The Ultimate Marketing Checklist for Startup Founders

Starting an app or online service? We know you’ve got a lot on your plate as you navigate the exciting (and overwhelming) journey of building a business. That’s why we’re keeping it simple for you when it comes to marketing.

This isn’t just about the launch—it’s about setting up the foundation for everything you’ll do over the next decade. Nail these essential marketing steps now to save yourself headaches and missed opportunities later.

Here’s a friendly, no-fluff checklist with actual tools to help you lay the groundwork for your brand’s success:

1. Find a Name, Secure the Domain

Your brand name is your first impression. Make sure it works for you:

• Unique and Memorable: Avoid overly generic or hard-to-pronounce names.
• Domain Availability: Check if the .com is available (or a relevant alternative like .io or .app). Use tools like: Namecheap, GoDaddy, or Google Domains.
• Email Address: Once you’ve secured your domain, create a professional email (e.g., hello@yourbrand.com).
• Trademark Search: Make sure no one else owns the name in your industry.
• Language Compatibility: Ensure the name works across different languages and cultures.

2. Design Your Brand Identity

Establish your brand’s personality and visual identity early on:

• Logo: Invest in a professional, versatile design. Use platforms like 99designs to explore logo options, or hire a marketing expert or a freelance designer from Upwork, Behance, or other sources.
• Brand Guide: Create a document outlining: Logo usage, Color palette, Typography, Brand tone of voice (friendly, professional, approachable?) and other messaging guidelines.
• Slogan or Tagline: Develop a short, impactful phrase that summarizes your brand’s purpose.
• Mission & Vision: Define your brand’s mission (why your business exists) and vision (what you aspire to achieve in the long run). These should guide your branding and decision-making.

3. Lock Down Your Digital Presence

Ensure consistency across all platforms:

• Social Media Handle Availability: Check and secure your brand’s username on key platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, LinkedIn, X (formerly Twitter) and YouTube.
• Create Accounts: Even if you think your audience only exists on 2 or 3 platforms, it's recommended to establish a presence on all of them in the early stages. This allows you to test the waters and, based on data and engagement rates, identify where your audience truly exists. It’s never just what you think—it’s always what the data tells you.
• Build your Website: You can hire a small tech team, or you can leverage no-code web development platforms with ready-to-use templates, that most marketers know how to use, such as: Webflow or Framer. The decision can be made based on your needs and budget. Ensure your site is mobile-optimized and looks great on phones and tablets!
• SEO Basics: Use Google Keyword Planner to research keywords with high search volume and low competition, then use them to optimize your website. Incorporate the segmented keywords into your site content, blogs, and landing pages. This keywords research should also help you understand your audience intent by identifying what they are actively searching for with your service/industry.

4. Set Up Advertising Platforms

Prepare your advertising infrastructure early on:

• Google Ads
• Facebook Ads Manager (for Facebook and Instagram ads)
• TikTok Ads Manager
• LinkedIn Ads
• Analytics Tools: Set up tracking early with tools like: Google Analytics GA4, Hyros (to integrate all your channels in one dashboard), and Hotjar by Contentsquare (for heatmaps and website user behavior).

Notes: It’s recommended to set up all advertising platforms and test each with small budgets. This allows you to identify where your campaigns generate the highest ROAS (Return on Ad Spend) and the channels with the lowest CAC (Customer Acquisition Cost). Then you can make data-informed decisions and double down with what you know has worked best for you, and not waste your Ad spend.

5. Set Up Project Management and Communication Tools

Having the right tools is crucial for keeping your team organized and productive. Choose tools based on your company’s structure—whether remote, hybrid, or in-office:

Project Management Tools

• Asana: Ideal for tracking milestones, assigning tasks, and managing deadlines. Great for growing or collaborative teams.
• Trello: Perfect for visual task management using boards and cards. Excellent for smaller teams or simpler workflows.
• monday.com: A flexible option for project planning with customizable workflows.
• Team Communication Tools:
• Slack: Great communication tool for fully-remote teams, it integrates seamlessly with other tools (e.g., Google Drive, Asana).
• Microsoft Teams: May be better suited for in-office environments or companies already using Microsoft Office Suite. Includes video calls, chat, and file sharing.
• Or any other tool you like! :)

6. Understand Your Audience & Create Personas

Before creating content, define your audience:

Buyer Personas: Create detailed personas representing your ideal customers. Look into that keywords research you did, segment it based on the different use intent, and also analyze things like:

• Demographics: Age, location, income, and job title.
• Pain Points: Challenges they face.
• Goals: What they want to achieve.
• Behavior: Platforms they use, content they prefer, and buying patterns.

Then create your personas, give each persona a name and a short profile (e.g., “Creative Casey, a 27-year-old designer looking for quick, impactful design tools”). Refine these over time, use analytics and feedback to update your personas as your business evolves.

7. Plan for Content Creation

Engaging content builds trust and drives traffic early on, you need to be strong organically for any Ads to work in the future.

• Create Simple Content: Keep your message clear and concise. Ensure 70% of your content includes a clear call-to-action (CTA) and focuses on the user’s benefit, not your brand. Think, “Sell a goodnight’s sleep, not the mattress.” Start creating simple yet effective content using tools like Canva for design, or hire a professional designer if needed. For AI-generated videos, consider using Synthesia.
• Content Calendar: Schedule your posts in tools like Buffer, Sprout Social (shows detailed engagement insights), or Agorapulse (more affordable) for automated posting on multiple channels.

8. Test and Measure Everything

Install tracking tools like Google Analytics GA4 and Facebook Pixel to monitor traffic, conversions, and user behavior. Use CRM tools like HubSpot to integrate data from all channels into one place and analyze performance effectively.

• Identify which channels have the highest engagement.
• Determine which channels bring in the most qualified leads.
• See which creatives resonate most with your audience (highest CTR) and create more of that.
• Find the channel with the lowest CAC (Customer Acquisition Cost) and allocate more budget to it.
• Double down on campaigns with the highest ROAS (Return on Ad Spend).
• Experiment with different headlines, visuals, and CTAs to see what performs best.

9. Think Long-Term

Prepare for growth and scalability:

• Email List: Start building your list early using tools like ActiveCampaign or Klaviyo (best for e-commerce websites) for automated campaigns.
• Partnerships: Collaborate with influencers or complementary brands. Request their media kit, cross check what your CAC from other channels is, then see if it's worth it.
• Surveys and Feedback: Use tools like Typeform or SurveyMonkey to gather insights over time.

In Conclusion

This checklist might seem daunting, but every step is crucial to building a brand that’s designed to thrive. Your name, your digital presence, and your brand identity will shape how customers see you—not just now, but for years to come.

Take your time, invest wisely, and build a brand you can be proud of. Your future self will thank you.

Have any questions about setting up your marketing foundation? Drop a comment or message me—I’d love to help fellow founders get started on the right foot!

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