The BIG problem with CHEAP logos

There's a captivating enchantment in narrating a story without uttering a single word. It's remarkable to consider that within a mere moment, we can captivate attention, convey emotions, showcase personality, and ignite passion. Surprisingly, achieving this seemingly impossible feat is precisely what a remarkable logo accomplishes.

6/12/20233 min read

When I started my own business, Tayla Smith Designs, I set my rate to higher than what I used to earn, so it felt like a luxurious change. And the fact that I enjoyed this work much more and could do it on my own time made it seem almost too good to be true. I doubted whether I could find clients willing to pay such a rate. It felt like a dream.

As it turns out, I was mistaken. It wasn't too good to be true. In fact, I realised that I wasn't charging enough for my services. When people hire me, they are paying for my experience, and expertise. They are compensating me for my Adobe Suite subscription, the knowledge and skills I've acquired over a lifetime of learning to draw and paint, and the time and dedication I invest in helping them thrive.

So, what happens when people start paying $5 for logos on platforms like Fiverr and Airtasker - or even creating a quick logo yourself on Canva? It leads to several problems. Let me outline them for you:

Lack of ethics: While it's theoretically acceptable to charge any price for a service you provide, the issue arises when numerous individuals are desperately seeking work to sustain themselves, yet they have to continuously lower their prices just to secure a job. I've witnessed clients on these platforms demanding services at significantly reduced rates, sometimes as low as two-thirds of what they should be paying. This situation is unfair to those striving to earn a living wage for their work.
Compromised quality: This point directly stems from the previous one. When someone is paid only $5 to $50 for designing a logo, it's nearly impossible for them to dedicate more than a couple of hours to the task without falling below the legal minimum wage. Consequently, the resulting logo is of poor quality. Alternatively, designers may use templates and make minor edits to save time, resulting in multiple businesses having identical or similar logos.
Weak representation for your business: If your logo is created using a template, it lacks uniqueness and fails to cater specifically to your needs. Moreover, you cannot trademark it because the same design elements are legally being used by others. This diminishes your business's visual memorability and makes it challenging to protect your brand image, especially when it's shared with numerous others. Additionally, you won't have exclusive rights to the design since the designer will continue using it for other clients.

Ultimately, to access true quality, one needs to invest appropriately. However, it's important to strike a balance between ethical pricing and high quality. That's why I choose to be transparent about my pricing. You can find complete pricing guides on my website, including a breakdown of expenses. There's no need to request a quote unless the project requires custom work.

With these considerations in mind, make informed decisions that benefit your business and others. Engage in thorough and thoughtful discussions to find solutions, and respect the needs of designers who are striving to make a living and succeed. Remember, a happy worker is a productive one, and you never know, you might even gain clients through shared connections.

Just after graduating university, I worked as a radio producer. It was a decent job in terms of casual employment, but it took a toll on me mentally and left me feeling drained. I earned just enough to get by.