A Logo is an Investment

You know that you need a logo, but you have just started your company, and of course you are trying to save as much money as possible. Unfortunately, paying a designer to design your logo was not included in your business plan. You see it as money that you will be spending without an immediate benefit.
I invite you to investigate how much a company pays every time they use their logo, when they publish a brochure, a flyer, a poster; when they use it in their website, their business cards, their product packaging or labels. I will give you the answer to save you time: nothing, not one cent. What do they get instead? Every time they use their logo, they are creating a presence; they are planting a seed in the minds of every person that sees their logo. They are making money without even thinking about it. So, if it is so important to have a logo, and you have already understood that a logo does not cost even a small fraction of how much you can gain by using it; the next step is: how do you get one?
Have a Designer Do It
So you go online and search for logo designers. There is a myriad of designers, artists, students and computer savvy people that offer design services online, and most of them offer a logo for the price of a lollypop. Do not be fooled by the cheap prices. A logo is not a dress that you can change in the afternoon. You have invested not only money, but also effort and heart in your business. It is a very important part of your life, and you would do whatever is in your hands to make it succeed. Why then give it a cheap logo?
Why Not My Cousin Joe
Here are a few points that could help you choose who will design your company's logo:
1. Choose a professional with experience and a good portfolio to design your logo. Think about it: Would you prefer to go to an amateur doctor to cure you? Would you let your cousin Joe do it, if he's not a doctor, just because it's free?
2. A logo should be unique. Many cheap designers use free imagery from clipart to create a logo in five minutes. That's why there are so many look-alike logos on the market. It contradicts the first reason for a logo's existence: to uniquely identify a company or a product among its competitors.
3. A logo should be simple. People don't have time to translate complex messages. Look at successful companies: their logos are simple and memorable. There is no room in a logo to show all you have to say about your company. Work with an experienced designer on what concept will best identify and differentiate your company.
4. A logo should be designed to work well on a building facade as well as on a pen. If there are lines that are not visible, or letters that can't be read, it is not a good logo. You shouldn't need to change your logo every time it is used.
5. A logo is not just a drawing or a photo that you could take from a website, and it should not be your favorite pet (unless your business is about pets). Your logo should represent your company’s ideals, personality and values. If it works well, your customers will be proud to buy your products, even if they are not the cheapest in the market.
These aren't the only considerations to have in mind when deciding why and who should design your logo. Search and read more about this. Look at the prospective designers' portfolios. Give your business the value it deserves.