New business owners get overwhelmed with all the options when it comes to professional presentation.

Additionally, each type of design service is a special beast with its own science behind it, and people often specialize in one area. Sometimes it seems like you need 5 different people working on your project to have all your design, development and marketing needs met.

In my previous post on how to DIY your branding I explained the essential elements of branding, but there’s so many questions left unanswered. I hope this article will help with that, though I can’t promise to give a very in-depth look into every single field because that would require writing a textbook, not a blog post.

In this guide I give an overview of the most common visual design services for small businesses, and you’ll be able to tell if you need it right now or may need it later, and how much to budget for it.

Table of contents

• Logo design
• Branding
• Business cards
• Web design
• User Interface design (UI)
• Icon design
• User experience design (UX)
• Posters & flyers
• Brochures
• Illustration
• Cover design
• Desktop publishing (DTP)
• Packaging design
• Presentation design

Logo design

A logo or a logotype is a graphic used to represent an entity — a company, organization or a person. It’s basically a company’s signature (sometimes literally, when it’s used as a stamp on your professional correspondence).

The main job of a logo is to be unique and memorable, so that your customers immediately recognize your products.

Different types of logos are:

• Iconic — uses only a symbol
• Wordmark — uses only words, written in a font or custom lettering
• Combination — use both a symbol and the words. Sometimes they may use either one or the other depending on the medium of application

Do I need a logo?

Most designers will tell you that “everyone needs a logo” and that a logo is the “base of your branding, your brand doesn’t exist without a logo” — I’ve recently read that almost word for word on a fellow designer’s blog. I don’t agree with it 100%.

Companies and organizations require a logo, even if it means a “simple” wordmark. A physical shop of any kind that has signage needs a logo. A brand of physical goods would very well use a logo to put on their tags and packaging.

If you’re working under your own name, you probably don’t need one. If you’re working under a brand other than your name, you likely do.

Do music bands need logos? Not necessarily, there are plenty of bands who don’t have one. It’s more common in the rock/metal genre to have unique logos.

Do creatives such as artists, designers, writers and solo musicians need a logo? Most of them don’t, although there are cases when it may come handy. (For example, members of the Art Nouveau movement made woodblocks of their initials, and they stamped their art instead of signing it.)

Does a product need a logo? Depends on the product. If the product itself is a brand that will continue to be developed and sold for years to come, then yes. But if a product is a one-timer like a book or a music album, you don’t need a logo.

Another question is, when do you need one? Companies, organizations and products (if applicable) need it before the official launch, because it will be a part of their marketing campaign.

Sometimes companies that launched with a logo that doesn’t quite suit their needs will re-design it after a few years of being in business, which is a totally legit approach.

Small business owners that aren’t going for a big launch, but small and steady audience building, can get by without a “real” logo until they can afford it.

How much does a logo cost?

Before I continue discussing prices, please note that these are prices that small design studios and freelancers charge to other small businesses.

There is a level below it called “cheap Indian designers and students” (which I obviously don’t recommend), and the level of “big brands” where renowned designers and big studios charge hundreds of thousands of dollars. Since you’re reading this, I assume that’s not within your budget.

A professionally made logo can cost anywhere from $200 on the low end to $2000 and up, depending on designer’s experience and country of residence.

Can I do it myself?

In the post How to DIY your branding I explained the very basics. However, logo design is not something you want to screw up, so I’d suggest saving up for a professional logo, as you’re going to want to have it redesigned down the line anyway.

Can you do it?

Yes — check out my branding & logo design services.

Branding package

The simplest definition of branding is the way other people perceive your business. It’s a collection of all their impressions about you: what your business is about, what you do and how you do it, what you sound like to them, what you look like to them and what their experiences with you have been.

Branding encompasses much more than just the visuals, but for the purpose of this post I’ll focus just on graphic design portion of it, ie. the visual identity.

The purpose of branding is to maintain a consistent and memorable experience across the media: web, print, physical locations, television, public appearances etc.

Visual brand expands on the logo and includes a color palette, typography, logo usage guidelines, stationery design (letterhead, envelopes, presentations), icons & illustrations, photography guidelines, and it can go as far as defining staff wardrobe and interior design. Read more about what goes into this in my post Branding guidelines (style guides) demystified.

Do I need brand design?

