In today’s tough economy, we try to spend our money as wisely as possible. If there is something we need to do and we can do it without anyone’s help, then we don’t have to pay anyone for it.
But…Be Cautious!
Even though it’s good to get as much work done yourself as possible, but there are certain things that you should not get involved in. For example, if there is something wrong with your ceiling and if you try to fix it yourself, then the chances are that it might get worse and collapse.
You have to be cautious, again, when it comes to creating your brand identity / logo design, because if you don’t get it right, then the foundation of your business will collapse very soon.
So, even though there are certain things you can do to save some money, but then in the long run they can turn out to be devastating… and your Business Logo Design is one of those things.
In-Depth Analysis:
Let’s now discuss the difference between DIY logo design and custom logo design and realistically analyze which option will be best for your business.
Your Logo Must be Unique:
Your logo design has got to look unique if you really want to stand-out. See, a DIY tool gives you images and layouts to choose from, but the problem is that the same can be used by others as well. Hence, you won’t be able to represent your business in a unique way. This is why hiring an experienced brand identity designer is a must to create your custom logo design uniquely and professionally.
Your Logo Must be Relevant to Your Business:
When you use a tool, you get limited options, images, fonts, colors, etc. to create your logo design. The problem is that with such limited options, you may not be able to create a logo that will correctly and professionally represent your business, whereas, hiring an experienced designer will help you a lot as the designer will first conduct a research and analyze your industry and then create a customized logo accordingly. You don’t get this ease and research with a DIY tool.
Creative Suggestions and Directions:
After you fire up a DIY tool to create your logo, you will be on your own with your creativity. Plus, if you are not creative when it comes to design and brand identity, then it is obvious that your logo will come out to be really bad. So, hiring a professional designer to create a custom logo will help you a lot because the designer will guide you in the right direction and give you valuable suggestions as well.
Resizable Image:
When you use a DIY tool for logo, then you get an image that you can’t resize in most cases. If you attempt to resize it, then the design will be affected negatively when you will try to expand or shrink it. Your custom logo design should be scalable and resizable so that you will be able to use them in all sorts of marketing campaigns, both online and offline. Hence, for this you need a professional designer, not a DIY tool.
So…What are your thoughts about DIY logo design and custom logo design?
Steve @Erraticblog
I agree, hire a professional, especially if you’re not creative… which most people are not. Even if you think you are creative, get an outside professional opinion in the mix. It helps spark ideas. Then you can go back to DIY if you really want to.
In my experiences in the past when I did try DIY, I ended up having to have everything redone a year later when the DIY version was outgrown. Ended up costing more money, more time… would have been easier to just start with the professional creative mind in the first place.
Now if I need something done, even if I have the creative idea, I’ll bounce it off my designer to get her opinion and suggestions.
ben
Steve you have very nicely expanded the topic with your experience as an example, ya true DIY tool cannot customize your design perfectly.
It is better that you go for a custom logo designer, or even if you are a designer just create it but try to gather some feedback about your Logo from some professionals, like you can create a forum post for getting the feedback. Anyway as far as the cost is concern there are many cheap logo design companies, but very few are creative and competitive, so price doesn’t matter, before choosing a company just check their portfolio and feedback on any other 3rd party website.
Hi Ben. Totally agree with you on this one. If there is something that you can do yourself and good at it, I say go for it, otherwise let those who are the experts in the field do the job for you. I guess that most of the time people tend to use the DIY methods due to the investment $$. Needless to say that it the long run it may cost more.
BTW, thanks for creating my logo. It was spot on what I was looking for.
ben
Thanks, ya your logo looks good on your header, but please will tell us why you have chosen Pyramid icon in your Logo, what is the hidden truth behind it π
Be careful here, a logo can make it or break it. If you are not fully confident that you can pull this off and if you have some dollars extra, I’d rather have a design professional create the logo.
Michele Welch
Yes, DiTesco, been meaning to tell you…great logo!
Hi Ben, I actually had my logo redone very recently. He did a very good job … I actually really like it. But still torn between whether or not to go for something a bit more graphical???
I want my logo to grow with me and I’m not 100% sure if mine currently encompasses that or not. I train, coach and do site development and not sure if this logo speaks that or if it really matters all that much. Difficult when you don’t have a trained eye for this.
Guess I’ll have to sit with it for a while and see.
But yes, definitely agree with you…best to have a professional do something as important as this! I’ve looked at your site before… who knows, may have to revisit it again. π
~Ciao
ben
thanks for your comments Michele, I just visited your website and took a look at your logo, first of all my advice is to put your logo in a proper format, it looks pixelated.
Over all your logo is not too bad.
Michele Welch
Hey Ben,
Thanks so much for taking a look at it and giving me your opinion. You are awesome!
Will be in contact. =)
ben
No problem Michele π
Hi Ben. Why pyramid? Well that’s a long story and I can tell you but then I will have to kill ya, haha.. just kidding. I promise Ben that one of these days I will take the time to explain. It is not long but there is in fact something behind it.
ben
I will wait for you to reveal this mystery π
Hesham
RT @ditesco DIY Logo Design vs. Custom Logo Design http://ow.ly/19AGdi
ben
thanks Hesham for RT π
Patricia@lavenderuses
Hi Ben
As a newbie blogger I have limited funds and got my niece who is doing graphic design at college to do a simple design on my blog and got a printing company to do my biz cards. However I am seeing a web designer on Monday so will probably get him to do whatever needs doing to make it look more professional.
Patricia Perth Australia
ben
Patricia as a newbie blogger your blog is not that bad, yes you should redesign your blog by getting help of any professional web designer, Hope you will have a successful meeting with your web design consultant.
Kissie
Patricia, let me know how that works out … the web designer.
I’m having a fit trying to install a theme! I should have saved my money and used a free one. π
Richard
Ideally a logo should be simple and easy to remember. A good example would be the apple logo or the Nike swoosh. Simple, elegant designs that are unique and immediately identifiable to the company.
ben
yes these are the best examples, when we talk about a simple identity.
Creating a logo is an extremely critically part of building your brand. It is one of the first things that customers will recognize you by. Therefore, I think this is something that should be outsourced, unless you have a graphics whiz who understands your vision of what the logo needs to communicate.
Steve
Yes ,A best logo design is for inspiring trust, recognition and admiration for a company or product and it is our job as designers to create a best logo that will do its job. A best logo design is distinctive, appropriate, practical, graphic, simple in form and conveys an intended message.
Jaypee
For my blog, I decided to get some professional help and pay for a custom blog mascot. The other parts of the blog header, I did myself.
Hiring a professional to design a blog mascot for my blog is one of the best decisions I’ve made. The only thing I regret is not doing it earlier. π
The age old saying, you get what you pay for, rings true in most cases. Yes, you can get some very good home made/ self made / DIY logos, but those are few and far between.
Anyway, if you are good at graphic design and logo design, then you are probably, or should be in that field professionally. Then it does become a professional design.
So my though, get the professionals in when and if you can afford it
Evan Schulte
I would definitely hire a professional. Even with the choices you would have on a DIY adventure, I do not think I am artistic enough to figuring out what would fit it.
BTW, I love your logo. Guessing you used a professional? ha/ha
Richard is right, the most well known are simple, beautiful, and hard to forget. If your logo doesn’t fit this, then it is time to find someone to fix it.
thank you for this wonderful post. I think it is time I start looking for the right professional to do my logo.
Kris
I agree with your post.
Your article is really good, very positive thoughts.
When you create a logo, your design must be unique that’s the number one technique..Thanks for sharing your wonderful article.