I was looking to create a logo for my newest business, a small-sized HPC (High Performance Computing) e-commerce shop. As we were a small organization with limited financial resources or manpower, I did what most people do…I Googled “free logo design”. That took me down a rabbit hole of both frustration and education and here is what I learned.
- I searched for a free online tool, that I could use to create a logo myself. It was fun and out of all the ones I tried, I enjoyed DesignEvo the most. However, while it was easy to use and had lots of customization options, I left the platform with two partially completed logos. Although I was happy with 80% of the design, the tool could not help me with the last 20% and I didn’t have the time or patience to learn how I could finish it. I ended up not using the versions that were created on the platform. It was quite frustrating, as I could have spent that time on other tasks of greater importance.
- I then tried out sites such as 99designs, where you can start a “contest” between different designers hungry for business. This sounded like a good concept, but again, I soon realized that managing the process was going to be a full-time job in itself. I later learned from friends that they received mixed results from site like this, which were not cheap either. I opted out of this route.
- The next option was to hire a freelance designer. I scoured sites like Upwork and Fiverr for designers, that I believed could do a good job. It was fun to communicate with some dedicated professionals, but the process was very time-consuming, and this was also the most expensive option. Sure, you can find cheap offshore designers to design a logo for you, but the price often reflects the quality. I didn’t want to use something that I wasn’t completely happy with and therefore, I ended up pausing my search to focus on sourcing parts for my machines.
- After resuming my search, I ended up going with a company called DesignPax. I stumbled upon them through Facebook. We both belong to a group on the social media site, which allowed me to check out their history and portfolio and since they promised guaranteed satisfaction, I gave them a shot. The results were phenomenal; the prices were affordable; the turnaround was quick, and they handled everything from start to finish, with minimal direction. In 48 hours, I had a great logo, which I am very happy with.
I had such a good experience that I ended up using their Shopify team, who also helped me launch my site Xenowulf and design marketing collateral, banner ads, as well as an email newsletter. I believe that there is always more than one approach to anything, but this was the approach that worked best for me. If you are struggling with design, content and marketing of your business, I hope I have pointed you in the right direction. Good luck on your small business journey and remember, even when it gets tough, it’s better than sitting in a cubicle selling other peoples’ dreams!
Check out this blog for other helpful tips 10 Best Practices of Logo Design to Build Your Brand.