Step 1   Define target market This section used to outline general attributes at your business. But I don't think target markets get stressed enough. Target audience and demographics are usually gathered early in the business planning process, but a well defined target market can ultimately drive your logo and brand appeal. If its a more generalized market like simply health care, try and outline a few characteristics of your audience in detail and market towards them in a less 'niche' approach. Don't simply gather your demographics and expect them to tell a story of who your company is, that's where the designer comes in. Be able to answer a few questions that any interested customer would want to know. These specs give the designer many hints as to what those people want to see, its their job. Who is this product for? "Who's going to be buying it, how and where?" What do they like? "what brands appeal to them already"

There, that wasn't so hard. Now, what's your business about?

 

You've probably got a good thorough list of attributes and ideas for the logo that speaks volumes about your business. If not, sigh and go back to Step 1. If so and you have a list of about 20, delete them all! Chances are whatever ones you can remember are the simplest most memorable ideas that you should use. This is how the consumers brain remembers objects, simple and to the point.

You sell soft pretzels that sometimes come with salt and sometimes mustard, please don't think a logo of a pretzel with salt and mustard on it will be a good idea. I'll suggest not even making it a pretzel, because if a customer wants your product they already have pretzel on the mind. Plus you might be excluding potential customers by selecting a logo that's too focused. Maybe that customer doesn't even come for the pretzels, but the other 12 items on the menu.

Don't tell people what you do, but how you do it. They already know what you do. And if your business is something vague and complex to the ordinary public like AVG Converters, be even more simple and draw in those leads that have a need for AVG converters and don't even know it.

Well did you want another step? Cause your done, no need to drag this out. Hand your target audience, a mission statement, and a solid list of 5 attributes that come to mind first off to someone like Logogram. We will be thrilled. For extra homework send your designer examples of logos you admire in general, and logos you admire in your industry. Style and feel are secondary qualities, designers should help sort this out. Don't get any one idea concreted in your mind, they might have ideas that you didn't even think of, or didn't think possible.