A busy professional has this question regarding branding and marketing:

Do I have to have a logo and brand before I start selling my product?

I have a limited budget and am eager to start selling my products to get some revenue. Should I allocate my budget towards advertising/sales right away or do I need a logo first? I’ve read that a logo and brand is really important, but I’m not sure if it’s important enough to put it before sales.

No, you do not need a brand/logo designed prior to selling products.  In fact, there are many cases of businesses starting up without logos. It takes time to actually figure out what your brand and message will ultimately be.  While you are figuring out your brand, start selling your product; continue to research which message works best; and figure out  what your brand will actually stand for.

The simple truth is that branding in the start-up stage can be counter-productive. It’s at this stage that you’re learning the ropes, making mistakes and as much as you might strive to do the opposite, making customers unhappy. In cases like this, it’s best that your brand is not strong so that you can ride through it and develop your processes, before developing your brand and locking your logo into people’s psyche.

Once you’ve got a good handle on your business, find someone whose experience and sensibility match your vision to help you.  Hiring an expert in branding will save you much rework and issues in the future.

A strong identity is an important factor in establishing brand recognition and lending credibility. A well-designed identity also helps in attracting the prospective audience you wish to engage.  Investing in brand experts is a good step.  But until you figure out who you are, what you do, who you do it for and why, you are simply wasting your resources.
Hopefully this helps