A logo is a graphic that you use to help people recognise your brand. The most famous logos are known globally, even if the aren’t all there. Take a look at these examples as a reminder of how important a logo can be.
It’s easy to get hung up on your logo when you start a business but a logo can evolve over time and I’d encourage you to get started with some that feels good but maybe not quite perfect and then once you have clarity on your brand (your values, who you are serving, what you stand for) then you can work with a branding expert to help develop it further.
For now just get started. Here are 3 ways to get a logo for little or no cost
1. Do it yourself.
There are some amazing free graphic design tools available which you can use to design your logo. The online design tool Canva is an amazing resouce for business owners, making it possible to create graphics for your buisness in a matter of minutes that would once have required an designer, a number of days and a lot of money.
They have a great free version (they limit the designs you can use on this level) as well as a paid Pro verision which is about £12/month and has a free trial when you sign up.
To get the most from Canva you will want to have chosen your colours and fonts and then you can use the logo template to create something lovely or if you had a design in mind you can start from scratch. I show you both these methods in the short video below:
2. Use the Wix logo generator.
Wix is a website platform which I don’t generally recommend because it is quite limited in what you can do. However, they have a snazzy logo generator which is quite fun to use and you only pay if you want to download the logo. The basic package costs around £14 and that will give you a logo to use on your website and in your designs. You can see how it works here:
3. Try one of the global marketplaces.
One of the amazing things that the internet has done is give instant access to people all over the world. If you want a logo designed by a real person then you could try Fiverr (nearly everything on there has a $5 option), Upwork or PeoplePerHour (you get £30 credit when you use my link). These sites connect you with freelancers from all over the world and because the cost of living may be lower the prices charged can be very reasonable.
If you want a logo designed I suggest you search through designers portfolios until you find someone creating logos you really like and then give them a clear brief. This could include colour palettes (link), fonts, images that represent your brand and a description of your business services.
I tend to treat the super cheap offers as a bit of a gamble and I think I probably get a good deal about 75% of the time and lose my money the other 25%. (All the services offer a guarantee but sometimes what has been delivered could be said to meet the brief, it’s just not what you actually wanted) Also be aware that while the initial price may be low ($5 on Fiverr) the additional services can soon mount up so you are paying an extra $25 for rapid turnaround, maybe another $25 for the design files to be provided in different formats. Be sure to check the small print!
It’s also worth mentioning graphic designers. If you have the budget then getting your logo professionally designed can be a great investment. However, for a business on a budget or if you are not clear on your niche or messaging one of these cheaper alternatives could be a great way to get started.