Every business has a brand, whether you know it or not. If you don’t do anything about it, other people create a story of their own about your business, and you have absolutely no control over this story if you don’t create it consciously yourself.

However, if you’re a solo business owner or an independent creative, you often spend the first few years refining your message and developing your brand as you go.

Branding is the first step to designing anything else, and if you don’t have any guidelines in place, your marketing materials will be mismatched and ineffective.

For this reason I would advise you to set some brand standards as soon as possible. An expert can help you define your branding to be compelling and effective.

How much does a branding package cost?

The branding package content depends on the specific needs of the business, so costs can vary drastically.

Typically, visual identity packages that include logo design can cost between $1000 and $10.000, again depending on the country, designer’s work experience and your requirements.

Branding for physical shops & restaurants is usually more expensive than for digital businesses, because every detail inside the physical space must be addressed (window signs, curtains, menus, coasters, price tags, bags, take-out containers…)

Read more about branding in my post The vital elements of a premium brand.

Can I do it myself?

You may be able to pull off something basic by choosing a color palette and one or two fonts you will use consistently in all your materials.

If you’re a visual artist, you may find a way to include elements of your work (like textures or specific shapes) to reinforce your branding. I wouldn’t try to go farther than that, though.

One thing you can do yourself is define the non-visual components of your branding, especially if you’re a decent writer. I provide some exercises you can do yourself in the article I already mentioned several times, How to DIY your branding.

Can you do it?

Yes, I design complete visual branding packages, and I can assist you in developing other components of your branding — check out my branding & logo design services.

I also offer a consulting service where you’re able to hop on a call with me, and I can answer your questions and help you with brainstorming your brand elements, without having to hire me for a full project.

Business cards

Some people think business cards are unnecessary in this day and age, but I still find them very useful.

Well designed business cards can spark a conversation — for example one of my clients keeps getting compliments for his unusually shaped business card, and some of my other clients had this happen as well.

Beautiful business cards can also be viewed as keepsakes. If you’re a visual artist, putting your art on the back side makes it not only a marketing tool, but a small collectible item.

Do I need business cards?

If you’re doing any kind of in-person networking, attending classes or workshops where your right people hang out, selling your work on artist markets, or have a physical office or a shop where people visit you, you need them.

If you’re hidden behind the screen most of the time and never go to social events where your potential buyers gather, you can get away with not having them.

How much do business cards cost?

The cost of design itself can be anywhere from $150 to $500 (I haven’t seen more expensive designs, though I may be wrong).

This does not include the cost of printing. I’ve researched some online services like CatPrint and Moo, and the price range for a set of 100 cards is from $15 for basic options to $70 for a full color double-sided print on quality paper.

Custom shape cutting is usually not offered in online shops. If you order locally, it can increase the price by another $50.

Can I do it myself?

Yes, in fact if you don’t have a logo or professional brand design in place and are just starting out, I recommend doing them yourself just to spread the word about your new business as soon as possible.

Even I had cards printed at home for a few years before I splurged on professionally printed ones.

You can go the all-DIY or half-DIY route.

If you don’t need that many business cards (ie. you just need them for one event soon, and don’t know when you’ll need them again), designing and printing them at home is a decent enough option. A lot of people will come to the event with no business cards at all, so you’re already ahead of them.

If you have any design sense and want the business cards to look nice, especially if you want to feature your art or photos on them, get your designs printed on any of the online services that offer user friendly tools to design and order your business cards.

Can you do it?

Business cards are included in the complete branding package. I don’t offer a la carte business card design to clients who haven’t also ordered their logo design from me.

Web design

I suppose you all know what a website is, but there are so many different ways you can make one, it will make your head spin.

I’ll mention just a few of them:

• You can use a free content management system (CMS) like WordPress or Joomla
• You can use a custom developed system if you need certain special features
• You can host your website on free site builders (such as Weebly or Wix), or paid ones (Weebly, Wix or Squarespace)
• You can have a free blog on Blogger or Tumblr
• You can host your art on a portfolio service (such as Behance), and pay for a premium account to have your own domain name.

Then there’s the question of design. You can use a free theme, a premium theme, or hire a web designer to create a custom theme for you.

With some of the above options (free site builders or portfolios) you don’t have much control over design, so if you’re planning on hiring a professional, ask them what platform they work with and what they would recommend for you.

