.
And if you’re lucky enough to find someone who just wants exposure over cash then expect even cheaper prices (sometimes even free!).
Costantine Edward is a digital marketing expert, freelance writer, and entrepreneur who helps people attain financial freedom. I’ve been working in marketing since I was 18 years old and have managed to build a successful career doing what I love.