Logo Design?

Hey everyone.

I've been considering starting a service here in Second Life; unfortunately I'm not a coder or skilled builder, but I am about to graduate college with a BS in graphic design. So thinking that perhaps I should do something I know how to do, I was wondering if I could get some feedback and opinions concerning my idea to start a logo design service. To my knowledge, either no one has offered this yet publicly or it simply isn't lucrative.

I know there are a ton of stores, casinos, clubs, and all sorts of things out there in Second Life that could really profit from a nice logo. Unfortunately I don't think people realize how much a well designed logo can help a business, and how a poorly designed logo can break a business.

Saying that any of you would be interested, I would like to get a feel for how much people would be willing to pay for such a service. I was hoping to secure a base cost of $25 USD per logo, or roughly L$7500. I would consider a base logo being a customer coming up to me and asking for a logo and allowing me to design it myself. I'd then define a custom logo as being a customer telling me exactly what they want, and depending on the complexity the price might be adjusted from the base (plus or minus).

This isn't asking much at all if you consider a professionally done logo could run from $150 to several hundred dollars, even thousands depending on the company.

So please let me know what you think!

~Page Witte

I think your proposed price is probably above the profit maximizing price.

No way to tell in advance though.

If you are good with paint programs you might to consider clothes design.

The clothing template are at http://secondlife.com/downloads/fashion/All_Fashion_Design_Templates.zip

That is a zip file with all the standard templates.

There are other more detailed templates available.

There are sticky threads in the design and textures forum with more information on making clothes.

Perhaps. But as I said, for a real company, $25 would be a steal. I know a lot of people who do business seriously here in Second Life and as a business person they should jump at the chance for a professionally done logo for $25. Anywhere below that and it just isn't worth it, as a professionally done logo can take some time to make.

I wouldn't be selling something I throw together in 15 minutes. I expect to spend at the very least several hours on even a basic logo, because I wouldn't make just one. I'd make several to explore the options I have.

But this is why I'm asking. I need to know if people would be willing to pay $25 for a professionally done logo for their business.

Also there is custom texture making for prims.

Proper texturing adds tremendously to the look of a build.

For me before I would spend that kind of money but I would need to see many examples of your work.

I would also add in that many of us business persons in second life have unique logos that fit our unique styles.

also $25 can be lot of money to some people.
some it may be only a half days sales some it may be a weeks sales or even a months sales.

I do logo design both for RL and SL businesses.

Charging $25 for a SL business's log is equivalent to about L$7500. It ain't gonna happen.

I make RL $ doing RL design, and, although in many cases it's just as much work, I charge a small fraction for SL businesses because, to some degree, it's a labor of love. I want to see those SL businesses succeed.

P2

How much do you charge, if you don't mind me asking. If it's personal that's fine. Also, how much time do you spend on an SL logo compared to a RL logo?

I also understand that business have logos that suit the need and feel of the business. That's what logo design is about. I certainly wouldn't design something pink, white, and soft looking for a goth clothing store.

Some people will do logo designs anywhere from $20 to $100 USD

Not talking about days spent on a single logo, but maybe 2-6 hours or so... Something basic. You will probably have to have a good concept of what you want beforehand ;0

$25 for a logo is not at all above a succesful business profit margin. Just look what some of us spend on classifeid ads per week. Its alot more than $7500. That tells you right there that there is definetly a strong sales pitch for good product branding.

I would not be interested because I love the one I made myself, but for someone that does not have experience or the ability to make their own, $25 sound very cheap to me.

Based on the comments above I guess I should drop the price of this logo .

Awwww, but it's so KYOOT, Sue!

P2

I think an SL logo design service is a great idea. I have actually been in touch with a couple of folks who were offering design services, but the contact went nowhere - I never heard back from either of them.

Personally I would be interested in 2d versions as well as 3d, prim versions of the logo. I think that $25 seems like a fair price, although it is a rare occasion that I have that much to spend on advertising.

It would seem like a good idea to give the customer some initial input and a choice of 2 or 3 workups of the logo. Photoshop versions of the final logo would be a great addition, too.

I'll make you a free logo, just help me cross promote, ... make me a company sponsor or something..

Well, considering what I'm hearing, I think I'll give it a shot. If you're interested in my services, please keep an eye out for me on the forums. I'll be sure to make an announcement when I'm ready to start accepting customers.

Thanks for everyone's input. If you have anything else to add, by all means post it here. I'm open to suggestions.

~Page Witte

Oooh.. I misunderstood, I thought you were in need of a logo design.
But a graphic design company is a cool, and workable idea in SL... however, you'll never be able to see the kind of money you'd see in RL. You have to basically just make your SL business 'for the game of SL' and not trying to make real money. Depending on who your client is in SL, you could probably get anywhere from $500L to $5000L... but I couldn't see people paying much more. It's probably best to range your price based on the company you're doing it for. If anything, I would simply try to have your SL business more of a promotion for your RL design business. Get your logos spread through SL for cheap, and people in SL may have an RL business proposal for you.