While all of the above options can theoretically work, I would advise a self-hosted solution like WordPress, and a custom domain name because it offers the most opportunities for growth.

Free site builders or blogs look unprofessional, and you don’t have much control over things.

There’s also the question of a mobile responsive website. I could write a whole article on this topic alone, but in short: you need to be thinking about your mobile visitors because they’re just as likely to buy from you as those browsing on your computer, and Google prefers mobile-responsive sites.

Do I need a website?

My dad has been a house painter for the past 10 years and never needed a website — he gets work on word of mouth alone.

I know at least two web designers who don’t have a proper portfolio website, and they get work from freelance marketplaces. If you have good contacts and a solid referral network, you can survive without a website.

I would still recommend you to get any kind of website, even if it means just putting your contact information and a Google map for your physical location.

If you’re doing your business online (whether it’s freelancing or selling handmade goods), you need a central place to display your products & services in a manner you have full control over.

Social networks aren’t enough. They’re enough if you’re just sharing your work and engaging with people. But you can’t use social networks to make sales — you need either your own website, or a platform suitable for your type of product: Etsy or Artfire if you’re an artist/artisan, Amazon or Smashwords if you’re a writer, Bandcamp if you’re a musician, etc.

These platforms have their own rules, and the buyers belong to the platform, not to you. What I mean by this is you can’t directly contact your previous buyers, offer them discounts or free samples, ask them questions etc. You don’t control the checkout process, upsell or e-mail list sign-up.

It’s ok to start on Etsy if you’re new, but after a while you will want to create your own brand, and have more control over how your clients interact with your work.

How much does a website cost?

This of course depends on your needs. Website design and WordPress theme development & setup can cost from $1000 to $10.000.

Custom developed projects practically have no upper limit. I’ve worked on websites that had a 6-figure total price tag.

Can I do it myself?

If you’re tech savvy enough to buy a domain and a hosting account and install WordPress, the answer is yes. You can download a free theme and customize it with your own photos, and on some themes you can also change colors in the control panel. You could also install plug-ins like a photo gallery or a shopping cart.

If you’re just starting out, it’s perfectly fine to just put your offerings out there to test your market and start blogging or making videos to build your audience.

Once you’ve confirmed that your business is viable and want to grow it to reach more people, it’s time to get your website professionally designed.

One of the biggest hangups clients have when setting out to create their own website is figuring out what kind of content to put on it, and finding the time to create it. If this is an issue for you as well, read my post on how to create great content for your website that your visitors will love.

Can you do it?

I design and build websites on WordPress for both new and existing websites, packaged together with my logo & brand design service — check it out. I don’t offer website design to clients who haven’t also ordered their logo design from me.

I don’t do custom web development, but if you choose to work with me, I’ll be able to hook you up with a developer.

UI design by Abhimanyu Rana

User interface design

User interface (UI) design is a subset of graphic design which focuses on the way users interact with an application.

Interfaces appear in applications such as computer programs, mobile apps, websites, games, cash machines, public information displays, and on various devices that use visual controls.

Good UI is especially important on projects with new & revolutionary features, and those where a user mistake has serious consequences (think banking software — nobody likes to be charged twice because they didn’t know what an error that appears on the screen means).

Do I need UI design?

If you’re creating any kind of application for a computer, phone, tablet or console, you do. If you’re creating a complex website that users might have difficulty navigating, you could use an expert’s help as well.

How much does UI design cost?

This is a difficult question to answer because projects can vary wildly depending on the platform and complexity of your app. I’ve found information that iOS and Android app design can range from $4000 to over $15000.

Can I do it myself?

If you’re using an app builder, you probably won’t have much control over the user interface anyway, so in that case the answer is sort yes.

If you’re creating a custom application, having a UI designer on board is definitely a smart investment.

I’m sure you’ve experienced using an app with a clunky interface that was designed by an amateur, and you don’t want your app to turn out that way.

Can you do it?

Nope, I don’t take on UI projects anymore.

Icon design

Icon design is a part of user interface design, but it can also be commissioned separately. There are designers specializing solely in icon design.

A well designed icon is clear and precise — you recognize in less than a second what the meaning of the icon is.

Do I need icon design?

If you’re creating an app, you need a good looking main app icon, and several icons for the interface.

