The Pitfalls of Using Online Logo Designers

When engaging a new client – whether it is a new startup or acquisition practice or a existing practice that is looking to revitalize their marketing – we are often asked by the doctor if we mind if they use a friend or family member to design their new logo and branding. Our answer is always, “Sure, please feel free to use whomever you choose.” A new logo/brand is something very personal that we generally let the doctor drive the decision making on anyway. And while we love helping our clients create their new brands – and take great pride in how we do it – the fact is that doing branding and logo design work as a one-time service is not our bread and butter. I say this so that you know what I am getting ready to tell you is not motivated by wanting to sell you our log and branding services.

A challenge that we keep running into is the use of online logo design services. If you are not familiar with them, they are websites that charge a nominal fee (anywhere from $299-$999) to have scores of designers from all over the world take a stab at designing a logo for you. It sounds great right? Thirty designers will take a shot at designing your logo, and you get to pick the best.

But here are some of the common challenges with using those services:

• Communication: once you see the logo that you like, then you want to tweak it to make it perfect. This is where it gets challenging. Everything is done through online forms. Most of the designers for these services are based overseas, so speaking to the designer is not an option.
• A Sense of You: it is important that you are able to let your designer know what is important to you in the logo design process. We always ask our clients what their affinities are. What do they like (butterflies, trees, etc.)? We then determine how we incorporate their likes and a little of their personality into the brand.
• Dental/Medical Specific: the designers that you use are working across many industries every day. They are not going to be following design trend specific to dental and medical, and are not going to know what needs to be included to resonate with your target demographic.
• Style Guides: whenever we create a logo/brand for a doctor, we include a Style Guide that shows exactly which fonts and colors were used in the branding. This ensures that in the future should you choose to approach another design and/or marketing company to work for you, then they will know which fonts and colors to use to maintain your brand identity.
• Limited Rounds of Feedback and Changes: most of these companies will limit the rounds of feedback and changes that they will do. This understandable, but not always practical.

So please keep these concerns in mind when you are investigating your options for logo and branding, and be sure to ask the company you are hiring about these to see what they can offer you. At the end of the day, you are going to have this logo blown up onto a sign and placed above your doors, and you will certainly want to feel good about it as you pass underneath every morning.