The Top 5 Logo Mistakes I See Practitioners Making
Is your logo doing you a disservice and sabotaging your business?
As a graphic designer for health practitioners, I’ve seen a lot of logos over the years. But in that time, I come across the same logo mistakes over and over again.
The good news is that many of these mistakes are easy to avoid if you go into your logo design with the know-how. So let’s look at the top 5 logo mistakes practitioners make, and what you can do instead.
Choosing a logo that is not authentic or consistent with who you are as a practitioner
Think that you need a green logo with a flower or tree because every other naturopath has that? Or maybe you’re a personal trainer so you need a logo that has someone running or a dumbbell incorporated? It’s actually the exact opposite!
Picking a similar style logo to others in your profession will make you blend in with everyone else. What you want to do is stand out and show people what makes you unique.
Not considering what your logo conveys to your ideal clients
It’s great to create a pretty logo that you like the look of. But have you thought about what that logo is conveying to your potential clients?
For example, if you’re a clinical nutritionist who is crazy about evidence-based medicine, a more hippie-style logo will be inconsistent with what you’re offering to clients. If you’re looking to attract male clients, your pink logo might not advertise to them that you work with men!
Make sure you consider what your colour, font and design could portray to your target market.
Choosing a font that is illegible or inappropriate
One of the most common mistakes I see is in the font choice. This includes:
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Issues with spacings between the letters - this could be too little or too much spacing
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Using a font that is not legible - you can’t even read what your business name is supposed to be!
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Using a font that distorts the words - so people think your name is something complete different
Remember, you want to use the same or similar fonts for your website and social media images. So make sure they are legible for more than just your logo!
Check some of the most common words you’ll be using in your website and social media copy - such as ‘naturopath’, ‘nutritionist’, ‘health practitioner’ and the particular niche or target audience you’re speaking to.
Purchasing or designing a logo that is the wrong size or file type
Many health practitioners on a budget go for cheap logos from sites like Fivver, or designing their own using Canva. But often, they end up purchasing or designing a logo that is not the right size or file type to use.
For your website, you want your logo to be:
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Standard size – 150 x 250
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PNG format
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No background – so it can be used on different coloured backgrounds
For social media channel, you ideally want a submark – a version of your logo that is simplified but still visually similar to your primary logo.
Thinking that your logo is the most important piece of your branding
Unfortunately, branding is not just as simple as picking a logo and going from there. It’s an entire marketing strategy in itself - not something to just tick off the list.
If you design or pick a logo without having direction or understanding how it fits into the grander scheme of your branding, it shows. You might be tempted to just rush to get something out and start, but this often means you’ll need to revisit and refreshing your whole brand down the track.
Is it time to take your business seriously and create a logo and brand that speaks to your ideal client?
Check out my logo and design services for health practitioners right here.