Marketing & Brand

Guide founders through organic marketing and brand building—from founder-led marketing with zero budget to scaling with a dedicated team.

Reference Files

• references/brand-voice.md — Brand positioning, voice framework, messaging architecture
• references/content-strategy.md — Content pillars, formats, calendar, distribution playbook
• references/seo-playbook.md — Keyword research, on-page SEO, content-led SEO strategy
• references/pr-outreach.md — Press pitches, journalist outreach, media relations
• references/community-playbook.md — Platform selection, engagement tactics, scaling community

Workflow

Step 1: Diagnose Stage & Resources

Ask: "Where are you in your marketing journey?"

Resource Assessment:

Step 2: Brand Foundation

Build brand foundation before scaling any channel. Use references/brand-voice.md for detailed frameworks.

Brand Positioning (Complete First):

Positioning Statement Formula:

For [target customer] who [need/pain], [Product] is a [category] that [key benefit]. Unlike [alternatives], we [differentiator].

Brand Voice Dimensions:

Define where you sit on each spectrum:

Brand Voice Examples by Company Type:

Step 3: Content Strategy

Use references/content-strategy.md for detailed playbook.

Content Pillar Model:

Choose 3-5 pillars that connect your expertise to customer problems:

Content Format Selection by Stage:

Content Distribution (80/20 Rule):

Spend 20% creating, 80% distributing:

Content Repurposing Workflow:

1 piece of pillar content → 10+ distribution pieces:

Long-form blog post
├── Twitter thread (key takeaways)
├── LinkedIn post (professional angle)
├── Newsletter section
├── Reddit comment (when relevant)
├── Quora answer
├── Slide deck (SlideShare)
├── Short video (key point)
├── Infographic (data/stats)
├── Podcast talking points
└── Community discussion starter

Step 4: SEO Foundation

Use references/seo-playbook.md for detailed process.

SEO Priority by Stage:

Keyword Research Framework:

Quick SEO Wins (First 90 Days):

1. Homepage optimization — Clear H1, meta description, target keyword
2. Create 3-5 pillar pages — Comprehensive guides for main keywords
3. Blog cadence — 2-4 SEO-optimized posts per month
4. Technical basics — Fast load time, mobile-friendly, sitemap submitted
5. Internal linking — Connect all content to pillar pages

Content-Led SEO Benchmarks:

Step 5: PR & Media Relations

Use references/pr-outreach.md for templates and process.

When to Pursue PR:

PR Tier Strategy:

Press Pitch Structure:

Subject: [Specific hook] — [Company] [achievement/news]

Paragraph 1: The news (who, what, when, why it matters)
Paragraph 2: Context (why now, market trend, problem being solved)
Paragraph 3: Proof points (traction, customers, investors)
Paragraph 4: Offer (exclusive, interview, assets available)

One line: Founder bio + contact

Pitch Timing Best Practices:

• Tuesday-Thursday, 7-9 AM journalist's timezone
• Avoid Mondays (backlog) and Fridays (weekend mode)
• Embargo dates: Offer 1-2 week exclusive for major news
• Follow up once after 3-5 days, then move on

Step 6: Community Building

Use references/community-playbook.md for detailed playbook.

Community Platform Selection:

Community Strategy by Stage:

Community Engagement Tactics:

Community Health Metrics:

Step 7: Channel Prioritization

Channel Selection by Business Type:

Channel Evaluation Framework:

Score each channel 1-5:

Focus Rule: Master 1-2 channels before adding more. Mediocre presence on 5 channels < excellent presence on 2.

Decision Checkpoints

When to Hire Marketing

Ready to hire when:

• Founder has done marketing for 6+ months
• At least one channel is working (can articulate what "good" looks like)
• Have content/brand foundation documented
• Can afford 12+ months of salary
• Clear on what you need (content, growth, brand)

First marketing hire by type:

When to Engage PR Agency

Consider agency when:

• Have newsworthy milestones (funding, major launch)
• Budget of $10K+/month for PR
• Need media relationships you don't have
• Want ongoing press strategy vs. one-off

DIY PR when:

• Early stage with limited news
• Budget-constrained
• Have founder with media relationships
• Targeting niche/trade publications

Deliverables

1. Brand Voice Guidelines

• Positioning statement
• Voice attributes with examples
• Do's and don'ts
• Sample copy for common use cases
• Use docx skill for creation

2. Content Strategy Document

• Content pillars defined
• Editorial calendar (90 days)
• Distribution checklist
• Repurposing workflow
• Use docx skill for creation

3. SEO Audit & Plan

• Current state assessment
• Keyword opportunities
• Content gap analysis
• 90-day action plan
• Use xlsx skill for audit tracker

4. PR Pitch Templates

• Funding announcement template
• Product launch template
• Milestone/traction template
• Journalist outreach sequence
• Use docx skill for creation

5. Community Playbook

• Platform recommendation
• Launch plan
• Engagement calendar
• Moderation guidelines
• Use docx skill for creation

6. Content Calendar Template

• Monthly/quarterly view
• Content pillars mapped
• Distribution tracking
• Performance metrics
• Use xlsx skill for creation

Common Marketing Mistakes

Brand Mistakes:

1. No positioning — Being everything to everyone = nothing to no one
2. Inconsistent voice — Different tone across channels confuses audience
3. Copying competitors — Blending in vs. standing out
4. Changing too often — Brand building takes time

Content Mistakes:

1. No distribution plan — Great content no one sees
2. Too many channels — Spreading thin vs. going deep
3. Vanity metrics — Pageviews without conversion
4. No SEO foundation — Content that doesn't compound

PR Mistakes:

1. No news hook — "We exist" isn't a story
2. Mass blasting — Same pitch to 200 journalists
3. Bad timing — Pitching during major news cycles
4. No relationship building — Only reaching out when you need coverage

Community Mistakes:

1. Building too early — Community before product-market fit
2. Wrong platform — Discord for enterprise B2B
3. No engagement — Ghost town after launch
4. Over-moderating — Killing organic conversation

Integration with Other Skills

• Use idea-validation skill first if positioning not validated
• Use business-model skill for pricing/value prop alignment
• Use go-to-market skill for launch marketing
• Use product skill for product marketing alignment
• Use sales skill for sales enablement content
• Use growth-analytics skill for marketing metrics
• Use docx skill for all marketing documents
• Use xlsx skill for calendars and tracking

Adapted from Linas Beliūnas's The One-Person Unicorn founder skill set.