Certain websites could use icons, especially those that list categories or features that can be easily identified with a simple graphic (travel sites, webshops etc.).

You can also add icons to e-courses and textbooks to highlight different sections and activities.

How much does icon design cost?

For a single icon, you can expect to pay from $50-500. A pack of 10 icons can cost from $100 to over $1000.

Can I do it myself?

If you need to ask, the answer is no. You can, however, find a lot of cheap or free stock icon packs that you can use.

Icons look deceptively simple, but it’s really hard to pull off such simplicity well.

Can you do it?

I don’t offer icon design as a separate service. I do, however, design icons as a part of my website design and branding & logo design services.

User experience design

User experience design, or UX design for short, is an interdisciplinary field that combines graphic design and computer science with psychology, cognitive science and ergonomics. It includes visual design, information architecture, interaction design, usability and accessibility.

The main focus of UX design is to lower all the barriers a user must cross in the process of using your product, so that they can go from the initial contact with your product toward effective use as quickly and smoothly as possible.

Good UX design has a huge effect on your profit, because not only does it insure that the largest possible number of people who, for example, land on your website end up buying and using your product, but they will also confidently recommend it to their friends and peers because they had a great experience with it.

Do I need UX design?

Everyone can benefit from UX design, which is why I’d recommend you read some introductory literature on the subject no matter what business you’re in, because it’s something you need to be thinking of consistently. And let’s be honest — not all of us can afford to have a UX expert on call at all times.

If you’re going into a bigger project such as building a new product, a complex website, an app, or an online course, hiring a UX specialist with experience in your particular field is a great investment.

If you absolutely cannot afford to hire a UX specialist, there’s another solution. Many web designers, web developers and instructional designers are UX-savvy, so make sure you pick the right person who has all the skills you need and has the portfolio to prove it.

How much does UX design cost?

This is really difficult to answer as it varies wildly depending on what the project is about. In any case, you’re probably looking at a five-figure amount at a minimum because of all the research UX involves.

If you’re hiring a designer or developer that also specializes in UX, they will likely include this in the total cost of the project (just make sure to ask what type of work is included).

Can I do it myself?

As I mentioned, learning more about UX is very useful, just don’t fool yourself that reading a few books will make you an expert.

There are some things you can do yourself with some training, and I especially recommend looking into user research because this is a goldmine of information for improving your business.

Can you do it?

UX is not something I offer as a separate service, especially as I work remotely and some of the methods require a UX professional to be on-site.

I do, however, employ the UX principles I know (and am able to do within the scope of the project) in all of my design & consulting work.

Posters & flyers

Posters and flyers are usually reserved for special occasions like concerts, exhibitions, book signings, community projects, launches, sales etc.

Flyers also come handy when they include valuable information such as a price list, for example takeout menus.

Do I need posters or flyers?

If you are hosting any kind of live event or are opening a local shop or service, you probably do need them to raise awareness in your local community.

You can keep flyers in your physical space that people can pick up on their way out, or put them in every bag with the products they bought.

If you’re primarily an online business, it’s not cost effective to advertise locally, because this money could be better spent on targeted Google or Facebook advertising.

How much do posters and flyers cost?

Design can cost anywhere from $100 to $1000, and the amount of additional work (such as photography or illustration) can affect the price if you don’t supply these materials yourself.

Printing costs vary based on size, but they’re usually in the range of a few hundred dollars.

Can I do them myself?

A lot of people do, including my mom. The results are often terrible so it’s not something I’d advise, but if you’re seriously strapped for cash, I understand that Microsoft Word and office printer are your only hope.

Posters and flyers need to grab attention among dozens of other competing ones. This doesn’t mean they need to be brightly colored. I’ve seen excellent tastefully designed posters with muted colors and a lot of whitespace, and that’s how they stood out from a bunch of colorful ones on the same board.

Posters must be legible and have a very strong visual hierarchy of information, which you can easily mess up if you’re not a designer.

Here are 3 basic tips to remember when you want to DIY your posters & flyers:

• Make the most important information (what it is about, address, date, discount rate) the largest. Make less important information smaller.
• Add a photo of your product, your art or yourself (if applicable) to draw attention.
• Use a legible font (and never, ever use Comic Sans)

Good luck!

Can you do it?

