Design Your Own vs Custom Logo

I recently met an entrepreneur who designed her logo herself. When I asked about the process, she told me that she and her partner had scribbled her initials until there were 'H's all over their apartment. When they got to one that they felt was in good shape but needed it refined, they found a designer based in Indonesia who finished it for her; this is why she said that the logo looked Asian.

Have you ever thought about the different meanings that shapes, forms and colours carry in other cultures and how we interpret visuals differently? In China, red signifies good luck. In the UK, it's used a lot in romantic settings, but equally to express anger or warning. In South Africa, it's associated with mourning.

You have to like your logo. But what if it is not communicating to your audience, or at worst, putting them off? In our opinion, the logo was okay. However, no story related her offering to the logo design and because of this, it felt a bit flat.

Designing with an audience in mind avoids the problem of getting carried away with your own personal style. A good designer will visually communicate moods, emotions and feelings alongside products and services. This prevents the meaning being primarily tied to the designer, and the designer alone.

A temporary solution such as creating a logo yourself, or even working with a pre–made logo is an attractive option for small businesses that are on a limited budget. However, if it's pre made, you could run into trademark issues and both options mean you'll need to rebrand later on down the line.

A good brand connects with people emotionally and defines what makes your business unique. Working with the right designer will help create a visual identity that goes beyond just the visual aspect.

Let me know about any design experiences you have had with creating your own logo; prove me wrong by letting me know that your 99 designs/5er logo communicates your core values, and tells your story perfectly.