I currently manage two companies - one is a small consumer products distribution company and the other provides consulting services to local businesses on brand and marketing issues. I recently did a re-branding for the distribution company, and given that the consulting firm is new, we just recently designed two logos.
Any business owner knows the importance of having a great logo. But after having gone through the creative process for developing a brand and a logo many times in the past, I know how painful this process can be! Nothing is worse than ponying up thousands of dollars for a designer who under-delivers, and spending too many hours on logo development which could have been spent in so many other areas of the business! Luckily, nowadays you have new options.
Online logo design companies are springing up all over the place, and these are great resources to help you develop and craft your logo. My first question when researching these companies were around quality - could a low-cost remote design solution deliver top-quality professional results? The answer is a resounding yes. You can do your own research and read the testimonials - but you’ll see that quality is not the issue. The bigger questions are around price, level of service, and speed of the process.
Since I had the opportunity to try two of the leading services recently (LogoWorks and The Logo Company)- here’s what I found:
Logo quality I must say, I’m impressed with the level of quality in graphic design with both companies. Both LogoWorks and The Logo Company have dedicated staffs of professional designers who collaborate as a group to design your logo. They will typically develop 3 or 4 concepts which you choose from. Of the two, however, it is clear that LogoWorks has a higher level of professionalism in their designers and design process. The richness and attention to detail of each of their design concepts was immaculate. The winner on design quality is LogoWorks.
Delivery speed The way both these companies work is similar. You fill out a form describing your brand and company. The companies develop some concepts and send them to you for review. This is where the processes differ. LogoWorks offers a second review step in which you can refine the second round. However, overall the LogoWorks process takes about 3 days longer, whereas the entire process with The Logo Company takes about 3 days. So if you’re in a rush, the more efficient and speedy process is definitely with The Logo Company.
Price and value No contest here, LogoWorks is around 3 times the price of The Logo Company (~$350 vs. ~$120). Think of LogoWorks as the Mercedes Benz to The Logo Company’s Toyota. Not that The Logo Company is a bad car, it’s got all the quality, but not all the bells and whistles. Overall, I think you get what you pay for. There’s definitely a step up in quality with LogoWorks, but you pay for it.
Overall So who’s the overall winner? Neither! If you are looking for a higher-end solution and are willing to invest several hundred bucks - AND you have more than one week before you need the final logo file, go with LogoWorks. Otherwise, if you need a quick solution on a lower budget, definitely opt for The Logo Company. You won’t be disappointed with either solution. Hope my recent experiences can help you make a smarter decision. Leave me a comment with your experiences here to share with other readers. Thanks!
