Getting a custom logo made for your blog, small business, or Youtube channel can seem like a daunting task. How do you order a custom logo? Where do you even start?
That is why I have gone and asked some people who I have designed logos for, what is it they did to get their logo made. Yes, it ended up with me being their designer. But there are a number of things to do and think about before you can find and reach out to a designer.
For this case study, I reached out to Patrick who I designed branding for. Patrick has been living off grid since 1996. He grew up raising livestock, foraging for food, gardening, hunting, fishing, and preserving home foods. And has built 2 cabins over the years that now run off of solar power. You can find his blog posts on off grid living at his website Off Grid Living News.
1. Where did you look to find your logo designer, and why did you choose the place that you did?
I did a general internet search first. I looked at several different companies, large ones actually. Although they seemed very well organized, they were also expensive. A friend recommended Fiverr. I looked at the site and liked the fact that there was a large choice of designers to choose from. Each person had a profile and I enjoyed being able to view those profiles and get an idea of who I was dealing with.
2. What made you choose the designer that you did?
I chose the designer that I did based on reviews, ratings, and the number of jobs completed. I obviously wanted someone with proven experience. Ratings of 4.9 with 100 jobs completed ranks high in my opinion when I am contracting a service with someone I do not really know.
3. How did you know what you wanted designed, how did you know what style you wanted?
I went into this project blind. I vaguely knew that I wanted something with Earth tones and related to my niche, which is living off the grid. When I was asked to forward links to several logos that I thought were appealing, that made me look at the project much more in-depth.
4. What do you think is key to getting a logo design you are very happy with? Were there any mistakes you made?
Several things here. First of all, I think it is important to look at logo designs on websites and blogs that are related to the niche you are working in. By doing so, you find out what other people are doing in your space. Then gives you ideas that you may not have considered before. Plus you cannot really expect a designer to pull something out of thin air. They need to have some idea of what you are looking for.
Secondly, working with a designer that is responsive to questions and changes if they are needed. I think my biggest mistake was going into the project completely blind. Won’t do that again.
5. What advice would you give to others looking to have a custom logo designed?
Do some investigation first and get a general idea of what you want. Don’t expect someone to pull something out of thin air for you. Check out several companies, as well as individuals. Look at someone’s credentials and experience. Always interact with them in a professional manner. Be as responsive as you expect them to be. Never know, you might actually make a friend.
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I always ask people who have ordered a custom logo from me, to send me a few links to logo designs they like. This really helps me understand what they are looking for (a modern logo, vintage, typographic, etc.). If a person cannot send any examples, that is not a good start. If all of the examples they send are completely different from each other, then I start asking them questions to get the style more focused before I start designing.
Photos and images are the best way to explain things clearly when it comes to design work.
If you need a custom logo designer, you can view my page here for details and to message me.