As I start my business from scratch, I am finding I have to create everything. I like having a logo, so I paid attention to this from the very get go. I considered getting a VistaPrint logo for Broad River Creative, but I prefer having something unique. So I designed my own logo. Now, it needs to be said, I am not a graphic designer. However, I think I have a pretty good eye for things, and with a little training on Photoshop, I could probably crush a nice logo. But I don’t have Photoshop or the time for training. So I used what I have and designed a logo. I put it on my first batch of business cards. In the end, though, I didn’t like it.
This left me adrift without a logo. Not the end of the world, I know. When I redesigned BroadRiverCreative.com, I just left the logo out of it. I still wanted something nice for the site, for letterhead and other materials. I think a logo helps bring things together. But it would have to wait.
Then something pretty cool happened. I don’t consider myself lucky. I hardly ever win things. But, out of the blue, I got a tweet from 99Designs saying that I had won a $1,000 design package. I was pretty blown away. I could use the award for anything I wanted on the 99Designs web site.
Okay, in case you don’t know, here is a little information about 99Designs. This web site offers crowdsourced designs. Basically, any business or individual puts a job out for bid. Instead of bidding for the price, designers bid with their designs. As someone looking to have something designed, it works out pretty well. You get a lot of variety to choose from. I personally had 236 designs to choose from.
Now, I know that there are quality designers out there that hate sites like this. They feel it commoditizes the process. In some ways, they are right. If you have a little more money, you may be better off hiring a proven designer whose portfolio you like. That gives you more control over the end design. But for people that are just starting out, 99Designs and sites like it are a good match. Its a step above (way above) stock logo sites. You get a custom design, but the cost is lower and controlled.
My experience with 99Designs has been great. In the end, the hardest part was choosing a design. There were some pretty creative entries, and the designers responded to my suggestions and kept working to make just the right logo. In the end, my choice came down to a few really great designs. Some were fun and very unique. I thought that this was what I wanted, and almost went with a design that looked like a box of water with two fish swimming in it. But then I didn’t. I went with a more traditional logo instead.
Why did I make this choice? Well, while I want my company to be fun, I also want a design that is easy to use across multiple mediums. I was afraid the fish one wouldn’t make sense as a logo in some settings. Also, I am going after business customers, and I didn’t want to have a logo that confused them. Taken by itself, the fish logo could look like a fish tank. I don’t sell fish tanks, so I thought that may be a problem.
So I chose another logo that I really liked. This one did a good job of capturing the essence of Broad River Creative without being over the top. It was a design that I saw progress from the simple original that the designer submitted to the end product that you will see below. I liked the cleanness and vibrancy of the logo, and thought that it was simple enough that I could easily grow with it.
That was another important aspect of my decision. Would the logo last? Could I envision myself using the same logo, or perhaps a variation of it, for years to come? A logo should have staying power, otherwise, what’s the point?
So now I have a logo for Broad River Creative. I am so thankful to 99Designs for awarding me the money. Also, they were great to work with all throughout the process. And each and every designer put in a great effort, some making many adjustments. It was hard to say no to many of them.
Of course, the logo is only a small thing. As I create this business, there are so many more important things. Often, I get sidetracked by things like design and look, and don’t pay enough attention to sales and profit. Next time, I’ll tell you a little about my marketing plan and how I hope to bring in a bunch of new clients.
Here is my new logo:
