Unless you or someone within your business is a graphic designer or has in-depth knowledge of design software the wisest thing to do about designing your logos is to outsource it.
If you have some software experience like Adobe Photoshop or Microsoft Paint it might seem prudent to create the logo yourself and save yourself the cost of employing a one-off designer. However, bear in mind that cost isn’t just measured in dollars and cents, and the time it will take you to design and edit any new logo will soon add up to the point where it detracts from other, more critical tasks.
There are several platforms where you can find excellent, value-for-money logo designers. The most obvious is Fiverr where some designers will create you logos for just $5 each.
Many people will tell you to avoid Fiverr, especially if your logo is for corporate use, and to a point, they are right. However, many very talented designers on Fiverr can produce a logo that looks to be worth a lot more than you pay for it, and if your budget is limited, it is a prominent place to try.
Other platforms include Upwork, DesignCrowd and 99Designs where you can find designers who will create you a logo from less than $50 all the way up to several hundred dollars.
One key piece of research you must undertake before employing anyone to design a logo for your business is to check their feedback, reviews, and portfolio if they have one. This is no different from checking the resume and references of a full-time employee. Given the importance of the logo to your company, you want to engage someone whose past work you can assess.
It may also be prudent to check that the person you are employing to create the logo, speaks and understands English very well. Imagine the frustration of giving what you think are clear instructions only to find they have been misunderstood in translation. This is why speaking to your designer using Skype, Facebook, or even the telephone is always preferable to just communicating by text.
When setting up your logo design job, always be clear on the colours that and cannot be included, the exact text if any, size, and the style of logo that you want.
Another matter to agree on is what graphic files you want the designer to provide you with when they send over the completed logo. Remember that just having a jpg you can print onto documents won’t allow you to use the logo for other uses such as promotional items or branding videos so get them to send over the source files too.
Finally, always agree on a deadline and that the designer will make any alterations you may want. Not doing so may lead to delays and disagreements, which you don’t want as part of your logo’s design process.