Chapter 3: The Ideal Logo Designer

They say every great brand has an amazing logo, but we don’t always say the same about the amazing logo designer.

What’s his persona? How does she display her talent? How can I pick her attributes out as she’s standing in a nebulously-assembled crowd of design?

In short: What does the ideal logo designer even look like?

There’s no one specific way to tell for certain. But one way we can search for our ideal is to visit the right communities.

1. Where the Best Logo Designers Hang Out Online

There are a ton of avenues to find where skilled designers hang out. Here are several places to start:

• Designer portfolio websites like Dribbble and Behance (best of the best)
• Social networks: Use #logodesigner or #graphicdesigner on Twitter, Facebook and Google+
• Search for other businesses with logos you like, and contact that company directly
• Obviously, you can do a Google search for designers and agencies in your local area (“Minneapolis logo design” or “Minneapolis logo designer”)
• If you are really feeling good, you can search phrases like “best logo designers in the US” or “best logo designers in the world.” Be careful with this one though. Some people can be prone to hyperbole.

2. The Different Tiers of Designers

Fully Customized Logo Portfolio

This is a no brainer. All logo designers need to have some level of customization to attach that “professional” word to their title. It’s a well-developed portfolio that shows a range of skill. Someone may spend a lot of time going back and forth between creative staffing and a development team on the design process if you skip this.

Here’s the thing — there are different tiers of logo designers out there…different skill sets, levels of expertise, etc. They all have a function, but some have developed their skills and careers more acutely than others.

Let’s take a closer look at each tier…

1st Tier Designer

This is the top-of-the-line logo designer. They take this idea of customized logos to a new level as they can create any type of logo including negative space concepts, change of perspective layouts and highly illustrative mascots. Their portfolio shows an obvious skill for design where competitors pale in comparison. They not only have pixel-perfect design but their design savvy is bar-none. Creativity, attention to detail and premium design course through their veins. All in all, the design standard is set for the tiers below.

2nd Tier Designer
The 2nd tier designer customizes all their logos just like the 1st tier. The main difference is the type of customized logos they can effectively create. They tend to struggle with more of the illustrative logos where vantage point, (subtle) shadows/highlights and bringing the concept to life must be evident. Don’t discount the 2nd tier designer quite yet though. Their design eye is sharp and boasts an innovative logo portfolio where most potential clients would be happy with the quality of design.

3rd Tier Designer

Representing the new designer to the creative field, the 3rd tier is eager to learn and customizes each logo they create. It is evident that their portfolio lacks a bit of the quality from their 2nd tier friends above. Their logo design work is…nice — they know the design programs, but the end result doesn’t have that “it” factor that you look for in a premium logo.

4th Tier Designer

Finally, the 4th tier the designer is the bottom of the totem pole. They haven’t custom designed a good portion of their logos. As for the few logos they did design, they are generic and use common shapes and symbols. Their “go to” design is the initials logo. IE: For the company, “Burns Automotive Dealership”, “BAD” is the symbol. There is no level of passion for design and it comes through in their work. There is essentially nothing to give.

The common theme running throughout all four tiers? The quality of the portfolio.

That online portfolio of logos can really tell a lot about a designer’s capability. A logo designer’s portfolio is honestly the most important factor to zero in on.

They say, “Quality is king” when it comes to written content. It’s the same story here. It’s the same story for all content, visual or otherwise. You can’t drive the engagement you’re looking for without it. People don’t like poorly-produced content, and they don’t pay as much attention to it.

That’s why quality of logo design in that all important portfolio will be the main differentiator at the end of the day.

The Power of the Testimonial

Another way ideal logo designers separate themselves from the pack is through carefully-written, honest testimonials. There are so many designers who have a website lacking testimonials.

Glowing reviews add huge value that can’t be overlooked. The result is trust and credibility—as long as real clients are saying glowing things about their experience from their point of view.

But what does a great testimonial look like?

A successful entrepreneur named Derek Halpern developed a structure for what he calls, “The Perfect Testimonial”. Here’s what he has to say:

“Customer testimonials have the power to convert the most on-the-fence browsers into buyers.”

