Any cursory glance at the web reveals a huge choice of logo designers. How do you make the best choice? The article below explores some of the points you should look for and these can just as well be used to seek out a good web design expert as well.
Look for the designer’s previous experience and make sure that the design work is the sort of quality that you are aiming for in your own design. New designers are of course quite able to produce good quality work as well, so consider all the other points before simply looking at previous design portfolios
Have a good look at previous clients’ testimonials and make sure they are positive rather than being simply neutral. While you are looking at testimonials look for genuine credentials – can they be checked out for authenticity with a website address or by email?
Do they actually follow a design process and how thorough is it? Good designers don’t make logos like fast food – they take some time to design them professionally and a fast turn around time is probably an advert for poor quality work. Your logo, if it is a good one, will last a long time so expect it to take several days to a week or two to be designed properly.
Has any of their work been published online or in a magazine or book? Is their work recognised and have they won any awards for their work at all? A newly established designer is hardly going to have established their credentials quickly, but any designer that has been around for some time and is a good one should have some presence in the industry.
What is the strength of their portfolio? Do they produce logos for fake companies, i.e. Ones that don’t exist, simply to boost their image?
As with many goods and services you tend to get what you pay for, so if the price appears to be at basement bargain level, the quality of the logo design probably will reflect that. It’s hard to give any hard advice about pricing because it so much depends on the needs of the client. The price is likely to be customised to the specific needs of the customer.
Most developed countries have national associations and dedicated designers will be affiliated to them or to an associated publication. Find out if the designer is affiliated to any of these associations or publications as it gives an idea of how involved they are in the industry as a whole.
Look out for good customer service. How quickly are telephone calls and emails responded to? You would expect good customer service from a good company taking you from the initial process right through to customer support after the logo has been designed.
You would expect that a good designer would ask you a lot of specific questions relating to your goals and needs. The designer would be expected to design around your company’s history, your own customer target market, who your competitors are and so on.