I am starting a new company and need a logo done.  I want it done right so I contacted a local  graphic designer.  Her normal price is $550 but because I did most of the research as far as color, font, and image design, her price is $295. Ouch!  I had no idea they could be so expensive.  Anybody use one of those on-line companies where you set a price and designers submit images to you?  If you did, what was your experience?  I think some of them start as high as $250. Thanks for any help you can provide.

@joanmuschampfagnani  @encoreperceptions Mary that discussion about crowdsourcing  will certainly help you. 

For logo work 99designs however, if your on a tight budget then try fiverr where everything is 5 bucks

Hope that helps

Mary, I purchased an iPad app called Logo Creator that was (I believe) $1.99.  I was given a complimentary download of the software version and I find it works great.   There is another free app called Art Text 2 if you have a Mac but it comes with a purchased version that runs periodically for $29.99.   I am unsure exactly which formats you need but I have found these to work great for me for simple designs.

@melissaagnes @encoreperceptions

Mary, I agree with Melissa. $300 is a fantastic deal for a logo. My company contracts with a graphic designer, who creates logos for our clients who want a logo for the website we are creating for them (and for other marketing materials).

A good graphic designer will work up multiple “looks” for Round 1 of your logo and will work closely with you to help you flesh out your brand identity and visual messaging. Good logo designers are worth their weight in gold, and anything in the $300-$1,000 range for a small business logo is a bargain.

Sounds like you have it figured out. I have a graphic artist who worked with me on my logo and she charges $100 per logo. Splendid Lady Design @encoreperceptions

I’m also a designer and find her price very reasonable. Remember, she is making a representation of who and what your business is and it completely 100% will represent you. It is a very strong piece that if not done correctly could be disappointing for you. There are always cheaper ways to go about anything but what do you usually get with that? yeah…….not so good. It sounds like you already made a decision. I hope it was worth it and worked out for you. Check out my portfolio for future work. I make a point to price everyone on an individual needs. Sounds kind of odd but I think every person and business has individual needs and budgets. here is my site http://redunicornmedia.com You should post the logo up here so we can see

This discussion is why logo design is the most challenging graphic design work. In my experience, you either hit the concept nail on the head in the first round of designs or the work and revisions are endless as clients weigh their preferences and show the designs to their family and friends for more input. A favorite memory is a client who carried the designs to different light sources in his office: “I like it in natural light but not under a lamp.”

Any flat price for a logo design is a good deal. It might help if you knew exactly what you were getting for whatever prices is quoted. I tend to tell them I’ll present five concepts and two rounds of revisions when quoting on the low end. Anything after that is subject to an hourly rate.

Canned logo programs tend to rely on ovals and swishes a lot. You can spot them a mile away.

I think your decision to go with the $300 deal is probably a good idea. You’ll get real dialog from a real person.

I would also urge to go with the professional designer. Being a designer myself I have seen some really bad jobs with the ‘crowd-sourcing’ sites. Everything from non-vector logos to having a logo almost exactly like the other 20 submissions the crowd-source designer entered. Yes you can get lucky and find someone who knows what they are doing but you are taking a chance. 

You are going to have your company logo probably for the next 5-10 years and it becomes the image of your business so be sure to spend the time and money to get it right in the beginning.