Are you thinking of creating a new logo for your company? There’s more to consider than you may initially think.

When most of us see famous company logos, we imagine that the images, designs, fonts, and concepts used in those logos simply must have appeared out of nowhere one day, in a single graphic designer’s fiercest burst of inspiration. But while a hallmark of many great logos is their incredibly simplistic and timeless look (think of Coca-Cola’s classic logo or Google’s instantly recognizable design), most of those images are the result of a long and labored graphic design process, wherein an artist (or a team of artists!) has used every one of his or her graphic design skills to create an iconic visual.

So where does the graphic design process start? In most cases, it starts in the same way that every other marketing concept does: with research. The graphic designer must learn whom the intended audience is, what the intended message or impression of the visual is, and other specific wants and needs stipulated by the client.

In other words, when commissioning a new logo or some other kind of graphic design, you should remember that you can influence the direction of the image long before your artist even picks up a pencil to sketch a first draft. The more information you provide to your designer, the better chance you will have of getting the logo you want without dozens of revisions and reworkings.

Your input on the creative process can range from the obvious like branding information (the message you want your logo to send or who it is geared toward), to more abstract facets that you may or may not have a strong opinion on (such as color, shape, and font). You are even able to provide parts of a design concept of your own, either by sending your artist several logos or designs that you like or sketching up a rudimentary idea of what to aim for.

Need some inspiration to help you and your graphic designer through the logo graphic design process? If you have no idea where to start, Googling famous corporate logos can provide you with an idea of what you do or do not like. Alternatively, you could read this great Hubspot blog about the principles of great logo design. Keep in mind that this is the image you will be attaching to all of your marketing—definitely don’t shrug this task off and accept sub-par work! Your logo is an extension of your business, and an incredible important one at that.