So I recently read this article, “How to Design A Logo Without Being a Graphic Designer“. Uh oh.
I am of course biased but I no don’t think it is really great advice. It’s actually very bad advice. I do agree that a superb logo alone does not a successful business make.
There is a reason that large multinational corporations pay for design (because it drives profit).
I also agree that it’s certainly possible to start a business from 0, but why would you want to do that?
What I see is that people who go to fiverr/freelancer often don’t even recognise a good logo when it is staring them in the face! They’ll still get/choose a bad logo when someone else’s would have been more fitting/appropriate. I used to think that they would at least recognise something good when they see it, subconsciously like, just not know why they like it. Seems not to be the case.
Before I studied design, I was one of ‘them’. I started a few businesses with my own logos. And I think that was a mistake. Looking back, my initial logos were not good. But how would I know that? After a few years, I had to rebrand them. Yes it got the ball rolling. But I think it wasn’t ideal.
Nowadays I tend to think like this: if you want to start a new business without a graphic designer because you think they are “too expensive”, perhaps you can’t really afford to start a business yet? Sometimes I think it pays to wait a bit and launch at a later date.
It’s not ideal. And it could even cost you more later on. On second thoughts, it probably will. I have seen businesses who had invested $40k upfront on tooling etc (well okay, it’s not that much), for one single product, and I asked them what their budget for a logo/design was. The reply? “Zero. Because I can do it myself”.
That is just silly. To be investing that much, and still take the DIY approach. No it’s not millions. But where are they today? I had a look a few days ago. Nowhere. They have a good idea, a good product, a good business model — but the logo is horrible! So it makes them look amateurish. How are they to know?