In a DIY world we often undervalue the importance of hiring an expert for some jobs.

Many of us are capable of visiting our local hardware store to pick up a new washer for the kitchen faucet, but how many of us are ready to design and install the plumbing system from scratch in a new home? Successfully? We may read a book on alternative health practices but few of us would consider taking out our own appendix.

When it comes to “artistic” endeavours however many believe that if we can use a computer and the right program we can DIY pretty much anything we need. The overabundance of embarrassing websites, amateurish graphics, and utterly forgettable logos flooding the world belies such an idea however.

You can run the most rudimentary Internet search and find such things as:

“I need a vector logo for my business. Must be able to be resized without losing the quality. I have the logo idea…. Budget: (US$50).”

“The prize for the winning company logo design is $100 USD payable in your paypal the day the contest ends, and the contest deadline will be the 1st of May. We will wait for your creatives, and wish good luck to all contestants. Let the battle begin!”

“I’m a professional logo designer offering my skills. Prices can range from $20 (approx. £11) up to around $280 (approx. £150) with various package options along the way.”

Graphic design can be had for next to nothing, but in life we tend to get exactly what we’ve paid for.

Many people undervalue the importance of a professional quality logo.

Creating a proper logo is a process. It’s not about knowing how to use Photoshop adequately, it’s about understanding company values, connecting to your background and beliefs, considering the psychology of your target market, and finding that one, simple, image that both tells the world who you are and stays in everyone's mind.

Studies show that a good logo is the single most remembered item in a company’s entire marketing process.

“Trendy” logos, and thousands are created every year based on not much more than current trends, will look dated the moment the trend passes.

“Popular” is too often just another way to say “lost in the crowd”.

Your logo should be built based on who you are, not on what your competition picked for her logo or aesthetics only. It should be created to connect to your clients and become something they trust for the long haul. Paying for a proper design up front far outweighs the cost of lost income and having to change or update your design in the near future.

Your logo may need to look good on your company letterhead, on a website, signage high overhead, in small print on the bottom of a flyer, and on promotional items like pens and mugs and baseball caps.

As an expert in your own field, do you really, actually, have the time to know enough about all these different mediums to find that one image, the right blend of colors and shape, that will serve you best for decades to come?

• Will your choice be memorable enough?

• Simple enough? (Elaborate designs can dramatically raise printing costs.)

• Does it look professional or scream “homemade”?

• Is it the right balance between functionality and beauty?

• Do you have the time to study your competition’s logos and find out which are working and which are not?

• Can you make numerous sketches?

• Do you understand how people relate to images and colors?

• Do you have the time to make up several versions of an idea to compare and see if it will evolve into something better than the original seed idea?

• Will you see the tiny bits that need tweaking and changing and perfecting?

Remember….. Your logo is the first impression most people will get, and keep, of your company.

- Do they see fun, seriousness, professionalism, trustworthiness? Does it feel industrial, environmental, artistic, elegant, homey, etc?

- Do they get the impression your company is large and thriving or small and struggling?

Sometimes the first impression is our only chance to connect with our clients-to-be. We rarely, ultimately, trust our health to a book we read or build our homes based on an article read over the Internet. Would we want to trust the future of our company and livelihood to the same level of "expertise"?