So you are ready to take the plunge and start your own business. Or maybe your business has been around for a while and needs a fresh face. Businesses new or old, small or big, all face the same challenge at some point: logo branding.
With AI and programs like Canva, it can feel all too easy to hop online and craft a quick and easy logo. Although those tools have their time and place, it takes years of skill and education to create not only a beautiful logo, but a successful brand. What happens when files are not the right format? Or when your logo won’t fit properly on your collateral pieces? What do you do when years have passed and your brand needs a facelift but you want to keep your client loyalty? It can feel really easy until it feels really overwhelming.
Working with professional designers, although not free like some quick design programs, is an investment in not only quality but success. When hiring out for a logo branding package, there are some key things to keep in mind. In this article, we will review our tips and advice, what should be included in a logo branding package, and general cost.
Tips and Advice from Professional Designers
Before you start your logo branding journey, there are some key pieces of information you must have prepared to have the best experience possible. Proper research, solid brand identity, and clear knowledge of your audience will help any designer best craft a logo that is true to your business.
Proper Research
The first step in logo branding is choosing the right designer. Some designers work solo and others work on a design team. Here at No Dinx, we have a team of 5 in-house designers who work on logo branding projects. There are always two designers assigned to a job, but collaboration and input are key between the whole team to ensure designs are going in the direction our client wants. We strongly recommend reviewing the past work of designers or design teams you are considering. Some designers have a distinct style which, if it matches your vision, can be an amazing tool. In most cases though, it is best to find an unbiased designer or team who can work with your vision to create something 100% unique that stands out from your competitors.
Brand Identity
Although a logo branding package will pave the visual path for a brand, the brand identity is up to you. It is important to come to your logo branding consultation with clear knowledge of the following things:
- Business mission statement
- What is the function or product of your business
- What colors do you already align with your business
- Brand Voice
Knowing these business traits will help you and your chosen designer collaborate effectively as well as reach a final result that will feel authentic to your business.
Audience Research
Going into a logo branding consultation, you can expect to get market research from the design team to best inform your visual direction compared to competitors and leaders in your industry. Just like how logo branding creates a visual identity rather than an emotional one, audience research informs us of the customer rather than the market. It is the responsibility of the business owner to bring key information of their target and existing audience to the table. Knowing the age, gender, locations, and behaviors of the audience will help the design team create a logo with them in mind – building trust and loyalty with existing customers as well as future ones.
What You Should Expect In your Logo Branding Package
Logo
The first and most important thing you can expect to receive in your logo branding package is a logo. Before reaching a final logo, you should have a preliminary consultation, concepts, and revisions. The specific details of how much and how many of these things will be received is normally determined by the price and package selected and may vary from designer to designer.
Variations & Logo Marks
Although dependent on the package size and price, it is standard to receive one if not multiple variations and logo marks alongside the final logo. These variations and marks are meant to be used in places where a full logo may not be practical. Where a logo is ideal for a website, business cards, and signage – a variation can be perfect for a social media icon, watermark, or packaging sticker.
Color Palette
It is encouraged to bring preferred colors to your initial consultation to best inform the design team on your direction, but a finalized color palette is often included in a logo branding package. This color palette is a collection of colors key to your logo as well as colors that can be used alongside the key colors and look cohesive. Color codes are included to ensure any future collateral or projects all match and use the same color schemes.
Font Recommendations
Although the exact font used for a final logo may not be universal and usable outside of the logo creation process (designers often alter existing fonts to create something unique and better fitting or hand draw fonts from scratch), there are often font recommendations designers will throw into the final logo branding package. These fonts are great for creating signage, stationary, and digital marketing that requires lots of copy.
Branding Guide
A typical branding guide will be a visual map of all of the different pieces created in a logo branding package, showing you what it all looks like put together. More extensive branding guides which tend to be included on bigger packages, will also include detailed instructions on how and when to use everything to ensure the integrity of the logo branding is held up over time.
Collateral and Collateral Designs
The last common element included in logo branding packages is collateral design mockups. Collateral designs may be for business cards, stickers, signage, packaging, and more. Having these designs included in a branding package helps you keep a cohesive look as you move forward outside of the logo branding process. Some design teams, like us, will include actual collateral pieces in logo branding packages of a certain size. For example, our Classic Logo Branding Package includes your choice of two collateral pieces and our Deluxe Logo Branding Package includes your choice of three! These collateral pieces range from sandwich boards, banners, business cards, stickers, postcards, and more. Not only are they included in the cost of the package, but they are designed by the designers themselves – creating a cohesive look across all elements of your brand.
Cost Breakdown
The cost of logo branding can greatly vary depending on your location, choice of designer, and scale of the branding package you need. Knowing your business’s budget going into the process of logo branding is very important and will help you find a team that is the best fit for you. Here at No Dinx, we have three logo branding package options: Standard, Classic, and Deluxe. These tiers help clients create a package that best fits their needs and budget. You can learn more about what is included in our packages or get in touch with our team to chat further here on our website!