# Marketing Brand

> Guide founders through organic marketing and brand building from early-stage to scale. Use when a founder says "help me create a content strategy", "write a PR pitch", "how do I improve our SEO", "build a community around our product", "create our brand guidelines", "what marketing channels should I focus on", "help me with our messaging", "content marketing plan", "how do I get press coverage", "brand voice guidelines", or asks about content strategy, SEO, PR, community building, or brand positioning.

- Skill: `samuelcastro/marketing-brand` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 6 files)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add samuelcastro/marketing-brand`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/samuelcastro/marketing-brand/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Marketing & Growth
- Author: samuelcastro (https://skillmd.com/u/samuelcastro)
- Updated: 2026-09-22
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/samuelcastro/marketing-brand

---


# 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?"

| Stage | Signals | Focus |
|-------|---------|-------|
| **Pre-launch** | Building product, no users | → Brand foundation, pre-launch content |
| **Early-stage** | < 1,000 users, founder-led | → Content + SEO basics, community seeds |
| **Growth** | Product-market fit, some traction | → Scale content, PR push, community growth |
| **Scaling** | Marketing hire/team, budget | → Full-funnel content, systematic PR, community programs |

**Resource Assessment:**

| Resource Level | Typical Situation | Recommended Focus |
|----------------|-------------------|-------------------|
| **$0 budget, founder only** | Pre-seed, bootstrapped | 1 channel max, repurpose everything |
| **< $5K/month, founder + contractor** | Seed stage | 2 channels, basic tools |
| **$5K-$20K/month, 1 marketing hire** | Series A | 3 channels, automation, PR agency optional |
| **$20K+/month, marketing team** | Series B+ | Full-funnel, multiple channels, agency support |

### Step 2: Brand Foundation

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

**Brand Positioning (Complete First):**

| Element | Question to Answer | Example (Notion) |
|---------|-------------------|------------------|
| **Category** | What market are you in? | "All-in-one workspace" |
| **Target** | Who is this for? | "Teams who want to consolidate tools" |
| **Differentiator** | Why you vs. alternatives? | "Flexible blocks that adapt to any workflow" |
| **Benefit** | What outcome do users get? | "One tool replaces 5, less context-switching" |

**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:

| Dimension | ← One End | Other End → |
|-----------|-----------|-------------|
| **Tone** | Formal | Casual |
| **Attitude** | Serious | Playful |
| **Language** | Technical | Simple |
| **Emotion** | Reserved | Enthusiastic |

**Brand Voice Examples by Company Type:**

| Company Type | Voice Characteristics | Examples |
|--------------|----------------------|----------|
| **Dev tools** | Technical, direct, no fluff | Stripe, Vercel, Linear |
| **Consumer** | Friendly, emotional, relatable | Airbnb, Duolingo, Spotify |
| **B2B SaaS** | Professional, helpful, clear | Salesforce, HubSpot, Slack |
| **Fintech** | Trustworthy, simple, reassuring | Wise, Ramp, Mercury |

### 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:

| Pillar Type | Description | Example (Figma) |
|-------------|-------------|-----------------|
| **Product-adjacent** | Topics your product helps with | "Design systems" |
| **Industry trends** | What's changing in your space | "Future of design collaboration" |
| **Customer success** | How customers win | "Design team workflows" |
| **Thought leadership** | Your unique POV | "Why design is a team sport" |

**Content Format Selection by Stage:**

| Stage | Primary Formats | Why |
|-------|-----------------|-----|
| **Early (0-1K users)** | Long-form blog, Twitter/LinkedIn threads | SEO foundation, founder voice |
| **Growth (1K-10K)** | + Newsletter, templates/tools | Capture emails, provide value |
| **Scale (10K+)** | + Podcast, video, webinars | Brand building, multi-channel |

**Content Distribution (80/20 Rule):**

Spend 20% creating, 80% distributing:

| Channel | Best For | Effort |
|---------|----------|--------|
| **Owned (blog, newsletter)** | SEO, owned audience | Medium |
| **Social (Twitter, LinkedIn)** | Reach, engagement | Low per post |
| **Communities (Reddit, Slack, Discord)** | Trust, niche reach | High (relationship-based) |
| **Syndication (Medium, Dev.to, HN)** | Extended reach | Low |

**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:**

| Stage | SEO Focus | Time Investment |
|-------|-----------|-----------------|
| **Pre-launch** | Keyword research, site structure | 5% of marketing time |
| **Early** | 1-2 pillar pages, blog foundation | 20% of marketing time |
| **Growth** | Content clusters, link building | 30% of marketing time |
| **Scale** | Technical SEO, programmatic | 25% of marketing time |