I no longer offer poster & flyer design to clients who haven’t also ordered their logo design from me. For returning clients whose brands I’ve designed, I’ll happily design posters as well.

Brochure design by Zambelli Brand Design

Brochure design

Unlike flyers, brochures are multi-page printed marketing materials that typically have a longer lifetime. They may contain an overview of services offered with brief descriptions of each, or they may be a mini product catalog.

Do I need a brochure?

If you want to provide information that doesn’t fit on your business card or a flyer for people to take home, you might want to make them. If it fits on a single page, you can go with a flyer instead.

If you’re selling high-end products like unique jewelry, organic cosmetics, clothing or fashion accessories, it would make a really nice touch if you included a booklet with care instructions, the story behind your collection and possibly a mini catalog of your current “season” with every purchase to improve your customer experience and reinforce your brand story.

How much does a brochure cost?

Brochure design can cost anywhere between $200 and $5000 depending on your project requirements (number of pages, number of graphic elements to design, etc.).

Printing costs can vary greatly depending on the number of pages, paper type, binding etc.

Can I do it myself?

Brochures are much trickier than flyers, and there are a lot of additional rules that apply to them that I couldn’t possibly cover here.

If you’re a crafty person, you might be able to print them at home and add a special handmade touch with art paper, custom stamps, ribbons etc.

If you’re not crafty or a professional designer, I don’t see how this could end well.

Can you do it?

I no longer offer brochure design to clients who haven’t also ordered their logo & brand design from me.

If we’re already working together on your branding, then I can do it to make sure all your promo materials have a consistent look.

Illustration

Illustration is technically not design, but the line between them can sometimes get blurred and I wanted to include this section for clarification.

Illustration can draw attention to your products or services, and aid readers in understanding the information you provide.

It’s common in industries such as book publishing, magazine publishing, games and music, but lately illustrations started appearing on web sites and mobile apps as well, to replace the overused stock photos.

There are many different types and styles of illustration, so you’ll need to find an illustrator whose skills and style are aligned with the genre and atmosphere of your work.

Some examples of illustration techniques include digital painting, traditional drawing and painting, photo-manipulation, 3D art and vector art.

In terms of style, they can be realistic, surrealistic, minimalistic, cartoons, children’s illustration, fairytale & fantasy art, futuristic art, or a combination of multiple styles.

Do I need custom illustration?

If you’re in one of the traditional industries where illustration is common (publishing, music, games) you likely do.

Book and album covers with only clever design treatment are common so illustration is not an absolute must (and you can use photography instead of it), but then you better hire a designer who is seriously good at cover design.

You may consider commissioning custom illustrations for your website, blog, newsletter, e-course, mobile app, brochures & posters to set yourself apart from your competitors who likely all use similar looking photos.

How much does illustration cost?

In my experience, illustration services often have a lower cost than design services (which I think is pretty unfair).

On the lower end a single full color illustration can cost from $200-300 up to… well, virtually no upper limit. Artists that are in high demand and work for prestigious clients can charge 4 and 5 figure rates.

Can I do it myself?

If you’re a visual artist, yes!

If you’re not, I really wouldn’t advise you that your first foray into visual art be something you’re betting your business on.

Please do draw and paint for your enjoyment and post it on social media — I don’t want to discourage you from engaging with your creativity. But wait until you’ve developed some skill and verify that your audience’s reactions are positive before you decide to use it on something you want to sell.

In the end, it doesn’t matter if I like it or any other professional artist likes it, if it happens to be something your right people adore.

Can you do it?

I no longer offer illustration services. Instead, you can check out my Art licensing page.

Cover design

Cover design is the design of outer appearance of books, CDs and DVDs. It’s separate from illustration, and often the two are performed by different people.

Publishing houses have in-house designers who make sure that all books in a particular edition look similar and recognizable (like the “For Dummies” series). The majority of the books I illustrated for the traditional publishing industry were designed by an in-house designer.

In self-publishing the illustration and design roles often overlap, so you might find a person that does both.

Do I need cover design?

Do you plan on publishing a book, an ebook, or a music album? Then yes.

This also includes “freebies” like free reports, ebooks, workbooks and other things that people offer as an incentive to join their e-mail list.

How much does cover design cost?

