Marketing connects customers with products. Despite that simple explanation, marketing can feel pretty complicated. To the internet, you go. But soon, you’ll find another problem—there’s a whole lot of advice out there, and not all of it accurate.
The ability to filter signals from noise is now more important than access to information. You need to build your curriculum from the many places offering advice. We’ve noticed that people are quick to develop their reading list by channel—email, ads, content marketing, you name it when it comes to marketing. But it’s not the channel that consistently matters. It’s the stage your business is in. Why? Because the real value of information helps you figure out what you need to know at the right time.
That’s why we organized all of our must-read marketing articles by stage of business growth. From the first sale to full scale, here’s a collection of guides to help you at every step of your entrepreneurial journey.
Popular marketing articles for every stage of business growth
Marketing reads for the pre-product stage.
A core tenet of product/market fit is that a significant market can draw out a healthy product. In other words, profoundly understanding the real demand of the people you’re selling can help you create a great product. And, of course, even a best-in-class product can’t survive without a market. While you’re gearing up to launch, make sure to check out these marketing articles on how you can best prepare beforehand.
- What Should I Name My Online Store?
It all starts with a big idea. And then, a name! As brand strategist Marty Neumeier says, “The right name can be a brand’s most valuable asset.” While there’s no surefire way to pick the perfect name, there are some consistent elements of easy-to-understand and catchy brand names that every new business owner should consider. For additional ideas to get the gears turning, be sure to try our free business name generator.
- How to Create a Coming Soon Page and Start Marketing Before You Launch
Real product validation only happens when money changes hands. However, the next best thing you can do is build a waiting list of subscribers who have shown an intent to buy your product. Enter: the coming soon page. While you’re finishing your best-laid plans, a compelling coming soon page can let you get a head start on marketing, build a waiting list you can launch to, and help you get early feedback on your idea.
- How to Conduct a Competitive Analysis for Your Business (Plus a Free Template)
Every appealing business idea feels like a blue ocean of opportunity. But before you dive in, it’s best to know who already inhabits the waters. Competitive analysis helps you understand the current landscape, market shifts, and trends. It also becomes easier to spot areas where you can have a competitive advantage by filling in the spaces with known competitors. But, competitive analysis is much more than stalking other brands on Twitter.
- How to Validate Your Product Ideas
There’s nothing more discouraging than pouring sweat equity into a product you think people will love, only to hear the sound of crickets when you finally launch. The simple solution is to validate your product ideas before you fully commit to a business. How? Well, by ringing the cash register. But if you haven’t done that, we have a few other ideas to try.
- The Essential Shopify Store Launch Checklist
You’re finally launching your Shopify store after all your hard work. It’s exciting but can quickly become overwhelming. Deep breath. It’s time to create a checklist. Take a systematic approach to your launch, ease your mind, and stay organized with this handy Shopify store launch checklist.
- SEO Checklist: How to Get Your Store for Search Engines
Samantha Renée is a former Merchant Success Manager and current Course Producer at Shopify. She’s helped thousands of new business owners grow their business, and if there’s one consistent pattern she’s noticed, it’s that most founders struggle to understand search engine optimization (SEO). While SEO often can seem opaque, the reality is there are a few fundamental things you can do to your store today that will help you create website visibility in Google over the long term.
Marketing reads for landing your first sale.
Coffee’s for closers, and now it’s time to join their ranks. Once you’re ready to ring the cash register for the first time, it’s best to have a clear message for your product, a high-converting product page, and above all, a plan. Below, we’ll cover how to start acquiring your first customers consistently and profitably, so you can build your business for the long term.
- How to Get Your First Sale in 30 Days: A Marketing Checklist for New Entrepreneurs
At Shopify, we’ve found that, with the right product, a typical store can expect to get its first order after roughly 400 sessions from relevant sources of traffic. You may already be on the road to your first sale. To help you get there, we put together a simple checklist you can follow for 30 days to help you stay focused and accountable.
