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Not a good one. A phenomenal one.

Ok, you’ve done the work and you neeeeeed a logo – PRONTO. But jeez there are so many designers out there. And besides, your husband’s aunt’s cousin’s daughter’s ex boyfriend’s dog is a designer – so why not just use him?

Hmmmmm, why not indeed. Well for starters he’s a hound, so there’s that.

But seriously. Not just anyone can design logos. Even within the field of graphic design there are a myriad of specialities – point of sale, packaging, web design and coding, general layout, magazine layout, advertising layout, newspaper layout, vehicle wraps, brand identity, logo design, typography, illustration, digital illustration, Manga, animation, CGI, and the list goes on…

So maybe your husband’s aunt’s cousin’s daughter’s ex-boyfriend’s dog can do a mean Manga drawing, but he probably can’t design a jaw dropping logo. Sorry to break it to him. Best he go back into his doghouse!

So here’s the thing. When you are looking for someone to design your brand, there are a few things that you need to consider.

Yes, the old ‘what’s on your resume’ deal – I mean, they need to know their squares from their circles and their greens from reds – right. Right! Having a formal education in graphic design is really key. There is so much that is taught and learnt which simply can’t be ‘picked up’ along the way.

What brands have they worked on before – have a good look at their portfolio (which should be on their website, really, but if not – ask for it – they all have one). Do you like what you see? If all you see are Andy Warhol lookalikes and your brand is a luxury lingerie brand for women, that is definitely NOT gonna work, Sharon.

Once you’ve shortlisted 2-3 designers whose work you find pleasing, and whose experience is fantastic, it’s time to make some calls. You see, you need to ‘click’ with them too. They need to ‘get’ you, they need to ‘get’ your brand too. They need to be able to understand what it is that you do, what your brand strives for, what makes you leap outta bed in the morning. It’s kinda like finding the right shrink, really.

But what about the $$$$$$$? I know what you’re thinking. But in all honesty, it’s a good idea to set aside $500-$1000 of your capital outlay to make sure that you have great branding from the get go. It’s REALLY worth it. You’re worth it. *wink*

Don’t let sub-par visual representation be your product or service’s downfall. Your logo and visual identity are the things that your potential clients see before ANYTHING else. Make sure they represent your product well and that your designer has the skills to make your new logo come to life and be attractive to the people you are selling to.