Those templates and clip art-font combos are easy to purchase, by you and then anyone after you, as many people as they can sell ‘em to. A hundred companies could pretty much have your same logo. That’s hardly what we call a custom logo. Here’s the thing: ideas for a business may not be as unique as you think, but your brand can be.

We designers are aware that the digital tools we use to create unique designs are available to all, and historically, pretty darn affordable. And as we become more computer literate as a society, more people are going to try their hand at setting up a blog and designing their own business card. I applaud that DIY spirit. And I wonder, if more people understand what it takes to build a website, will they appreciate a custom-designed website more? Or will they assume that because they did it with a template, what’s the big deal?

Right, back to templates. One can download a template for anything – brochure, newsletter, website, etc. Okay, but what happens when you need to change part of it? These templates are customizable, you say. Well, to an extent… but as we know from working with a few ourselves (in order to educate ourselves), minor changes might be possible, but the more unique you want it, the bigger your headache. May as well start from scratch.

And what about those cheap logo design offers? $19 I saw! (With that offer, there’s no changes, what you get is what you get.) One site I found had a step-by-step do it yourself option where you chose a clip art symbol – and they encourage you to copy from the examples – and then pick a font, then colors. Custom logos made easy, right?

Sure, but you aren’t able to make any changes to the drawing, or the lettering. And those are the things that make a logo truly unique and special. Also, there’s millions of colors, and often a surprising combination makes great impact. This is the sort of custom branding that designers are very good at: creating one-of-a-kind symbols and illustrations unique to your company, expressive color combinations, tweaking type for better expression of your brand. And that’s exactly what you won’t get for $19.

Ditto goes for websites. Except, “ditto” is what you won’t get when you work with a designer to create a custom website for your business. Whether branding a new business or rebranding an existing company, it’s well worth it to work with a designer who can listen to your needs, learn about your company, and deliver unique, original, eye-catching designs for custom logos, new business websites, company collateral, whatever. Your brand needs to stand out from the competition to succeed. That’s just the way the cookie crumbles.