Sound fishy? That’s essentially what a very good majority of people expect, if you substitute a Rolex for a logo.
You can’t get a Rolex of a logo for $50, or $100. I’m using a Rolex as an example because it’s made with care and quality and takes a while to make, and the price reflects that. So if you’re a designer and you work for a price that is low, the assumption is your product is cheaply made and won’t last and you didn’t take the time to research and craft an exceptional product. I’m not saying you have to charge $50,000 for a logo. Be aware of fair market standards. If you have no experience and need a starting point and thinking that doing low-budget work will help you get a foothold, the reality check is once you get there, that’s all you’ll get. Your word-of-mouth referral would be “hire this guy, he’s cheap”, so you’re never going to be able to raise your prices without losing that customer base, and if that’s all you are depending on, you’re going to get screwed.
The best thing you can do is work for a company. If you have no experience, plenty of places are open to hiring an intern.
As a client, you need to be aware of why you need good design.
Adam Swan had a very nice write-up on Forbes about the Era of Design, where he stated,
“What is certain is that the design bar has been raised and design-oriented businesses are winning.
Think how swiftly and strongly a design experience shapes our opinion of that brand, company or store, for good or bad. For instance, we know quickly when a website is bad. And we associate that feeling of frustration, or worse, disappointment with that brand.
Design-oriented organizations invest in thinking this stuff through. They put design at the heart of their company to guide innovation and to continually improve products, service and marketing. They recognize that a great design leads to differentiation, customer loyalty and higher profit.”
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