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The advent of the Internet has made it much more affordable and convenient for businesses to order a professional looking logo design. From pre-designed templates and DIY software through to custom logo design packages the options are numerous.

Around 2008, logo design contests started to become popular and their popularity has continued to rise through to the present day. Logo design contests have many advantages over the other, more traditional options. The sheer number of designers competing on some of the larger sites means that you get a vast array of concepts to choose from. The crowd-sourcing model means that you get to tap into a global market of designers rather than relying on just a few to work on your project.

Not every logo design contest works out well though and some contest holders fail in getting a suitable design. However, there are many things that you can do to increase your chances of having a successful contest.

In this article we have set out some logo design contest tips. These tips cover what you need to know when it comes to choosing a site to host your contest and actually running the contest. If you know how to run a logo design contest the right way then you are more likely to end up with your dream logo.

Read Instructions Carefully There are now many websites operating in this niche nowadays and while they are mostly similar there are some that vary in terms of how contests are held. Before you order you should read up on how a site works and check out their FAQ (frequently asked questions) if they have one.

Established Sites = More Designers Some of the older, more established sites have by now grown into thriving, active marketplaces.

Some now boast pools of designers comprised of over 100,000 people. If you go with some of the 'copycat' players that have sprung up more recently then you may find that their sites are not so active. A lot of good designer are active on the top three or four sites but don't bother with the numerous other smaller sites. The top logo contest sites usually let you know how many designers they have in their pool so look for this information on their home page.

Higher Prizes = More Entries

As a contest holder it is up to you to decide on how much money you want to put up as a prize.

Many sites set a minimum prize amount that is usually around a couple of hundred dollars for a logo design. However, if you are able to put up a prize that is higher than the minimum then your contest will attract more attention. With a generous prize amount you will very likely receive entries from more designers and they will put more time into their design concepts.

Guarantee Your Contest Most of the top logo design contest sites give you the option of putting a prize 'guarantee' on your contest. When designers see this they know that your contest has a guaranteed prize and that you are not going to refund. If you want to keep your right to a refund open then you will not be able to 'guarantee' your contest. Designers may therefore pass on your contest or put less effort into their submissions knowing that there is not a guaranteed prize.

Refunds and Policies Before ordering you should go over a websites 'Terms and Conditions' careful so that you know where you stand if you need a refund. Some will basically give you a full refund if you haven't 'guaranteed' your contest. Others have numerous conditions attached to their refund policies and they will deduct various fees from the total refund amount.

Write a Clear Brief Designers will be more attracted to a project that has a clear, well written brief. If designers understand a little about your business and what you are looking for in a logo design then they will be able to come up with relevant concepts for you. Provide details and references to other logo designs where possible. You should also let them know how you plan to use the logo.

Public or Private Contest?

Some designers like the idea of a private contest as they can submit their designs without having other designers see them and possible steal ideas from them. However, there are big advantages to having a public contest. It will make it easier for people to find it via search engines and thus give you more exposure to designers. Plus, if any designers have submitted plagiarized work then other designers may respond by reporting them to the site owners.

Seek Out The Good Designers While some logo design contests request that the submitted designs are closed to public view, there are usually also a lot that will allow the work to be open for view. This gives you a great opportunity to look over some other logo design competitions being hosted by the same site as yours. You can then look for other designers that have done work that you like and put in a request that they also submit an entry into your contest.

Most crowd-sourcing sites are fairly crowded out and while you will naturally get some attention there may be many designers that overlook your project. Those that really want to get the best value out of a logo contest can look at promoting it in order to attract more designers. Many logo contest sites can offer you upgrades that give your contest extra exposure on their site. If you are

fairly active on the web then you may also be able to promote your contest on other websites, forums or blogs where design professionals gather.

Contest Duration If you are not working towards a deadline then you may as well go for the longest contest duration possible. This will give designers time to find your project and collaborate with you as they perfect their concepts.

Put Time Into Feedback The whole process of running a logo contest usually takes around three weeks and you should be prepared to put in some time as you follow contest developments. Most logo contest websites have a system whereby you can rate the concepts that have been submitted and request changes. Communicate clearly with the designers so that they can make revisions that are to your tastes.

If possible you should delete concepts that are way of base and that you know just won't be suitable no matter how much they are adjusted. By doing so you will make it easier for designers to follow your contest. Designers will also be more attracted to contests that have received fewer entries as they will anticipate a lower level of competition.

For more on how to run a logo design contest and to compare some of the top logo contest sites like 99designs and CrowdSPRING visit Logo-Reviews.com.

Check out our 99designs review and see how they rank in our top five sites.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steven_P_Sutherland

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