Many small business owners are DIY people. Often times we have to be to survive. With the amount of information online, we can figure out how to do or make many things. But, there are some things that need to be left to professionals. Doing a root canal, getting a haircut and designing a logo are three of them.

“But I have Photoshop!” Nope, it’s still not a good idea (in fact, a designer would probably not use Photoshop as there is more appropriate software out there). Just like you put your representation in the hands of a lawyer, trust your wedding cake to a baker, or hire a CPA to make sure you get the most tax deductions, you need to entrust your logo design to a creative professional.

Examples of generic clipart logos

Sounds like fun! You can get a variety of designers to create something for you and choose which one you like best, right? Wrong – in reality, this is one of the WORST approaches to logo design. Do you really want to entrust the perception of your business to people who know little or nothing about you? The quality of contest logos is not only poor, but also typically lacks the vital research that goes into a professional identity.

Sometimes designers do enter these contests. But, ‘designers’ who participate in logo contests are doing so for a reason – they may not have the experience to go after paid work. Is that who you want creating your identity? You wouldn’t ask four painters to each paint an entire side of your house, and then choose the side you liked most to finish the job – so don’t design your logo that same way.

This is a common mistake made by people trying to cut corners or cost. Clip art in a logo makes you look cheap and unprofessional. Stock symbols and illustrations devalue your company because they are downloaded by thousands of people, who are now showcasing the same ‘logo’ you are. It is SO important to make sure your logo design is original. You are cheating yourself, your company and your audience if you use clip art or stock imagery.

Examples of generic clipart logos

“Awesome- a logo for $50!,” you may say. If you Google “logo design” you will be prompted with hundreds of offers from online companies to make a logo for your company at what seems like a great deal. Better think twice. If you don’t, you will end up with a rushed, generic and soulless identity that probably isn’t even worth the $50 you paid for it. These online companies are often made up of “production slaves” who not only know nothing about you, but wouldn’t care even if they did.

You get what you pay for. A lot of these companies are simply recycling old symbols from past customers, changing the name and perhaps colors and giving you a logo that is dreadfully similar to 30 others they did last year. There is no research, planning, or longevity involved with this approach. You may only be spending $50, but in the long run, you are risking the perception of your company by representing yourself with a generic, off the shelf logo.

Whether you designed it yourself, or hired someone, if you don’t get feedback on your logo, you could end up regretting it later. Before you implement any design, it is crucial that you get feedback from your peers and your market. This is a very important step in the process because it can let you know if the logo is going to be successful or not. Success is what this is about – no matter how good it looks, if it doesn’t communicate your message to the correct people, your logo is a failure. So if you didn’t get feedback, you may currently be living with a logo that is doing you no favors and you may not know it. A good designer tests the logo in the marketplace to make sure that it communicates properly.