Crowdsourcing Logo Design

It's 2007 and the internet marketplace still continues to expand at an astonishing rate. With all of this new website development the need for quick, affordable brand development and logo design has never been greater. That's great news if your a logo designer, but that's also great news if you're in need of logo design services.

While the need for logo design is expanding, the average cost for logo design service is declining, as more and more people enter the marketplace as designers. Many online marketing ventures simply do not have the budget for truely professional, unique logo design. Many entreprenuers often settle for 'flashy affordability' over 'quality design'. This decline in the valuation of design services combined with the ever growing volume of 'low cost' designers means that the competition has never been greater.

Whether you're looking for a logo designer, or you're a new logo designer looking to start selling your services - the time has never been better. Crowdsourcing isn emerging method of connecting logo designers with buyers for quick, affordable logo design projects.

What is Crowdsourcing?
Crowdsourcing is sort of a reverse marketplace. In a traditional marketplace service providers announce their capacity to design or develop leaving buyers to research and select providers based on past accomplishments. The crowdsouring environment goes a step further by have buyers announce their project details, attracting only the qualified service providers who either bid on the 'contract' or (as in the case of logo design projects) supply the buyer with initial concepts to review, compare, give feedback on and eventually select.

This 'collective resource pool' empowers buyers to select from a large pool of qulaified service providers, or to review concepts and designs from several designers, yet only pay for those he/she chooses to use.

How Logo Design Crowdsourcing Works
Logo design crowdsourcing generally involves a community (such as a forum) that can supply a pool of designers and a flow of design projects. An established community also provides a certain level of peer recourse since designer and buyer both have a vested interest in maintaining reputation. Often the community will have a form of valuation (IE iTrader on Digital Point) to outline success or failure in past business dealings.

Buyers generally submit projects to the open forum, outlining their particulars - IE project value (prize money the winning logo designer will recieve if his concept is selected) general subject matter, colors, purpose and intended use of their logo etc. Designers can choose to participate if they wish, by posting sample design concepts for the buyer to review, provide feedback for and ultimately select a winner.

Where do I find Logo Design Crowdsourcing?
Crowdsourcing is an emerging method and as such new sites spring up every week. However, the best sites to participate in are those with established communities, good buyer/seller feedback/reputation systems, and reliable peer recourse.

This is an abbreviated list of some of my favorite spots for logo design crowdsourcing (please comment below to have another site added or to add feedback to sites listed - this post will be edited accordingly)

Digital Point Forums - DP Logo Design Projects
Especially well suited for the low budget buyer/designer, Digital Point has new logo design contests daily, projects are generally $20-$40. but occasionally reach above $100. The Digital Point iTrader system provides buyers and sellers insight into each other's past transactions. Combined with the reputation system and post count you can usually get a pretty good feel for the trustworthiness of either the seller or the designer. if you're on a budget, but want a decent, quality logo design, check out Digital Point.

Sitepoint Forums - SitePoint Logo Design Contests
Project values at SitePoint are generally quite a bit higher, averaging between $100-$300, often exceeding $500. High enough to attract the professionals, meaning the the competition is a bit tougher here. While there are many talented designers at Digital Point, SitePoint designers seem to be true professionals - From concepts to presentation they really bring their "A" game. If you've got top end skills or have the budget to buy the best, this is your spot.

Logo Design Crowdsourcing - Tips for Buyers
The buyer has the greatest advantage in crowdsourcing, particularly with logo design. You get to review concepts from multiple designers and can select from different styles and concepts with-out incurring the cost of hiring several designers. Here are a few tips to help make your logo design crowdsourcing experience positive.

• Know what you want
  Try to have a pretty good idea what you want before you start the project. You don't want to reject decent concepts simply because they don't 'speak to you'. Wasting the time of several designers is a great ways wear out your welcome in the community very quickly.
  
• Be detailed, be clear
  Ever try reading someones mind over the internet? Do the designers a huge favor and have a clear detailed outline for the logo design project.
  - Where will the logo be used
  - What size should the logo be
  - What colors should be included/excluded
  - Are you looking to match a particular style? (Share a link to an existing example if available)
  - Make sure it's obvious what phrases/phrases should be used in the logo (I've seen many contests where designers were confused about which site the logo was actually for)
  
• Give feedback
  Be sure to give clear constructive feedback to participating designers. A bit more direction from you might be all they need to really 'nail it', leaving you with a logo that you'll be very happy with.

Logo Design Crowdsourcing - Tips for Logo Designers
Crowdsourcing at sites like DIGITAL POINT is perfect for you if you're new to logo designer and you're looking to try out your skills and expand your portfolio. However, if you're a professional you'll want to focus on the more serious sites like SITEPOINT where competition is genuinely professional, and project values are higher.

• Build a reputation
  One of your best tools in a crowdsourcing environment is your reputation. It's your invitation to the party, and your badge of accreditation. Get involved in the community, let them know who you are, let them see your skills at work.
  
• Follow buyer guidelines
  If the buyer outline states that the domain name should be included, make sure it's included. Often initial design concepts get to axe simply because the designer missed details from the outline.
  
• Respond to feedback
  When a buyer comments on your work or requests changes, respond quickly and politely. Don't be defensive about your design, even when the buyer wouldn't know a quality logo design if it bit him on the nose. ;)
  
• Presentation Tips
  Presentation matters, even in a low budget crowdsourcing environment.
  - Matte your concepts in a branded frame, include your domain name if you have an online portfolio - current work draws in new work.
  - Include a link to your online portfolio in your forum signature (if allowed)
  - Post concept image directly into project thread, don't make the buyer have to click out
  - You can ALSO link to your online portfolio from with-in the project thread - link to concept variations (colors, placement etc)
  - WATERMARK CONCEPTS - this is extremely important if the contest/project is public, you don't want someone else using or taking credit for your design.