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Is Your Brand Worth $5? Why Avoid Cheap Design Services
We explore why you should avoid free or cheap design services like templates, AI logo generators and logo design competitions.
In a previous article, we provided a guide to creating a brand identity. In it, we said that a brand identity is made up of multiple elements like the logo, typography, color palette, imagery, voice and tone, etc.
To be effective in conveying the brand’s core message, these elements need to support and complement each other. There must be a unifying concept behind them.
In practice, this is easier said than done. It involves an intimate understanding of your core audience, your competition, your place in the market. It requires research, testing, and iterative efforts to improve the brand.
But you wouldn’t get that impression if you’re searching for graphic design and branding services on the web. A simple Google search for “I need a new logo” floods your screen with ads for AI generators, logo design competitions and freelancer services for as little as $5.
if you’re a first-time business owner or new to graphic design, you might get the impression that a logo is a cheap commodity, that making a logo is easy.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
In this article, we will explore why you should avoid free or cheap design services like templates, AI logo generators and logo design competitions. We will discuss the hidden costs and risks of these cheap-sounding options, and what an experienced graphic design partner can do for your business.
One of the cheapest options to create a logo for your business is to use an AI logo generator. Their appeal is the ability to get a logo in seconds based on a few simple instructions to the AI.
Some of these tools are more sophisticated than others. Most ask you questions about preferred colors and fonts, your industry, etc. Based on that, they essentially combine and rework existing designs according to your instructions, and there lies a key problem of these tools.
How can a machine create something unique? It can’t. It can only reuse and repurpose existing designs. This can create a loop where AI-generated logos are being fed back to the AI, causing the logos to look samey with a distinct, unnatural AI look and feel.
Granted, AI logo generators are getting better by the day. As this technology is evolving quickly, AI may be capable of producing consistently good design assets in the future.
But how can it understand the appeal of a brand to humans? How can it understand the emotions a memorable logo evokes in people? It can’t. To us as an experienced graphic design and brand agency, there lies the problem.
Your business serves humans, it exists to solve human problems, to sell products and services to humans. Your brand exists to create trust in people, to evoke positive feelings, to create an emotional bond between you and your customers.
A strong brand has value because humans see value in it, not robots. So why trust a robot to take over your design process? Can it understand all the nuances of font selection, the emotional value of colors, the right voice and tone for your brand? Of course it can’t.
That is not to say that AI tools are completely worthless. They can be used effectively to generate ideas and support the design process. Ultimately, however, we suggest partnering with an experienced designer or agency to help you craft a brand for your business.
They will be able to see how all these elements fit together, they will make an effort to understand your business’s needs in depth, they will suggest alternatives. You will be able to benefit from their advice and know-how.
Instead of blindly following your prompt, a great design partner will test your assumptions and make you think about your business. Are you playing to your strengths? Are you serving the right customers with the right products? Are you projecting the right image to the world?
That way, the branding process becomes a gradual learning experience and a chance to grow, not something you can do in 5 minutes. If it were that easy, everyone in the world would have a million-dollar brand in seconds.
Another cheap option to create a logo is to use a logo design competition service. Their appeal is that you as the customer can choose among multiple logos submitted by designers competing for your brief and only pay once you’re satisfied.
For designers, there is nothing more discouraging than working on a logo competition, only to be ghosted and, in most cases, receive no pay.
That’s because customers on such platforms are not required to pay even if they choose a logo. In many cases they simply disappear. Some customers end up using the logo they didn’t pay for, or a very close variant. You can already see the problem here.
Logo competitions are extremely one-sided, heavily skewed in the customers’ favor and treat the logo design service as a commodity. No self-respecting designer submits designs for competitions this way. Instead, they know the value of their work.
An experienced designer knows that a great logo cannot be properly created based on a simple short brief and for an anonymous client. They know that branding is a complicated, iterative process that requires clear and honest communication between designer and customer.
That’s why logo design competitions primarily attract novice designers, students, and freelancers desperately looking for work.
On the other side, they also attract customers who treat design as a commodity, are unwilling to pay for quality work, or are looking for design services for the first time.
To shed light on this, we described our entire logo design process in a previous article. In it, we discussed the steps we take and the revisions we make to create a logo for you that stands out, supports your brand identity, and adds value to your business.
An experienced designer knows that logo competitions simply don’t allow them to do quality work, so they avoid them. As a client of design services, we believe you should do the same.
Another way to get your logo designed for as little as $5 is to hire a low-cost freelancer. A simple search on platforms like Fiverr or Upwork results in thousands upon thousands of freelancers advertising low-cost design services. While we believe that great design doesn’t need to be expensive and while quality affordable options do exist, we would advise caution.
There are legitimate reasons why a designer would charge significantly less than competitors. For example, they might have lower overhead costs due to being a freelancer or living in a country where living is more affordable.
They might also be starting out their professional career. If they are serious and treat you with respect as a client, they can grow alongside you.
However, there are also designers that lower costs by using templates, providing low-quality work, stealing designs, or charging hidden costs. In our experience as a graphic design agency, we have worked with countless clients disappointed by such services.
The usual story is that they hired a designer, paid for a logo, received sub-par service, and were ultimately ghosted. For example, they needed the logo in a new file format, but the designer was nowhere to be found. They needed a slight revision to the logo, but the designer didn’t answer.
Such problems are all too common, as we discussed at length in our guide on how to choose a reliable graphic design partner. Before you opt for a low-cost design service, read as many reviews and testimonials as you can about the provider.
In summary, there are a number of alternative low-cost graphic design and branding solutions out there. AI logo generators, logo design competitions and low-cost freelancers are the prime examples.
While these options can seem cheap and convenient, it is very likely that you as a customer will receive sub-par service and will expose your brand to risks.
That is because, in our view, these options cannot possibly provide the value an experienced graphic designer or agency can. Creating quality graphic design involves an iterative, often lengthy process. It also requires clear communication, empathy, research, and experience.
If you value your brand and want your customers to see value in it, we suggest avoiding quick and cheap solutions. Instead, invest in a long-term relationship with a reliable design partner.
Have a graphic design or branding project for us? Send us your brief!
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