I have a 5-step marketing guide for clients. Everyone does things differently, making navigation half the challenge. Sometimes, one or both parties aren’t sure which route to take.
That’s why over time I drew my own map. It has a grounded, five-section path that guides you from the start of this journey. It applies to single pieces of content and ongoing relationships. After all, your marketing journey builds on more than just individual projects. It’s the forest as much as the trees.
This method keeps work and interactions clear, efficient, and convenient for collaboration. The process also leaves room for fleshing out strategic and creative choices.
Whether you’re starting from bare ground or exploring new directions, we’ll trek together, one checkpoint at a time. Because if your marketing needs to guide and create paths for the audience, you may as well have a map.
The 5-Step Marketing Guide
1) Orientation (Discovery Phase): Survey the terrain, plan the route.
Our initial contact will come through email, LinkedIn, or the contact form. I’ll research your current positioning and marketing to get an idea of your situation. I may do this before I first contact you or after you reach out to me.
We move on to the discovery call. This step helps me learn more about your business, marketing challenges, and goals. We’ll also decide if we’re a good fit.
If we move forward, I’ll send a proposal within two business days. We may add a follow-up call to clarify or negotiate terms before signing a contract.
2) Packing (Onboarding Phase): Choose the gear, prepare for conditions.
Once we sign the contract, I’ll send the first invoice. Usually, this is 50% of the total fee. You’ll receive a welcome email that’ll be your personalized guide through the project.
If you have a creative brief, you’ll send it to me so I can get all the specifics needed to get started. If you don’t have a brief, I’ll have one partially filled from the discovery phase. We can fill in any remaining details now.
3) Trail Work (Project Phase): Start walking, watch your feet but also the surroundings.
Every creative project has three stages: research, drafting, and refinement. I’ll start by gathering resources. These references may be online research, mood boarding, interviews, or competitor analysis.
I’ll choose a creative direction from our conversations, the brief, and the research. Then, develop a draft. And finally, refine the project to a complete deliverable.
Depending on our agreement, I may contact you during the project phase to keep us on the same page. Possible timings include at the end of the research and draft creation or once a week.
4) Waypoint Review (Completion Phase): Check the map, make adjustments.
I’ll present the final deliverable and summarize the rationale behind its production. This conversation is your opportunity to sleep on it and give feedback. I can make reasonable edits, but significant alterations may need a separate contract.
After you agree with the result, I’ll send the second invoice, usually the other 50% of the fee. After payment, I’ll submit a farewell email package and the final deliverable file. I may also include any information on how to use it.
5) Looking Ahead (Follow-Up Phase): Reflect, but eye the next challenge.
I’ll check in once you have time to use the project and let it take effect. Marketing is never limited to one content piece. I’ll learn about your unique situation with follow-ups and more projects. The more familiar I am, the better your overall marketing will be.
So, You See …
This system works for all projects, even though the substance within each phase will vary. After all, emails aren’t the same as white papers, and the scope between two brochures can differ. But it all fits the same macro-process—within projects and between parties. can differ. But it all fits the same macro-process—within projects and between parties.