You want an original logo right? You want something that screams brand recognition and looks awesome on your t-shirts too, right? Unfortunately, many small businesses use cheap templates or cheap online “logo factories” to overcome startup costs.

I use the word “unfortunately” because over 95% of small businesses end up with a poor logo, and within a year or two, having to re-brand. Re-branding yourself down the road means triple or quadruple the cost, since you’ve already put the poorly designed logo on everything.

Hiring a design firm is outrageously expensive, and understandably, outside the financial ability of most startups. However, that’s where standalone or freelance designers come in. Most experienced freelancers have worked their tails off throughout their careers and honed their skills to be able to offer startups a better price, but also much better and more tailored options for each business.

That doesn’t mean that those years of experience and amassed skills aren’t very valuable in a monetary sense. Be prepared to pay up front for your logo, but if you can handle spending the time and money to have something designed that will outlast even you, you will have saved money in the long run and gained an entirely huge return on your initial investment.

But don’t take my word for it. Do a quick Google search on “why should I use a designer for my logo.” And happy branding!