One of the most common mistakes startups make is launching with a half-finished brand identity — a logo designed in a hurry, inconsistent colours across platforms, and no clear visual language. The result is a business that looks less credible than it is. Here's the checklist that prevents that.
Logo: primary and secondary versions. You need a primary logo (the full version with your business name), a secondary version (a simplified or icon-only version for small applications like favicons and social media profile pictures), and both versions in light and dark variants. All in SVG format for web use.
Colour palette: defined and documented. Choose two or three core brand colours and document their exact values: hex codes for web, RGB for screen, CMYK for print. Having these written down means every designer, printer, and platform you work with uses exactly the right colours.
Typography: primary and secondary fonts. Choose a primary font for headings and a secondary font for body text. Document the font names, weights, and sizes you use for different contexts. If you're using Google Fonts, note the specific variants.
Brand guidelines: even a single page. A one-page document specifying your logo usage rules, colour palette, typography, and tone of voice is enough for a startup. It means anyone producing materials for your business — a social media manager, a printer, a web developer — can do so consistently.
Social media profile assets. Profile picture (your logo, square format), cover images for LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter/X, and a consistent bio that uses your brand voice. These should all be created before you launch, not assembled ad hoc.
Email signature. A professional email signature with your logo, name, title, phone number, and website URL. Consistent across your whole team if you have one.
Business card or digital equivalent. Even in a digital-first world, a well-designed business card (or a digital card via a service like HiHello) is a credibility signal in face-to-face situations.