**Keyword Research Framework:**

| Keyword Type | Intent | Funnel Stage | Example (Project Management Tool) |
|--------------|--------|--------------|-----------------------------------|
| **Problem-aware** | Informational | Top | "how to manage remote team" |
| **Solution-aware** | Comparison | Middle | "best project management software" |
| **Product-aware** | Transactional | Bottom | "asana vs monday" |
| **Brand** | Navigational | Bottom | "[your brand] pricing" |

**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:**

| Metric | 6-Month Target | 12-Month Target |
|--------|----------------|-----------------|
| **Organic traffic** | 1,000-5,000/month | 10,000-50,000/month |
| **Ranking keywords** | 100-500 | 500-2,000 |
| **Domain authority** | 20-30 | 30-45 |
| **Backlinks** | 50-200 | 200-1,000 |

### Step 5: PR & Media Relations

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

**When to Pursue PR:**

| ✅ Good Time for PR | ❌ Bad Time for PR |
|---------------------|-------------------|
| Funding announcement | No news hook |
| Major product launch | Early MVP stage |
| Significant milestone (users, revenue) | "We exist" story |
| Unique data/research | Copycat product |
| Counter-narrative story | No media relationships |

**PR Tier Strategy:**

| Tier | Publications | Approach | Timeline |
|------|--------------|----------|----------|
| **Tier 1** | TechCrunch, WSJ, NYT | Exclusive offer, strong hook | 2-4 weeks lead |
| **Tier 2** | Industry pubs, Forbes contributors | Targeted pitch | 1-2 weeks lead |
| **Tier 3** | Blogs, newsletters, podcasts | Direct outreach, easier access | 1 week lead |

**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:**

| Platform | Best For | Effort Level | Control |
|----------|----------|--------------|---------|
| **Slack/Discord** | Real-time, engaged users | High | High |
| **Circle/Geneva** | Structured community, courses | Medium | High |
| **Reddit** | Organic discovery, niche topics | Medium | Low |
| **Twitter/X** | Public conversation, reach | Low | Low |
| **LinkedIn Groups** | B2B professional audiences | Low | Medium |

**Community Strategy by Stage:**

| Stage | Focus | Tactics |
|-------|-------|---------|
| **Seed (0-100 members)** | Quality over quantity | Personal invites, hand-pick members |
| **Build (100-1,000)** | Establish norms, rituals | Welcome flow, weekly threads, AMAs |
| **Grow (1,000-10,000)** | Delegate, scale programs | Moderators, champions, events |
| **Scale (10,000+)** | Systematize, segment | Tiers, sub-communities, ambassadors |

**Community Engagement Tactics:**

| Tactic | Frequency | Purpose |
|--------|-----------|---------|
| **Welcome messages** | Every new member | Activation |
| **Discussion prompts** | 2-3x per week | Engagement |
| **AMAs / Office hours** | Weekly/biweekly | Value, access |
| **Member spotlights** | Weekly | Recognition |
| **Exclusive content** | Monthly | Retention |
| **Events (virtual/IRL)** | Monthly/quarterly | Connection |

**Community Health Metrics:**

| Metric | Healthy Range | Warning Sign |
|--------|---------------|--------------|
| **DAU/MAU** | > 20% | < 10% |
| **Posts per day** | Growing MoM | Declining |
| **Response time** | < 24 hours | > 48 hours |
| **Member-generated content** | > 50% of posts | < 20% |
| **Churn (monthly)** | < 5% | > 10% |

### Step 7: Channel Prioritization

**Channel Selection by Business Type:**

| Business Type | Primary Channels | Secondary Channels |
|---------------|------------------|-------------------|
| **B2B SaaS** | LinkedIn, SEO/blog, community | Twitter, newsletter, PR |
| **Dev Tools** | Twitter, GitHub, technical blog | Reddit, HN, Discord |
| **Consumer** | TikTok/Instagram, SEO, PR | Twitter, community, influencers |
| **Marketplace** | SEO, supply-side community | PR, local marketing |
| **Fintech** | SEO, trust content, PR | LinkedIn, partnerships |

**Channel Evaluation Framework:**

Score each channel 1-5:

| Factor | Question |
|--------|----------|
| **Audience fit** | Is your target customer here? |
| **Content fit** | Does your content work on this channel? |
| **Competition** | How saturated is it? |
| **Founder fit** | Do you enjoy/excel at this channel? |
| **Resource fit** | Can you sustain it with current resources? |

**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:**

| Your Situation | First Hire |
|----------------|------------|
| Content is working, need more | Content marketer / writer |
| Need brand + positioning | Brand marketer (senior) |
| SEO is primary channel | SEO specialist |
| Community is core to product | Community manager |
| Multiple channels, need orchestration | Marketing generalist |

### 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](https://linas.substack.com/p/onepersonunicorn) **The One-Person Unicorn** founder skill set.*