Thinking of Starting Your Own Business? One Crucial Decision You'll Face is When to Create Your Logo. Let's Explore Why Timing Matters.

The short answer is: with a doubt, before your business is presented to the public. The long answer depends on your business and the industry you're entering.

Full-Steam Ahead Only Sends You Backwards

I have this great idea and I already registered my LLC. I'll make a logo later - I just want to get my business out into the world and start taking on work!

While it's understandable to be excited about a new chapter in life, it's important to start the chapter the right way. A logo is foundation of your new business's identity, and that is not something to be taken lightly.

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Think about it like this. You introduce your new cleaning and housekeeping business to the world using a logo you found on Google Images. You did not consider if this logo was copyrighted (it probably is), if it is already being used by another business (it probably is), or if it even fits your business well (it probably doesn't) - not to mention if what you did was even ethical (it probably wasn't).

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The first few months of your new business's life is going well. You have taken on a few clients and are beginning to build a bit of a reputation for your business's attention to detail. You spent a few hundred dollars getting business cards, staff t-shirts, and even a nice big decal for your car made. Everything's looking up! That is, until one day you receive a cease-and-desist in the mail.

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It turns out that logo you pulled off of Google was copyrighted! Now the owner wants you to take down every instance of that logo - that includes your Facebook profile picture, your TikTok, your business cards, and even that nice, expensive car decal.

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Now you're back at square one minus a couple of hundreds of dollars. Plus, you delivered a significant blow your brand's growing reputation. Picture this - one of your customer's is recommending your cleaning services to a friend. The friend pulls up your Facebook page, the friend asks your customer "is this the company?". "No" replies your customer, "I don't remember their logo looking like that."

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If Not Now, Then When?

A logo shouldn't be created until some key criteria has been met and some important has been gathered. Ask if yourself the following questions, and if you can answer them, you are probably ready to have a logo made.

• Does my business has a registered name that I do not plan on changing?
• Do I have clear idea of the product or services that my business can realistically offer?
• Will I be operating in the digital world, physical world, or both?
• Do I understand who my target audience is and can I explain who they are?

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What Is The Process of Having a Logo Made?

We recommend hiring a professional to help you through the logo creation process. There are professionals all over the place with varying degrees of experience, abilities, and pay rates, so we recommend contact a couple of designers locally as well as virtually to find the right fit for you. And of course, we at Cañon Creative Company would be happy to help.

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The general logo design timeline and process looks something like this:

1. Introductory Meeting & Expectation Setting: This is where you and the designer will learn about each other. Your designer will be interested in learning the information we outlined above. The designer may ask you to provide some images that you like or inspire you - Pinterest is a great resource for this. This is also a great time to set your expectations and agree upon pay rates, revisions, and a timeline.
2. Ideas & Sketches:  The designer will then set off to work on some preliminary ideas. It is important to understand that this the framework of your final design and not a polished representation.
3. Choosing a Direction: At this point, you and the designer will be able to pursue some options from the presented sketches that you like.
4. Logo Realization: The designer will come back to you with more polished versions of the chosen sketches, taking any feedback into consideration. At this point, it would be best to select one concept to push towards a final logo.
5. Final Logo & Revisions: Your designer will come back with a 'final logo' - something they believe will meet your business's needs.You may be entitled to a revision or two, depending on what you and your designer have agreed upon.
6. You're Done!: You are now the proud owner of a new logo.

In addition to your logo, you may need your designer to develop an identity. An identity is the visual representation of a brand - think things like color scheme, fonts, and commonly used graphics or assets. Make sure you talk with your designer and identify items you may need outside of a logo.

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Ready to Take the Next Step?

We at Cañon Creative Company would like to offer you a sincere congratulations as you set out on the path of entrepreneurship. We hope you found this article informative and you feel prepared to take the next step in your journey. As a team of professional designers, we would be happy to help you create the logo your business needs,. Whether you're local, here in Colorado Springs, or virtual, we're here to help.

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- Cañon Creative Company, a full-service design studio serving Colorado's Front Range and beyond.

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