An obviously important question, but one that can’t be answered without details of your design project. Your company is different from every other, so it makes sense to tailor a quote to your individual needs.

Our pricing varies depending upon a large number of factors. Take the size of your company as an example. A small-sized enterprise might have just one person responsible for identity usage, whereas a large multinational might require an exhaustive documentation analysing the competition, exploring a wide range of design variations, and arriving at a set of branding guidelines.

Comparing the design industry to any other is by no means exact, but the, “How much for a website?” question is kind of like asking an estate agent, “How much for a house?”.

The cost includes a significant amount of my time, which can span over day, weeks or months, depending on the complexity of the project. You receive full ownership of the completed artwork, along with original files suitable for use across a wide range of media and for website you will receive the complete access details for the domain and hosting.

Design is not a commodity.

Just as you choose your designer, we also choose our clients, and only work with those who value the services we provide. We have a long list of clients that we have worked with all over the globe over the past 16 years.

A commodity is anything for which there is demand, but which is supplied without qualitative differentiation across a market. In other words, copper is copper. Rice is rice. Stereos, on the other hand, have many levels of quality. And, the better a stereo is, the more it will cost. The price of copper is universal, and fluctuates daily based on global supply and demand.

At the beginning of each project we’ll set some delivery timeframes, such as when you can expect initial ideas, and how long possible revisions may take. As each project is different, we wait until learning about your needs before providing a deadline. Depending upon complexity, identity projects can last from a few days in length to upwards of six weeks.

It’s possible, but not likely. We need to pay close attention to our current clients and their ongoing projects. Taking on too much work at once will adversely affect the outcome — something we won’t do.

1. A strong portfolio

Previous identity projects speak volumes about what you can expect.

When browsing different portfolios, look for design diversity, both in client industry and project outcome, ensuring you don’t receive a ‘cookie-cutter’ design i.e. one created using the backbone of another.

2. Excellent communication skills

Two main points matter here. First, there’s no excuse for glaring typos within email communication. Even those useful spell-checkers don’t pick up on every error, so it’s good practice to re-read important messages before pressing the ’send’ button.

Second, can you rely on your designer to conduct him / herself professionally in a group meeting or conference call? If you’re responsible for the outsourcing, your reputation will be in the hands of your chosen individual or design company.

3. Attention to detail

Changing smallest detail can greatly alter the impact of a design.

4. Great customer service

How fast can you expect a response to your questions? If you’re communicating via email, you shouldn’t expect to wait longer than 24 hours between Monday and Friday, unless you’ve been given prior notice. Telephone communication should be available during normal working hours, so don’t hesitate to ask for a phone number if one isn’t already provided.

A designer should respect their clients, and value their intelligence.

What about after the logo handover? Does your designer disappear into the void or will they remain on hand to help with any printing questions or filetype issues? Any self-respecting designer will be keen to help after supplying artwork. This may involve additional compensation, which should be discussed prior to commencing the project.

5. Trustworthiness

How much do you know about the designer responsible for your brand identity? Do they have a successful track record? Are they a ‘new kid on the block’? If the latter, be more wary about proceeding, but don’t think new design companies or designers won’t provide a great logo.

"Young designers don’t lack experience, they just lack opportunity." Bob Aufuldish

6. Good time management

Deadlines are a vital part of the logo design process. You may be waiting on a designer to finalise your identity before you roll out an ad campaign, or install your office signage, so the last thing you want is to have the agreed timeframe pushed back through no fault of your own.

Questions to ask your designer include:

• When will the logo project commence?
• When can I expect to receive initial ideas?
• How long will I be waiting between revision rounds?

7. Positive references

References — or client testimonials — can offer a great insight into previous customer satisfaction. Legitimate comments should be accompanied with a web address, but if not, don’t be afraid to request client contact details from your designer so you can ask questions.

8. Flexibility

No matter how detailed the initial design brief, there should always be room for flexibility. Things can change during each stage of the process, requiring a different outlook from that first anticipated. The designer should accommodate some movement, although may request additional compensation where drastic changes occur.

9. An informative website

You can expect to learn something from your logo designer before paying them a penny, and their online presence should satisfy this requirement. More and more designers are adding blogs to their static portfolios, thus helping with search engine optimisation.

Informative websites help on a number of counts.

• Trust is built through communication in blog comments
• Attention to detail can be seen according to the initial design brief
• Positive references might accompany portfolio entries
• Communication skills are evident through proper grammar

10. Common courtesy

Nice shouldn’t cost extra.

…there’s a huge gap between what people are willing to pay for nice (a lot) and what it would cost businesses to deliver it (almost nothing). Smells like an opportunity.

We will normally send you a PDF file for designs or a demo of the website on a temporary address shown over a number of pages. We display your designs in a variety of formats, such as in 100% black, a softer gray, reversed on a dark background, and possibly using a distinctive colour scheme (although colour is often left until the latter stages, once the idea has been finalised).

With most projects, we request a 50% downpayment prior to scheduling the work. All details are included in your initial invoice, and the remaining 50% is payable upon completion of the project, prior to supply of original artwork.

Trends show where we’ve been, and can give a glimpse into where we’re going. We don’t, however, create designs based solely upon trends, because we don’t want you coming back to me a couple of years later when your identity is out-of-date. The brandmarks we design are intended to last the duration of your business, not to look trendy.

Thank you

Thanks for taking the time to read our answers. Should you have any questions of your own, by all means drop us a message using the contact form.