Anywhere from $200 to $1000. There are plenty of online services targeting niche authors, so I’m sure you’ll be able to find something to fit your pocket.

Can I do it myself?

Are you a graphic designer? If not, then no. Trust me.

There are so many terrible looking self-published books on Amazon, and I really don’t want you to be one of them. People really do judge a book by its cover, and professionally designed books sell better because they look more trustworthy.

If it’s a free ebook, this depends on your technical skills. You certainly can make the first version by yourself, and opt for a professional design in the revised version later on.

Can you do it?

I only offer cover design to clients who have also ordered their logo & brand design from me.

Photo by Death to the Stock Photo

Desktop publishing

Desktop publishing or DTP is a term used for book, magazine and newspaper design.

You may ask “Haven’t we already covered this with cover design?” The answer is no.

While cover design includes the design of, well, covers, DTP is about the inside of the books and magazines, which is a whole different beast. DTP can include book covers (in the sense that the same person can do both).

Do I need desktop publishing?

Are you planning on publishing any e-books or magazines, printed or digital? There’s your answer.

How much does desktop publishing cost?

This is very difficult to tell exactly, because there’s so many different things you can do with DTP.

There are fiction and nonfiction books, then there are illustrated books, textbooks, manuals, catalogues, magazines, newspaper, PDF ebooks and Kindle/epub ebooks…

Basically, you’ll need to do your own research on this one, depending on what you need.

Can I do it myself?

That depends. Amazon and other publishing platforms offer the most basic tools to typeset your book, and you can use them for free.

For a new product that you just want to test, do it yourself. I would recommend to update the book with a more professional design if it ends up selling well, because bad book design can tarnish the brand you’re trying to build.

If you’re only looking to offer a freebie to your e-mail list, you can do it yourself by using OpenOffice, Pages or Microsoft Word, even though this is not the kind of software professionals use.

I would urge you to please test your publication on a few mobile devices to see how well it reads, and ask a few of your friends to test it for you.

Can you do it?

I no longer offer design of printed books or magazines.

Packaging design by Zambelli Brand Design

Packaging design

Packaging design includes everything from bottles, jars and containers to boxes and bags – basically, anything a product comes in.

Packaging is an important part of the product’s brand story and it’s meant to stand out on the shelf. Notable examples are the iconic bottle design of Coca-Cola and Jack Daniel’s.

Do I need packaging design?

If you sell physical products, you need packaging. Having your logo on a product increases trust with your buyers and reinforces your brand story.

If you’re in the luxury goods market, you’re expected to have a professional look all around. If your buyers spend several hundred dollars or more on your products, you bet they expect that it comes in an equally beautiful package.

How much does packaging design cost?

You can go from a custom label design from $500 and above, to a complete packaging design which can cost above $15000.

Can I do it myself?

If you’re in the handmade market, and your brand is about custom personalized handcrafted goods, then doing your own packaging may even work in your favor.

If you don’t have the money for custom packaging, the least you can do is get a set of labels professionally designed to stick on blank boxes & containers.

Can you do it?

Nope, packaging is definitely not my superpower.

Presentation design

You’re probably very familiar with this one already. Who hasn’t done a slide presentation, at least in high school?

Do I need presentation design?

If you’re giving talks, lectures, workshops or pitches, you need a good looking presentation.

How much does presentation design cost?

You can get a junior designer to do it for $100-200, and it can go all the way up to $5000.

Can I do it myself?

Can you use Powerpoint or Keynote? Of course you can. The technical barrier to designing a presentation is much lower than with many other graphic design skills. I offer some presentation design tips in my post How to make an impression at a big in-person event.

Once you become more established as a speaker and want to get booked for bigger events, you can upgrade to a professionally designed presentation that will wow and engage your viewers.

Can you do it?

Presentations are a part of my complete branding package if the client requires them.

I don’t offer presentation design as a separate service.

Whew! That was quite a lot to cover

I hope this post helped explain some main differences between different design services, and that you have a clearer picture of what you current needs are, and what you might need to invest in in the future.

If you have any additional questions, feel free to ask in the comments, and I’ll do my best to answer them.

If you’re preparing to start a new project with a designer, be sure to read my post on how to write a design brief and be a glorious client.

Do you know someone who could use this post? Please share it with them!

And if you happen to be the one that needs some of the services I offer and you dig my design style, get in touch!