Are you just getting your business started? Whether you’re breaking ground or just thinking up a name, every startup needs some help. Business loans, licenses and other legalities will take up most of your time during the early stages of starting up; you probably don’t feel like you have the time or money to worry about graphic design just yet. This is a dangerous way of thinking for a startup, however, thanks to the importance of corporate identity in establishing a business.
The most important thing you can have to help solidify the corporate identity of a startup is a logo. Logos define your corporate colors, entice your target demographic and tell your prospective customers what kind of company you’re starting up—without one, your business is a faceless stranger on a busy street. With a professional logo, whether you opt for the services of a freelancing friend, take advantage of an economic Designhill custom logo design or find a local design agency to do the work for you, the benefits simply can’t be ignored.
Achieve a Distinct Company Image from the Outset
Regardless of your industry, you want to come in with a bang. One of the best ways to do this is to be stable and cohesive in your company image from the start, instead of growing into even the most basic practices and designs as you go. While there will always be growth and evolution within your company as you segue from a startup to a tried and true brand or service, the more put together you can be when you open your doors, the more coherent your corporate image will be, and that helps your new customers to see you as being stable, reliable and organized.
Having a logo from the outset will also help you to keep your company’s image in mind as you make tough decisions about your startup, from picking a web domain to picking a brick and mortar location. Being able to clearly visualize what your company name would look like up in lights can add a spring to anyone’s step—in fact, MIT Sloan reports a positive correlation between good logo design and company performance. That’s right, having a good logo can actually help you do better work. What startup doesn’t need to be able to do their best?
Establish a Professional Image Before Breaking Ground
According to Smashing Magazine, a business is at its most professional when the corporate image is approached with care, understanding and respect. This means that your logo should be the best it can be, designed by a professional to put forth an image of professionalism.
For a startup, this has an added benefit of establishing that image before you’re even open. Everyone has seen those startups that take a year to get a site launched and another eight months after that to properly establish their brand identity and corporate image, which then leaves the entire company scrambling to afford a rebranding effort while still in its infancy. By starting off on the right foot, your company can avoid this pitfall altogether, and start building customer interest and loyalty as soon as the logo goes live on your website’s homepage (even if it is still under construction).
Appeal to the Right People From the Beginning
SitePoint’s report on a logo’s effect on reaching a target audience has this right: your business needs something that people will find both appealing and memorable. If you want anyone to do business with you, your company needs an identity that is copacetic with your vision and your products or services. Professionally designed logos or custom buttons should manage just that, using imagery and colors that catch the attention of the right people and impact them in the right way.
Figuring out the kind of imagery, color and other elements that will appeal to your audience is the hard part, so this is where professional design comes in. Any designer or design agency will know how to handle the information you give them about your company vision, target demographic and overall image and turn it into something visually appealing. This is one case where a picture isn’t just worth a thousand words, it’s worth thousands of future customers.
Be a Consummate Professional
When it all comes down to it, a custom and professional logo is a must-have for any startup as a matter of image. Any startup that gets started with an identity already achieved, even if that identity of only achieved through a logo, has an air of professionalism that competitors lack. Having a custom design from the outset gives you something to put on business cards, signs, invoices, labels and more, marking these things as being distinctly property and product of your company; not many startups can make such a solid, silent claim to their products or services from the very beginning. Improve brand recognition before you even open your doors, and prove to competitors and colleagues alike that you’re a professional in your field.
