As a designer… to justify charging £1000* for a logo, it's important to communicate the value of the logo to the client.
*a nominal amount, I’ve conjured up. Work with me here ok.
The key to this is the concept of value. Pricing on a 'time taken' basis is a nonsense that you can't sustain and once you unpick it makes no sense. However highlighting the intrinsic and continuing value of the work to the business is far more logical and persuasive. If you were artworking or doing short term contract work then there's more of an argument for hourly calculated work.
Here are some potential ways to do so:
- Explain the process: Walk the client through your design process and explain that creating a logo requires research, brainstorming, sketching, refining, and ultimately creating a final product that will effectively represent their brand. This process takes time and skill, which is reflected in the price.
- Discuss the impact of a good logo: A good logo is more than just a visual representation of a brand. It's a symbol that represents the values and essence of the business. A well-designed logo can attract customers, build trust, and increase brand recognition, all of which can translate into increased revenue for the client.
- Highlight your experience and expertise: If you have a portfolio of successful logos that you've designed, share them with the client and explain the impact they've had for the respective businesses. Explain how your experience and expertise can help create a successful logo for their brand.
- Emphasise the importance of originality: A logo that looks similar to others in the industry can hurt a business's brand, while a unique logo can help it stand out. Emphasize the value of originality and explain how the investment in a well-designed logo can pay off in the long run.
- Compare to industry standards: Research what other graphic designers or branding agencies charge for logo design in the industry and explain how your price compares. This can help the client understand that “£1000” is a fair price for the level of quality they will receive.
Overall, it's important to be both transparent and confident about the value of your work. Explain the complete process (not just the 'drawing' elements) and highlight the considerable positive impact a professional logo can have on a business. Emphasise your diligence, experience and expertise. Your value (and therefore the works') comes from the years of study, experience and talent that you can apply to the challenge in hand. Not how quickly you can turn it around.
You should be able to see and design beyond the obvious, to create with a depth and rigour beyond a shallow knee-jerk response. Be able to evaluate and refine your output so that it meets and exceeds the brief. A logo will often be the first point of contact with a brand, a lasting signpost to everything that comes afterwards. A great logo should have a premium price tag, I'm not talking extortionate or gouging clients budgets but they are an essential part of the business jigsaw. Help clients understand the worth of investing in a well-designed logo.
