01-14-2013, 08:10 PM
Am working on a small (just me!), startup and I need a logo designed. I have enough marketing knowledge and contacts that I could call upon a couple experienced designers that I personally know to do the work, but I'm also looking for some new ideas and a fresh perspective for the brand. I've read a bunch of articles about using one of the crowdsourced design sites ( http://www.99designs.com/ , http://www.crowdspring.com/ , etc) and that seems like a decent way to get the logo design done on the cheap, while getting lots of designers to submit their take on the project (i.e. spec work).
Both directions have pitfalls that I can see:
Working with a designer I know already:
-More expensive (at least 2x the average cost of the crowdsourced options)
-Limited style options when working with a single designer (i.e. may not like the direction things are going, and/or the designer may not be able to provide the look that I'm going for)
Working with a crowdsourced process:
-No ongoing personal relationship with designer (potential for crappy communication/work habits if the one I choose turns out to be a flake or unethical in some way)
-Possibility of subpar work (may just end up getting a bunch of crap options and would need to find a good designer anyway
If I'm looking at $400+- via the crowdsourced way vs. $1000+ with a designer that I already know, what would you folks recommend? I understand that a logo design is an important part of a company's brand and that I shouldn't be too stingy about paying for something so important. But...I am trying to be responsible with cash so that this startup has a chance at succeeding.
I guess the other option is to do a more wide-reaching web search of designers to find someone whose work I like in a pricerange I can afford, and work with them in a more traditional way.
Both directions have pitfalls that I can see:
Working with a designer I know already:
-More expensive (at least 2x the average cost of the crowdsourced options)
-Limited style options when working with a single designer (i.e. may not like the direction things are going, and/or the designer may not be able to provide the look that I'm going for)
Working with a crowdsourced process:
-No ongoing personal relationship with designer (potential for crappy communication/work habits if the one I choose turns out to be a flake or unethical in some way)
-Possibility of subpar work (may just end up getting a bunch of crap options and would need to find a good designer anyway
If I'm looking at $400+- via the crowdsourced way vs. $1000+ with a designer that I already know, what would you folks recommend? I understand that a logo design is an important part of a company's brand and that I shouldn't be too stingy about paying for something so important. But...I am trying to be responsible with cash so that this startup has a chance at succeeding.
I guess the other option is to do a more wide-reaching web search of designers to find someone whose work I like in a pricerange I can afford, and work with them in a more traditional way.