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Lessons learned from building a marketing org for a startup that’s since raised over $100M.
1/ Content is king, but if nobody reads it you’re in trouble. Hire a kick-ass content marketer who understands seo early.
2/ Data is key. Dig in and start building some semblance of marketing operations. Even if it’s just you. Being able to at least track a basic demand waterfall is important.
3/ A good designer is your best friend. Find one. Sit next to them. Start to make vision a reality.
4/ Sales is also your best friend. Probably your bestest friend. Sit next to them too. Maybe do that first.
5/ Figure out your brand story. Refine it. Tell it to everyone who will listen. This will go a long way.
6/ Product marketing is important. Don’t sleep on it. Start building this part of the org. Even if it’s just you, again.
7/ Personas. Are they important? Yes. Are they critical? I’d argue no. Don’t take too long trying to figure everything out about who you’re selling to. You’ll learn a lot more about them by talking to them rather than researching them.
8/ Events are your friends, especially in the early days. Spend money sponsoring the events where your target audience go. Spend a little more if they’ll give you stage time. It’s worth it.
9/ Start a podcast. It doesn’t really matter if anyone listens. Reach out to your top prospects and see if they’ll be a guest. It’s a non-salesy way to open the door and if you have great guests people will eventually listen too.
10/ If you’re a b2b SaaS product, pony up and pay for access to industry analysts. It will eventually be well worth it.
11/ Start by capturing existing demand. Focus on search. Those leads should be pretty relevant 
12/ Don’t be afraid to fight the CEO on the importance of having a brand budget. Done well, brand will generate demand.
13/ Fight short-term tunnel vision. Yes, it’s important to get results quick, but to be truly successful you will need to operate on two time horizons. Patience is a virtue. Balance is a skill.
14/ Finally, remember that good ideas can come from anywhere. Solicit feedback from random people across departments.
