Don't Design Your Own Logo

With today's technology, it's easy to create your own logo and branding by yourself with websites like Canva or Wix, without the help of a professional. But if you want your business to be taken seriously, reach your target audience, and have longevity, you should never design your own logo. And here's why.

1. You would be spending valuable time that should be used elsewhere.

If you're a business owner, there's PLENTY of other startup projects and processes you will be focusing on. Your time is valuable, and you're the professional when it comes to starting up your own business. Leave the logo and branding up to another professional who is skilled in that area. Your startup costs for a logo and branding will also be tax deductible if completed by another professional. Sure, it's free (or cheap) if you do it yourself, but your time may be worth more spent elsewhere. It may NOT even be cheaper, if you actually use the professional software needed to create vector graphics that are usable by printing companies and other creative professionals.

2. You likely don't have the design knowledge necessary to make a successful brand.

Many people will get excited about starting their new business and often have an idea or even a sketch in mind. While you can certainly pass this onto a professional designer, be ready to accept that your idea just may not be right for your business. A professional designer will have the background, skills, education, and experience, and will perform ample research to ensure the best branding represents your business. They will be keeping in mind your target office and ultimately what is best for the business as a whole. Your sketch may work out, but it probably won't, so don't tie yourself to a specific idea. Even if you or a relative has somewhat of an artistic background, trust your designer because of their experience in the industry. Though a big part of it, artistic background is certainly not everything when it comes to a logo.

3. You may be infringing on copyright issues.

A professional designer will have completed a lot of research before creating a logo for you, including similar logo concepts and your competitors' branding. If you create a logo using websites like Wix or Canva, you will definitely be using templates to create something that was also made available to other users, and therefor your idea will not be original. This is dangerous territory if you infringe on another person's trademarked logo. You risk losing a lot of money in the long run; court fees, royalty fees, and then of course, paying a designer to rebrand your already established company, risking the loss of customers who didn't recognize or identify with your company after the rebrand.

4. It will cost you more in the long run.

Your own logo design could work fine for a small business for a limited time, but your business will either plateau from a marketing plan that just doesn't connect with your audience or it will outgrow your beginner branding. Once your business is started with a branding scheme, you'll be paying a lot more to rebrand and additionally, market your new branding to keep your current customers from being confused during the switchover.

5. It's not as good as you think it is.

Some clients are really pumped about their own design ideas and insist on incorporating them into the logo. Be sure to ask a professional designer or marketing person for their honest feedback for the good of the business. By asking family and friends, you won't have an honest opinion, or they may not know enough about your company to even recognize if your sketch is the right match. You should always hire a professional designer to do a job that they've been trained and schooled to do. Just because you've seen Master Chef doesn't mean you can now be a professional cook and open a restaurant....you would hire a chef. Designing a logo a huge undertaking that's so important to your business, so let a professional do the job. It's for your company's benefit in the end!

So don't make the mistake of branding your own company. Hire a skilled professional who wants to see your business succeed.

Radiant Resolution specializes in amazing logo designs for all types of businesses and organizations. Contact us today for a free quote!