How I Leveraged 44,000 Designers to Create My Logo.
Posted by Dan Ronken
I've been planning to publish this story for quite some time. I'm happy to be finally sharing it with you.
This is a personal story on how I was able to use leverage in creating an awesome logo for my brand 'on the cheap.' Don't confuse 'cheap' with low quality, I mean 'cheap' as in 'inexpensive.'
An impressive logo should be mandatory as it is the first thing that people will see when visiting your website. If you're looking to create or redesign your logo, I've learned how you can throw out a bid to over 44,000 potential designers from across the globe in a single swoop.
The site for this amazing service is 99 Designs (I have no affiliation, contact, or financial incentive with 99Designs). I was shocked how easy it was to get it done. Yes, the logo for PullnotPush was created using this system. My entire cost was less than $250! It could have been less, but I wanted to ensure that I generated enough activity from the designers because then I would have plenty of options to choose from before making my final decision.
You are basically running a contest which requires designers to show off their skills and compete to earn your business. Here are the four steps as described on their website.
Step 1: Create Your Design Brief
I found it to be very helpful to take your time with this step and go into as much detail as needed so the designers have a rough idea where to start. Here's what I wrote:
"Brief Overview: I'm a 36 year old guy who is starting an internet marketing company named PullnotPush for small to mid-sized businesses. I'm really excited about becoming a partner with a pioneering inbound marketing software company named HubSpot. Please check out their site so you have an idea of what I'm trying to accomplish. You'll then know why this is going to be a fantastic and successful business venture. Also, here is a link to a quick and funny video I did on the streets of New York so you can get a glimpse of my personality too.
Target Audience: Small to mid-sized businesses looking to increase the amount of leads they receive from visitors on their website. Their marketing strategy will involve participation in social media, blogging, engaging in forums, etc. Some benefits of HubSpot's software include web traffic analytics, blog optimization tool, keyword research, competitor analysis, social media tracking, etc. All of this is accomplished using a single interface. Now do you see why I am so excited??"
Step 2: Set Your Budget
You decide how much you want to pay the designer. The winner is awarded the 'prize' if you choose their design. Generally speaking, prizes range from $100 - $600 depending on the complexity of the project. Obviously, the more you offer, the more designers will be willing to put forth their best effort.
Step 3: Work with the Designers
I'm amazed that some people who use this service don't give good feedback, or don't respond until the very end. Personally, I was checking my messages every couple of hours so I wouldn't miss any opportunity to tell them if they were on the right track.
Step 4: Choose Your Favorite Design
The contest will run for an entire week (unless you specify otherwise). However, if you are happy with a particular design, you can award the prize at any time during the week and choose the winner. The designer will then send you the final design along with copyright to the original art work.
Happy co-creating! And when you've completed this task, then you can move onto learning the importance of keywords for improving your website ranking. Leave a comment with your logo design experiences. We'd love to hear from you.