LOGOS
Small businesses and non-profit organizations should remember that a well-designed logo will help to keep you at the “top of the mind” for your customers, members and business contacts. 

That being said, we must point out some hard truths regarding the purchase of a logo for your business. All these hold true, no matter who does the design work.your business.

USE IT OR LOSE IT! 
First and foremost, let us state the obvious. You have to use a logo to have people recognize it. If you are not going to put your logo on everything you use (letterhead, cards, building, vehicles, and even uniforms), people will not associate the logo with your business. Don’t spend the money. 

CAN YOU USE IT? 
Next, make sure the logo you choose is suitable for a variety of materials. Even if you think you’ll never need embroidered golf shirts or fancy ball caps, your logo should be suitable for use on similar items just in case. 

1. You want a logo that looks good in full color, but isn’t expensive to print. A quick trip to the printer with your design can cost you a bundle if your designer didn’t tell you that there might be added expense. 
2. Choose a logo that looks good in black and white, and grayscale for newspaper advertising. 
3. The logo design should not overwhelm the name of your company. 
4. It should be recognizable, even at a small size (for advertising specialties). 
5. Most importantly, it should be suitable for print. That means you will be better served if your logo is in vector format (don't worry if you don't know what this is...a good designer will explain it and provide a vector logo.)

WILL YOU OWN THE ART? 
Your designer should be your friend. Watch for hidden charges or problems that may arise at a later date. For example, many agencies feel that even though you paid for your logo, they are still the owners of the art. You may have to get their permission (or worse yet, pay additional fees) to use it in publications, on line, or in other ways. They want to cash in again. 

When you purchase a logo design from HiRize Creative, you become the sole owner of the design. You will receive a CD with the logo in a variety of graphic formats suitable for print and web needs. You are welcome to provide this logo to whomever might need it, and you should be able to give it in the proper format. We keep the designs on file and backed up, so they will not be lost.

WHAT ABOUT COSTS? 
You pay our fee when you’re satisfied with the design or begin to use the design. If you decide later to have some adjustments made, you will be happily accommodated for a small fee - usually under $100.00. (For example: adding the name of a partner, changing the color, or rearranging the type.) These fees do not include additional design work by HiRize Creative utilizing your design, including letterhead, business cards, apparel or advertising specialties, but we’ll be happy to do so and help you work with your printer.

Speaking of costs...at first glance, the cost of having a designer prepare your logo may seem like an unnecessary expense, but a closer look will quickly show the benefits. A designer will grasp the concepts of your business and make sure you are making the best possible presentation to your customers. A good designer understands the graphics industry and will design a logo that will not go out of style before its usefulness is over. A designer will utilize industry standard programs to ensure your final logo can be shared with other businesses that need it (newspaper, garment industry, outdoor advertising, etc.). Most importantly, if you amortize the initial cost of logo development with the number of uses (business cards, signage, garments, menus, invoices, labels, and vehicle lettering) and the years it will be seen, you will quickly see this expense is quite small per impression.