My company logo is looking a little old and tired (OK, I admit it, I created it myself many years ago). Logo companies can be somewhat expensive and sometimes only come up with a few variations on the same theme. Where should I look for more creative designs?

Let's assume you have thought through the much bigger issue of the currency and strength of your brand and conclude you only want a fresh logo design. One approach is to find a designer recommended by a colleague who knows your style and whose own design style you like. This is no guarantee you will have a satisfying experience but it is better than picking a design company based on their sample logos. In that case, and not to disparage all logo design companies, these logos may have been designed by individuals who are no longer with the company.

Competition is the key here. Some design companies, like Logoworks farm out your needs to several designers internally so you get a range of perspectives, from which you select and refine your design. Some of my colleagues have had a good experience with this approach.

Another clever idea is to have a truly open competition, like at 99 designs (there are other companies like this) where you create an online "contest" for your logo. You specify who you are, what kind of image you want, including preferred colors, shapes, backgrounds (only if you want), and how much of a "prize" you are offering for the design. Within a week, some of the 15,000 designers connected to the service will create a range of logos from which you can select. You can also see what designs you find appealing by using the search feature, and then refining your "contest" request. Most of these contests are in the few hundred dollar range.

Tip: This approach can also be used for business cards, websites, stationery, etc. Once you find a designer whose style matches your interests, you can pursue other projects with them.

© 2011 Institute of Management Consultants USA