I recently had a logo designer contact me and ask for my advice. They were just starting out, had a small portfolio and wanted to know how much to charge for a logo design. I get this question frequently because I have written an article explaining how much a logo is really worth. My article has helped out countless designers and is cited often when a client balks at paying more than they think is fair.

Although my article gives reasons as to why a logo is worth more than an illustration and why a designer needs to get paid a certain amount it doesn't take into account one other important factor... free market. In today's market it's not how much are you going to charge for a logo, it's how much is someone going to pay for that logo.

There's no rule, book, committee or law that states how much you have to charge for a logo design. There are guides given by different organizations and ways of comparing the rates of differing agencies and designers but there is no way to create a definitive standard rate.

All clients are different and all designers are different. You are not selling them an object that has set value, you are selling them an idea, a brand, an image. For some it may bring wealth, for others it may just be a mark on an envelope.

I explained to this questioner that selling usage rights to a logo is a difficult process. When a client buys a logo they pretty much want all rights and want the ability to protect their investment. There's not much value in owning a logo design that is not yours.

I felt the designer should just set a flat rate and forget about trying to keep track of usage rights. I also suggested that this upstart artist might be charging a bit much for the design. I received a polite response thanking me for my advice but also stating that they were not going to follow it and that I was underselling myself.

Wow! This coming from a designer with very little experience and almost no portfolio. I was a bit miffed at first but thought about the comments for a while. My conclusion is this:

I am a cartoon logo designer. I began this adventure online in 1998 before two-thirds of the country even knew what the Internet was. I was the first designer to specialize in doing just cartoon logos. I've done hundreds of designs for clients in just about every country in the world.

I own my business, I work from home, I belong to the country club, my kids are in private school, I have more work than I can handle, I have kept up to four different cartoonists busy with work and I have helped dozens of mom and pop entrepreneurs get their dreams started.

Am I selling myself short? In terms of dollars, maybe. Could I charge more? Probably. Am I only in this for the money? Nope.

I create these designs because I love to draw cartoons. I love to help working people start those side businesses that they have dreamed of for years. I could charge an arm and a leg and make more money but I would have missed out on helping the Mexican mother in San Antonio get a fun character for the side of her ice cream truck, I would have missed out on creating the design that helped a couple launch their milkshake business, I wouldn't have heard back from the father that wanted to launch a website with a fun little character logo.

I enjoy helping these people and after being online for several years I have a feel for what many people are able to pay. I can predict pretty accurately that raising my rates will kill off many of the quotes I send out and I'm usually correct because my bookings begin to drop.

You can't base your rates on something you read in a book. You have to get a feel for your ability and a grasp of how many clients will be interested in what you have to offer. You have to know who your clientele are and how much they can stretch their budgets to pay. If you're making a good salary, providing for your family and you're happy doing what you love, why get greedy? Don't always charge more just because you can. Help people out. Give them a fair shake like someone gave you when you started out. Be fair to yourself, but also be fair to the client.

Labels: Cartoon Logo, Design Prices