HOW TO CREATE A PROFESSIONAL LOGO FOR UNDER $50

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Read Sara Conte's original article published on Weebly Inspiration.

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Logos help businesses big and small create tremendous value and instant recognition. It represents everything you do. Logos use colors and images to affect our emotions. Whether it’s the red in Red Bull (aggressive), or the green in Starbucks (relaxed). And this influences our buying behavior.

The problem is that most businesses struggle to create a logo. Some pay millions (Pepsi spent $1 million). But logos don’t have to be expensive. Nike paid $35 for its swoosh. Google paid $0 (founder Sergey Brin created it on his own).

Whether you spend a lot or a little, you must invest the time to determine what you want that logo to say about you.

Follow these steps to jumpstart the process.

Step 1: Know what you stand for.

Define who you are. What's the promise that you’re making to your customer? Make a list of the key attributes of your brand. You may be known for customer service, quality, or speed. Try to narrow your list to three or four. You’ll make more of an impression as you focus your message.

Step 2: Know what you look like.

What colors, fonts and images convey your brand promise? Look at companies you admire and notice how their choice of color and design conveys their values. For example, whites can convey simplicity and purity. Greens can convey new beginnings and growth. Blues may be more appropriate for a business with traditional values. Each color brings out different emotions. The colors, fonts and images you choose to represent your business can make a strong and lasting impression.

Step 3: Get some help.

You've determined your foundation. Now get some help. If you can only spend $50, you will walk a narrow path. Agencies will charge an arm and a leg. So get online and surf the web. Try out one of the online logo builders. Don’t use clip art. Post your creative brief at some of the crowdsourcing websites and see what comes back. You have defined what you want and will know it when you see it.

Step 4: Create a whole system.

With your new logo, you now have the foundation of your brand in place. Make sure you build from this starting point so that all of the parts and pieces of your new brand work together.  

And then, say hello to new business!