Your corporate identity expresses it all. The first step before you embark on your identity development is to develop your company's brand strategy and target audience profiling. The next step is to translate all that information into your logo design. Ask yourself whether you want your company to be perceived as big and traditional or modern and eclectic, technology- or service-driven, or serious or fun. Whatever your answers, they need to be conveyed in your logo design.

However, there are limits. Some company attributes may be so esoteric that they are hard to convey in a single logo design. Bottom line: Don't ask your logo to do too much, and you'll be fine.

Choose your design firm carefully. Every design firm has a different approach, personality, and style, all of which are reflected in the body of its work. Make sure you thoroughly review prospective designers' portfolios to see if they have the necessary experience as well as the look you're striving for.

Avoid design cliches. Really contemplate what you want in the design.  Swooshes, ellipses, and little running men are just some of the many design cliches that people rely on to convey a company's brand. And while these tools are familiar, cute, and comfortable, they are mainstream and do not stand out in today's competitive landscape.

Don't date your design. Just as you should choose for your company a name that won't embarrass you down the road, design your logo with an eye on the future. If you make your logo timeless, people will always relate to it. And while it may be tempting to go with the trendy colors and typefaces of a particular time, keep in mind that they will quickly look dated, along with your company.

Create a multidimensional logo. One of the biggest mistakes companies make in logo development is that the logos can be used only one-dimensionally. In other words, the logo looks good on a business card, but that's about it. Either the colors are too thin, the types too light, or the logo just doesn't transfer well when you shrink it or place it on a home page. Remember: Your logo is going to be used and seen in multiple environments, from T-shirts and magazines to letterhead and Web sites. The best logos work everywhere and anywhere.