Every single business needs its own unique logo. Consumers expect it, and it helps to set your company apart from competitors. A logo also generates brand loyalty, attracts your target audience, and showcases your core values and overall business “vibe”.

If you run a local business designed to bring in customers in your immediate area, you’ll want to design a logo with a local feel. Following are some tried and proven tips for doing just that.

Make a List of Prominent Local Landmarks and Icons

Unique local landmarks and icons will help people readily identify your business as a local one. Following are some sources of inspiration you may want to consider:

Unique man-made structures
Natural landmarks
Local sports teams’ icons
The state bird, mammal, reptile, amphibian, food, flower, etc.
Flag
Your area’s history and culture

It’s important to check if any other local businesses use a particular landmark or icon as part of their logo or branding. You want to avoid copying other local companies even if they are not direct competitors.

There are several ways in which you can use a landmark or icon as part of your logo design. A silhouette could be in order in some instances if you want a clean, simple logo. A realistic image can be ideal for companies that want to convey a traditional vibe. Alternatively, you can use a vector graphic to create a logo with a modern, professional ambiance.

Determine Which Icon Aligns Best with Your Business

Once you have an extensive list of all possible landmarks and icons, consider which ones (or combinations) would be the best fit for your business. Some factors to take into account during the decision-making process include:

What landmark or icon would appeal most to your target audience?
What type of image would best reflect your industry, products and/or services?
Does the image you are considering align with your core values?
Which images aren’t commonly used, and so would be most likely to stand out to local customers?
Will the image you pick be just as relevant ten years from now as it is today? Will it effectively convey the nature of your business even if you add new products/service and/or discontinue old ones?

It can be a good idea to ask people you know and trust for their input as you select a local icon or landmark. You’ll want to know how others perceive your chosen design, as it could be different from how you view a particular image.

If your business is already up and running, consider asking customers what they think about a particular image. Use a social media platform to request feedback and pay attention to what your clients have to say. You may not be able to please everyone but you should get valuable input that can help you make a well-informed decision.

Choose Colors that Reflect Your Surroundings

What colors is your area known for? If you live in a forested area, for instance, varying shades of green could be an ideal color selection. On the other hand, orange and yellow may be colors of choice if you live by the beach or in a desert. Blue could be ideal if there is a well-known lake or waterfall in your area, while gray and black may be the right colors for a business located in a large metropolitan area.

When selecting logo colors, bear in mind that each color has its own unique vibe. Red, for instance, conveys passion and energy. Green denotes nature and calmness; additionally, since it’s the color of money, is also typically used by financial service firms. Purple denotes luxury, especially when paired with black and/or gold. Blue denotes professionalism and has a calm yet in-control feel and vibe. Pink has a caring, calming feel.

Your chosen color should pair well with the image you’ve chosen to represent your business. If, for instance, you choose a lion because it’s the mascot of a local sports team, you’ll want to select colors that represent energy and strength rather than calm, soothing shades.

Bear in mind your logo does not need to be very colorful. In fact, 95% of leading companies use only one or two colors in their logo design. Using multiple shades of one color is a good option if you don’t want a monochrome logo but are hesitant to create a multicolored one.

Select Fonts Carefully

A font can dramatically affect the way people think of your business. There are plenty to pick from; however, you’ll want to keep the following points in mind when selecting one for your business:

Does the font match the logo style?
Will the font look good on online platforms and print mediums?
Can consumers read the business name with ease if this font is used?
What message does the font convey? Does it match with the company’s industry and core values?
Does the color of the font look good with the logo, and convey the message it is meant to convey?

Cursive fonts tend to be ornate, conveying luxury and style; thus, they are ideal for companies selling women’s products and/or luxury products. Modern lettering is best for professional firms and service providers. Playful lettering is ideal for companies selling family-friendly products or services. Block lettering is good for companies that are meant to have a strong feel and vibe, including construction companies and gyms.

Pay close attention to your font size as well. You want your business name to be noticeable, but it shouldn’t overshadow your logo.

Keep the Design Simple

It can be tempting to create a complex, ornate logo; however, the downsides often outweigh the advantages. This is why many of the world’s best-known logos are incredibly simple. Coca-Cola, BBC, Adidas, Nike, Apple, Twitter, and Facebook have incredibly simple logos, yet they are highly effective in promoting brand recognition and loyalty.

Your logo design should be easy for consumers to remember yet intricate enough to show that you have put time and thought into your branding. It should look good on a range of platforms and be able to accommodate your business’ future growth and ever-changing consumer sentiments and expectations.

Even complex local icons can be simplified in order to create a clean logo. If, for instance, your area is known for a national forest, consider using a silhouette of a forest, a large tree, or the image of an animal that is known to live in the forest. Turning a photo into a vector image can help with the simplification process as well.

If your logo has more than one element, make sure these are balanced, so your logo appears as one image rather than a combination of small pictures. You may need to pick one element and have this appear as the most prominent one; alternatively, you can combine the elements into a single image, so they don’t compete with each other.

Hire a Local Graphic Designer

While an you can use a freelance designer on Fiverr or Upwork or even opt to design a logo with an online service, all of which can offer great logo designs, companies that need a logo with a local feel and vibe should seriously consider having a local graphic designer create the new logo.

A local designer will know which features, shades, and amenities to use in order to give a logo a “local” vibe. What’s more, he or she can offer advice on color combinations, fonts, and other aspects of the design from a third-party perspective.

Another benefit of hiring a local designer is that you give back to the community and show you care about local entrepreneurs. This attracts potential local buyers who know that you are part of their world and not a transplant trying to look local in order to make money.

Do careful research before choosing a local designer. Checking reviews is a good way to find out more about potential local designers you may be considering. Ask potential designers for samples of their previous work. Make sure the one you choose has experience designing the type of logo you need for your company, as some designers specialize in set styles and may not be a good fit for your business. If you have a hard and fast deadline for completing the logo, make sure your chosen designer is able to have the logo finished on time.

Creating a logo with a “local” feel and vibe will take time, research, and hard work, even if you hire someone to complete the final design. You’ll want to consider a number of important factors very carefully, experiment with various shades, images, and fonts, and ask for outside opinions in order to create the best brand for your business. However, the time and effort you invest in logo creation is sure to pay off, as your logo helps you promote your brand, brings in new customers and cultivate brand loyalty.