Have you ever looked at a leaky tap and thought ‘sod the plumber, let me get the spanner out’? The temptation of cost cutting measures and getting out of doing a tea round seems all too attractive, but one wrong move and the tap’s fell off, the kitchen is flooded and now you’ve got to shell out for a whole lot more than you first thought.
The same could be said for businesses attempting their own logo design. After all, it’s just a few shapes, colours, and a nice font slapped together and hey presto, finished before teatime, right? Well, before you fire up Microsoft Paint, let’s see why it might not be your greatest idea.
First of all, a logo is a representation of your business in the wide world and is often the first thing customers see and remember about a brand. Imagine wearing white as a wedding guest - you’ll get some attention, but not the kind you want.
A poorly designed logo can make your brand seem unprofessional, unorganised and maybe, even a bit clueless leaving customers confused or worse, avoiding your business like the plague. An experienced graphic designer on the other hand has the skills, tools and knowledge to create a logo that not only turns heads but is also strategically designed. With an understanding of colour psychology, typography and your target audience, a graphic designer knows how to make your brand’s personality stand out in a crowded market.
Also, let’s not forget about scalability and versatility, not all formats are created equal and your logo needs to work across various platforms, remaining consistent and professional on everything, websites, billboards, even coffee mugs. All of this may lead to countless hours of frustration, remakes and probably some hair-pulling.
DIY projects can be fun, but your business’s identity isn’t one of those areas where you should take a gamble. Sure enough, there’s plenty of design tools out there for free, but they may cost you in terms of lost business opportunities. Hiring a skilled graphic designer is an investment in your business and future success, so save yourself the headache and let the professionals do the legwork and add the secret sauce that represents your business in the best possible light. After all, the last thing you want is for your logo to be a punchline.