The largest ad agency I worked for used to charge up to $5,000 to design a logo. Then, we'd watch, green with envy, as some local companies would pay $75,000 to a big, out-of-state logo firm. (Most clients in our area were too small to use the REALLY big corporate identity firms - who charge up to $250,000.)
I'm pretty sure the majority of you reading this wouldn't pay a quarter of a million dollars for your logo - even though you believe a strong logo is a crucial marketing tool. (It may or may not be, see here.)
You'd prefer something more in the range of... FREE.
Then head over to that darling of budget-light marketers, VistaPrint, and check out their free logo generator: http://www.vistaprint.com/logo-design/add-text.aspx?xnav=LeftItem&xnid=LMHPNavGroupFreeProductsTile18&dng=1175389&rd=2
There, you can choose from and (slightly) customize any one of 485 possible basic logos. Then you can save your choice to use free on any VistaPrint products. Or, by paying $19.95, you can get a logo package for unlimited use anywhere.
Got $20 - $100?
At logoyes.com, you can design a logo (yes, you have to do some of the work - but it's easy) for $69. $99 will get you a business card and stationery design too.
If you have some graphic skills - on the level of basic Photoshop or slightly advanced Powerpoint know-how - you can buy DIY logo creation programs and create as many logos as you like.
Logo Design Studio offers thousands of options for $19.95 and Logo Design Studio Pro is $39 for pc. Preview them here: http://www.summitsoftcorp.com/products/Logo-Design-Studio/index.asp.
For Mac-users, the programs are $29.95 and $59.95. The address is:
http://www.macxware.com/site/products/LDSPro/overview.html
The Logo Creator claims to be the best-selling logo program on the planet. There are various versions, all $29 for both pc and Mac. http://www.thelogocreator.com/
You can try AAA Logo software here free. To buy the program is $69 US. http://www.aaa-logo.com/
If you don't want to do any of the work yourself, CheapLogo offers a $20 service: http://cheap-logo.net/index.php/
Fiftydollarlogo offers six designs from two designers for, guess what - $50. Twelve designs are $69. http://www.50dollarlogo.com/packages.php/
YourKLMN has a $99 offer that includes a business card design as well. http://www.yourklmn.com/
Four designs from four designers: http://www.createlogodesign.com/packages.htm/
http://thelogoloft.com/samples/index.html - Packages run from $99 - $1,500.
If you can spend $200:
http://www.logocare.com/ Unlimited designs and revisions, five designers- $189.
http://www.infinitylogodesign.com/ Four designs from two designers, unlimited revisions. $195.
If you can invest $300 or so:
If you can spend a little more, say $250 - $400, crowdsourcing offers you lots of potential designs from pro designers around the world.
You simply post a "prize" - the amount of money you're willing to pay. The amount, plus a small user fee, is charged to your credit card.
You then set the time you'll allow for the project. Then sit back and watch as up to 30,000 designers from 140 countries submit designs on spec. The average number of designs you'll get back is about 70-80. When the time limit you set is up, you choose the design you like best and that designer gets the award. The other designers get nothing.
If you get under 25 designs, you can cancel the project and get a refund.
Here are two top crowdsourcing sites you can check out:
Crowdspring: http://www.crowdspring.com/
99 Designs: http://www.99designs.com/
Caveat: Neither BBlackwood nor $mart Marketing on Any Budget specifically endorses any of these products or companies. And there are real benefits to working with a designer one-on-one to create a custom graphics package if your budget allows it.
If you do try any of these options, give us your feedback for everyone's benefit.
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