Hmm, well, I wouldn't be interested, since I'm a graphics designer myself (not professionally).

That said, there is definitely demand for this, based on the many crap-tastic company logos I've seen in SL (MS Paint is not a viable option for your company image!). I think L$5000 would be a better starting point, and perhaps escalate from there based on complexity. 7500 is a scary number when you're trying to market something, but if you start at L$5k? I think you're onto something

re your pricing:

I sell an object that runs version off an AI language my sister and I "ported" to LSL ourselves over the course of several months for around 700L.

I think your asking price is out of line with accepted pricing in SL. Ashame, because I could actually use your services for something.

If we can knock that price down a bit, IM me.

Apples and oranges.

Your AI gig you sell for 700L a pop can sell unlimited copies forever. You make back your investment in time in volume. With logos you can't do that. It's a one off sale, a unique logo that you'll never be reselling again. Hours and hours of time and effort are going into it and you can only sell it once. For that, 7500L is cheap, really cheap. Ask yourself how much you'd charge someone to write a script that you were obligated never to sell again, a unique product. You'd want a lot, you'd want your time compensated for it in price, because there is no volume. Scripts, textures, animations, builds, graphics, whatever, it's always going to cost more for custom work that can't be resold and is effectively licensed to the buyer. That's what this business is.

Hi guys

I don't at all think $25 USD or L$7500 is out of line.

I myself have been trying to think up a new logo concept - I've never really been satisfied with the old one.
http://morbo.cs.pdx.edu/Dominus_Shadow_Media/

If you have any concepts, drop me a message

Personally, I would kill to have something as brilliant as the BMW Logo. Simple, classy, iconic, symbolic.

Page, Phoenix, do you have any examples of your work?

I have a small collection of some work. If you know Karsten, I did the logo for his K.R. Engineering business. You can check that out in SL.

If you're interested, and please, only if you're interested, you can check out my examples at http://www.uglyworld.net/revolver/

Click on the image to proceed to the next one. Ugly World is my personal site and blog, there is also an art dump via the main page, the link is on the right.

I ask for you to look at the first link only if you're serious about seeing a few examples of my work because they are larger image files and I don't want to strain the server they're on with a ton of people clicking through them all of a sudden.

I also did a webcomic called Fat Cat Online, at http://www.fatcatonline.com/
The site is still there but I have ceased producing new comics. Furthermore! My alt, Milo Cain, has a small art gallery which you can check out some of my fine art for some examples of my work. Of course these aren't logo examples, however, a fine art background is important and I would expect that a customer would want to know that I have a good amount of experience in the art field and don't limit myself to just digital work. You can find the gallery by doing a simple search in SL for Milo Cain Gallery. It's off Karsten's main store where sells his Greedy Greedy tables and other games.

I really like your work Page ;0

I run a logo company in sl as part of our marketing company and have done since we started in SL. I have several clients who get us to do logos for there business as well as signs for various applications. You can see our stuff at www.mudgemccann.com and click on the Loco Logos link. As for not many in sl click on the search tab and youll find plenty. As for $25USD holy crap!!! we charge between $L100 and $L500 per logo depending on the detail. We are also about to introduce Flash advertising on the site if anyone is interested

Wow. Ok. I looked at your logo samples. By all means, charge $L100 for them. I don't mean to be rude about this, but it's going to come off as it because I'm going to be brutally honest with you. That and I feel the need to defend my work and prices, seeing as you are basically trying to take any prospective customers I might have had with your little plug there.

You can charge $L100 because your logos aren't by any means professional. It's simply not good at all. You over-use and abuse layer effects like drop shadowing and many of your images appear to be clipart or pulled right off a Google Image Search. If they aren't, and you actually created them, they still look like clipart and then might as well be clipart. It'd be like a 24k gold statue of Elvis. It may have been made expensively, but it's still tasteless.

Listen people, the truth about the world is you get what you pay for; if you want to pay $L100 for a logo, expect to get one that's worth that. $25 USD is squat for a professional logo, as many people have noted on this forum. Owning a pirated copy of Photoshop doesn't make you a graphic designer.

I'm a professional and won't undersell my skill like that. My willingness to do this is only to make a little extra spending money and to build up a good portfolio for my future as a designer. I'm prepared to take a risk and give this a go to see how it works out. I know there are people out there who would pay what I'm asking, and it is in all honesty an extremely reasonable price. If you don't think it is, that's cool. I'm not demanding you buy a logo from me. I'm only suggesting it will indeed be worth the money. People remember logos. McDonald's, Nike, Mac, and so on. Make it so people will remember yours. I'll be sure to announce when Thrive Studio is open for business.

In the meantime, ask yourself: Which would you rather have representing you?





~Page Witte

Indeed I do. www.phoenixpsaltery.com/graphics

P2

maybe I am thinking differently but that is more of a poster or sign then a logo...