Elance.com 101 - How to get an inexpensive custom logo!

emmabella · 04-20-2007, 02:21 PM

With so many posts about logos I thought I should start a thread about my experience hiring a logo designer through elance.com... Just to preface, I'm not being paid to toot elance's horn, I just think it is honestly the cheapest way to get a professional CUSTOM logo. So, anywho.

I posted my project on elance.com, you can see how I worded my listing here: https://secure.elance.com/c/rfp/main...jobid=11362348
You'll notice I described what I was looking for and the maximum amount I was willing to pay, I even attached a little "mockup" of what I kind of wanted my logo to look like. This was all FREE to do.

If you scroll down that page, you will see that over 15 designers "bid" to do my project. They all bid different price points from $80 to $250. For each bidder I could see their portfolio and how they were rated by other customers. Some of the bidders even messaged me privately with samples of how they might design my logo.

If there hadn't been any bids I liked, that would have been then end... you are not obligated to choose a designer. BUT I did decide to hire one and we started the logo design process from there.

They sent me a questionnaire that asked alot of questions about my company and different design options like colors, etc. Once I sent it back completed, within two days they emailed me 12 different logo concepts:
http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e1...es/Bloom01.jpg
http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e1...es/Bloom02.jpg
None of them were exactly what I was looking for so I emailed a more detailed description of what I wanted and two more days later they sent 12 new revision concepts:
http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e1...es/Bloom03.jpg
http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e1...es/Bloom04.jpg
Well I'm a little anal retentive LOL and I still wasn't totally satisfied so I emailed again with more changes and we finally ended up with the logo you see in my profile:
http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e1...COLORsmall.jpg

Once I was happy with the logo, I payed them the price they bid through elance.com with a credit card and they sent me all the final files of my logo. There were no fees that I had to pay elance (they take a percentage of the designer's fee).

I know some of you just gag at the thought of paying even $100 for a logo because money is tight, but it is MORE than worth the investment. You want to have a logo that will stand the test of time and create a very professional "branding" image for you. When you put your best foot forward in your marketing materials, clients will take you more seriously, be more likely to contact you and eventually you will be able to increase your fees. Being a doula is all about heart but it is also a BUSINESS! You need to find ways to take what you might be treating as a hobby and turn it into a well-paying job that you adore (all while serving your clients with passion and sensitivity).

saalmc · 04-20-2007, 03:23 PM

This is exactly what I was looking for, thanks!

brilliant · 04-20-2007, 09:41 PM

a friend of mine also uses www.contractedwork.com - it's the same type of service and she (as a designer) gets tons of work through the site.

WildWest Doula · 04-23-2007, 06:13 PM

I hired a graphic artist to do my logo and got it for a great but then paid to submit it for copyright so that it's protected. I placed a free ad in the local paper to find her. If you're looking though I can give you her website, She's amazing!

Mile High Doula · 04-23-2007, 08:47 PM

This is a GREAT site! Thanks for posting that! I would LOVE to get a logo for my doula business!

pinkgeek · 05-04-2011, 06:46 AM

You can also find people to do this kind of work on etsy.com. My best friend got her company logo a website banner and one or two other coordinating graphics for way less than I was expecting.

doulaluvme · 06-07-2011, 01:29 PM

I'm confused why do people need graphic designers to make a logo. I'm sure there is a reason but I just don't get why you can't draw something and scan it in to use as a logo

MHDoula · 06-07-2011, 09:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by doulaluvme

I'm confused why do people need graphic designers to make a logo. I'm sure there is a reason but I just don't get why you can't draw something and scan it in to use as a logo

Because not everyone is creative.

doulaluvme · 06-07-2011, 09:24 PM

so, if your creative then you can make your own logo?

doulaluvme · 06-07-2011, 09:37 PM

im not talented so i will be using a graphic designer. I'm just curious

motherducker · 06-08-2011, 11:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by doulaluvme

so, if your creative then you can make your own logo?

Sure you can. There's no rule against it. I think the point is that graphic designers are professionals, have experience or training, and are paid to give you lots of ideas until you're sure you have the best one for you. They can also give you the file in a number of formats (since not everyone is tech-savvy) to transfer to different mediums, etc.

MHDoula · 06-12-2011, 10:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by doulaluvme

so, if your creative then you can make your own logo?

I don't see why not.

doulafava · 06-12-2011, 11:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by doulaluvme

I'm confused why do people need graphic designers to make a logo. I'm sure there is a reason but I just don't get why you can't draw something and scan it in to use as a logo

We can't be specialists in everything - thats why the graphic designer hires a doula.

demetria · 06-13-2011, 07:17 AM

I have used Guru.com

Some people need a designer because drawing and scanning can for some leave a messy logo, or it doesn't translate properly to the web. Many designers on Guru start at $50. for the job.