How to Avoid a Generic Logo for your Practice

No two businesses are the same. They shouldn’t look the same either.

For any business to get the most out of their logo, they must first understand its purpose. A logo is an identifier that people traditionally come across first that has a visual association to a business.

The face of your business mustn’t look like everyone else for this reason. You don’t have to reinvent the wheel, but some outside-the-box thinking helps to ensure you stand out from the crowd, which is what we want to do with our logo.

If we look at imagery that dentists or orthodontists use, we’ll notice a recurring pattern. Teeth are the most common elements used to depict a business in this space, which would make sense given that these practices deal with teeth daily, right? In theory, yes. But in practice, this is far from the truth.

The most common misconception in logo design

Business owners often think their logo must visualize what services they provide. That’s a concept that’s all too familiar in dentistry too. It’s no surprise that when we think this is what makes a logo great, our ideas become limited and what we end up with is something quite generic and overused, like teeth, for example.

Seriously, do a quick search on ‘Dentist logos’. I’ll be amazed if you find anything other than teeth…

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As a business, you’re much more than your services. You’re the experiences you provide, the values you hold and the emotions your customers have when thinking of or interacting with you. Your aim should be to encapsulate as much as what makes you unique within your logo. That doesn't mean you shouldn't create a look tied to the services you provide but if you do, try to do it subtly with a unique twist if you want to avoid looking generic.

Coming up with the perfect idea for your logo

The bulk of the logo design process is creative thinking and research into generating ideas. When you hire a designer, you pay for not only their ability to create but their unique individual perspective and way of thinking. This has immense value - particularly to business owners who struggle with the outside-the-box thinking that I mentioned earlier, who are likely to opt for something safe (but generic).

What helps me to generate ideas is starting the creative process by playing a bit of word association through mind mapping. I note what I know about the business I’m working with, their competitors, target market and anything I can highlight as being intrinsically unique to their story or way of operation. I’ve found this to be a powerful tool to get the ball rolling that can lead to many potential outcomes.

Here are some questions you might want to ask yourself:

• What inspired you to start your practice?
• How is your approach different from other doctors?
• How do patients describe your practice or their experiences?
• Who are the types of patients you serve?
• How do you make people feel when they visit?

As well as this, we can draw inspiration from what exists out in the world! Mood boards are particularly effective at collating inspiration. Often what presents itself as a barrier to business owners is the belief that you must have the design knowledge to create one. You don't.

There are tools out there that do all the hard work for you, which designers like myself often use to showcase our work and inspire others.

These sites will provide you with inspiration where you'd least expect it and make collating your findings in one place extremely easy: Behance, Pinterest, Dribbble

You can use this same approach to get ideas flowing and find the right solution for your business too. If you're at a stage where you can't think of anything else to use aside from teeth, give it a try. There are endless possible directions if you take the time to explore different ideas.

Creating a logo that’s functional

As well as being visually beautiful and creating a perception that resonates with your customers, your logo must be functional. You should be able to use your logo wherever you please, without fear of limitation.

You can make your logo more functional by:

• Testing scalability: You’ll likely want to use your logo on business cards/stationery, uniforms, company vehicles, signage and on your website or social media channels. Make sure your logo scales by testing it at various sizes.
• Keep things clear, distinct and legible: Your logo must be readable. If you can’t read what your design is supposed to be or say, that’s your queue to start simplifying. Think about what can be removed from the composition rather than added to increase visibility.
• Test how your logo looks before adding colour: Colour often masks error. It’s easier to see when something is wrong or out of place in black or white. Add colour later once your design is where it needs to be!
• Have multiple versions of your logo: Sometimes having a primary logo isn’t enough. There’s no guarantee that it’ll work in all instances, particularly for more complicated designs. You can break your primary down into various layouts and more simplified versions. For example, a logo variation where your mark or typography is only present would be better to use if needed at small scales.

Consider where your logo needs to be displayed to prevent limitations in the future. If you know where you plan on using it, you can plan ahead and create versions that'll adapt to different constraints.

Many businesses make the mistake of rushing the creation of their logo without the proper thought and preparation. With these fundamentals in mind, you can create a logo fitting your business and stand the test of time. If designed the right way, your logo should last for many years to come!

About The Contributor

Edward Penna is a graphic designer specializing in logo and brand identity design based in Nottingham, UK. When he’s not busy helping small businesses and startups bring their visions to life, he loves creating educational content to share his experiences and knowledge with other creatives!