thank you for the example, Bjorn, it's a perfect example of what I meant. I checked a good bunch of the logos, and all sites featuring those logos are gone. Those that are live aren't using the logos, because they were made for contests on GFY.
This doesn't mean the logo caused the sites to die, some of those logos are pretty neat, and a logo won't make a big difference.
But the business approach of those site owners was to spend as little as possible on everything. Logically, they're dead. Because the business model was wrong from the start. Note that I've used the word spend instead of invest.
In opposition to that, we've made several million dollars to our clients, only in 2009. And of course, our clients are getting bigger and bigger. I'm telling this on our behalf, but most quality designers can show that kind of results. That's because our clients invest instead of spending money.
Any quality work will take at least 7-15 days depending on the project. Including research, planning, mockups, the works. Therefore, nobody can charge $350 for quality work, it's a given.
Keep in mind when I say quality I don't mean just fancy, many people can do fancy looking designs in a couple days. I mean designs that make money. For everything else.... blowout prices. You can take blowout prices on galleries, banners, maybe a logo, but blowout prices for the identity of your site is a suicide. You provided the proof.
And you can't ask for more than that, designers have bills to pay, they have to eat, they need money. So, for $350, you'll get something to get rid of the task as fast as possible or the designer disappearing once he realizes it's too much work for the money.
And for the designers that are whoring: be smart. Some of you make quality stuff, charge for it. You may miss 1 or 2 tasks here and there, but this business needs designers, and any successful company won't blink at paying realistic prices. If you don't whore yourself, you'll gain respect, business and you'll get paid accordingly to what you do.
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