He breaks down his Perfect Testimonial Framework into 3 easy steps,

1. The Problem (or belief)

2. The Solution (or new belief)

3. The Results (or accomplishments)

When I ask my clients if they could provide a testimonial for me, this is the structure I’ve began to use — and it works.

This framework is “perfect” for a reason.

To the entrepreneur needing a logo, you have an inside look at how the problem (needing a logo) you have was fixed (with an amazing new logo), and the result (branded growth/customer growth) that came as a result.

As for the designer, you have a credible story to show potential clients you mean business and deliver results. In an indirect way, you are showing your future customers that their investment will be well worth it.

5 Ways to Know if a Designer is Genuine or Apathetic

1. The Apathy Litmus Test

The quickest way to find out if your logo designer will put the time and effort into your logo is by knowing their logo design process.

But why should you care so much about the process?

Asking your designer to summarize their logo process can tell you a lot about how much they care. Even if you don’t understand the programs and type of files that they are talking about, you will be able to know how much they care about your company’s logo just by the detail and knowledge they relay to you.

I recommend speaking with them over the phone to not only get the details, but hear the passion and gusto in their voice. Passion breeds creativity…creativity breeds great design.

2. Responsiveness

Before you hire your logo designer, an easy way show that your designer cares is how responsive they tend to be. Particularly emails. Designers are consistently by their computer or phone where they get notifications of new emails that come in. If they are getting back to you a week after you email them for a quote, how responsive do you think they will be during the logo design process?

That said, try to give your designer 48 hours to respond. Oftentimes, they are working on juggling multiple projects at once. Between getting back to emails and the design work itself, it can sometimes be difficult to get back to inquiries same day. Patience and understanding can go a long way.

3. Inspect the Website

Logo design is a skill that needs a certain attention to detail. Besides taking a look at their portfolio, inspecting their website is an effective way to know just how much your logo designer cares.

Are the links working? Does everything load correctly? Do they answer your questions when you navigate around the site? Is it visually pleasing and well-organized?

Logos are iconic and minimal. The smooth, clean lines that make up a logo need an artist who is on point when it comes to the details. Take a look at their website and see if that attention to detail is evident in the design elements. Crowded, or out of the box sites will not speak positively to a designer’s capability.

7 Questions Most Logo Designers Don’t Exactly…Appreciate

1. College Education?

Some people can tend to think that in order to work on their project, that a college education is required. Not so much. In fact, some of the very best designers I’ve come across have never had a formal college education. It’s about theory and practice. It’s best to have a good amount of both elements in the mix.

I’m by no means saying that a college education is a bad thing. I learned a lot from my design courses in college and apply this knowledge to my design work.

That said, there are tons of self-taught designers out there who would be perfect for your project. They’ve exposed themselves to theory without necessarily going through the process of earning a degree. There’s also a ton of designers with a college education who would fit the bill, and might be the right choice.

Creativity and giftedness can come in all shapes, sizes and backgrounds. The main takeaway: Don’t box yourself in to one type of designer.

It all goes back to the portfolio. Review their body of work as a starting point, and go from there. The right designer will keep abreast of trends, new technique and what works in the marketplace.

To only use a designer if they have a college education is closing yourself off to a lot of talented designers. Don’t do you and your company a disservice by boxing yourself in.

2. Have you already created logos specific to my industry?

This is one I hear a lot. And it’s actually not a terrible question. It shows that someone is trying to ask the right questions before they invest in a logo. I respect this completely.

Let’s take a quick look at the job of a logo designer. One of the things that makes a logo designer great is the fact that they can cater their design work to your industry (and brand).

So what do you do instead?

It all goes back to their portfolio. Taking a look at their logo design work, you can look at the different industries. You can even take your hand and cover up the company name of the logos you see and by looking at the icon/graphic portion of the logo, guess what industry you think this particular logo represents.

This is a great check to see if the logo is being catered to that business’s industry. Then just rinse and repeat.

3. Multiple Meetings

In one of my favorite books, Rework the author talks to this idea of meetings being a deterrent to a productive day. They pose that momentum is the key to production and how meetings tend to actually be unnecessary and stifle production (not to mention creativity).

If possible, try to talk over the phone or email. Have materials to show them? Scan it and send. Your designer will be able to get started on your project much quicker.

4. Work for Free?

Asking a designer to work for free can be one of the most effective ways for you to show how much you are valuing their service—in this case, it’s not worth a penny. In effect, you could say, “I saw your portfolio of work and this is how much I think you’re worth.” Not the best first impression to set.

I’m not saying that you should never ask a designer to work for free. For a designer to help a non-profit or organization which has a good mission that they align with can be a rewarding experience. For a designer looking to build an amazing portfolio, working for a lower price point may be necessary. But consider that when you’re looking for quality, you’ll want to reward the person providing you with work as much as you’d want to be rewarded for yours. Unnecessarily undercutting a budget for someone producing your logo will not net you the results you want to achieve.

5. Daily Updates?

If a client emailed me every day asking for an update on their project, it would be pretty overwhelming to say the least. Especially in a creative field like graphic design being able to give your designer some space as they conceptualize ideas for your logo is vital.

Taking a deep breath and trust your designer. You’ll be glad you did.

6. Can you name my company for me?

Believe it or not I’ve had some ask to name their company (for free) before I began working on the logo. Although I have done some naming projects along the way, assuming this is built into the logo project is not the best way to go about it.

If you need a name for your company, simply ask your designer for a quote. They might not offer the service, which is common and okay. You can either contact a branding specialist or simply ask for the service upfront.

An automatic red flag pops up in my mind once a client begins assuming free work that hasn’t already been outlined in our original contract. It means they don’t value my time, and I often wonder how much they’ll value me, and the work I produce.

7. Can I have more logos?

So your logos have been finalized and you’ve got all the files that you need. Perfect.

Fast-forward a month later. It’s a cold, cloudy day. A designer checks his email and does a double-take at his most recent inbox message. “Need Another Logo” was the title.

Designer starts to cringe.

His client had a cousin that said they didn’t care for the logo as much and made the client start to rethink the logo altogether.

Please don’t be that person. If revisions are built into your designer’s contract, use these tweaks before the logo’s finalized.

Unless you offer to pay for newly designed iterations, please don’t be that person.

Warnings Before the Project Begins

1. 24-48 Hour Turnaround Times

It is…interesting that there some logo designers who have a 24 hour turnaround time on their logos listed as a benefit on their website.

Don’t get me wrong I’m all about on point customer service and treating the client the way you would like to be treated.

Here’s a blanket statement: This type of turnaround time is not a benefit. Having cornerstone of your brand to be whipped up in such a short amount of time should bring up huge red flags in your mind.

The logo design process is just that, a process. Mind-mapping, sketches, conceptualizing, narrowing, more concepts, narrowing again, honing, narrowing, digitizing, font exploration, color exploration, tweaking and finalizing.

There is no set-in stone “right” way to go about the logo process, but wouldn’t you rather have a longer turnaround and have a honed logo instead of something that was quickly created in 24 hours?

You’re after quality, and an enduring product—one that might last your entire brand’s lifetime. Not quantity.

2. Due Diligence

Don’t forget to do your homework. Conducting research on your logo designer and their company before the project starts is so important. Good signs are found via a portfolio, website, social media, testimonials and reviews are just some quick ways to build trust.

Once you have that trust established, you can trust the process. You hired your designer because you trust that they can come through and produce a logo that is designed in line with your initial research.

At this point, it’s in the best interest of your company to let your logo design professional do what they do best: Create and innovate a marketable, memorable and iconic mark for your brand in a logo.

3. Keep it Professional

It’s something I hear on a fairly consistent basis: “I asked my nephew (or family member) to design my logo but it just didn’t turn out very good.” I won’t get into all the awkwardness that comes with future family reunions.

Trust me, it’s not worth it, even if you think it will save you money.

Have a true professional create your logo so you can look at it many years down the road and be genuinely happy about the decision you made to get it done right. Invest in the longevity of your brand.

People generally tend to be more results-based instead of process-based as a rule, and that’s understandable.

But it’s important to that if you take the time to implement the steps above, you will be well on your way to a honed logo that clearly represents your brand. 

You’ll get the results you need by following good process.