So You Bought a Business: New Business Marketing Essentials Checklist

So you bought a business. Congratulations! Whether you’ve acquired a small startup or a thriving enterprise, embarking on this journey is a significant milestone.

As you step into the shoes of the previous business owner, there’s a wealth of knowledge and information awaiting you – it can be hard to wrap your head around, and marketing might be the LAST thing on your mind.

However, it’s crucial to gain access to the right platforms, channels, and assets to make sure you are set up for success once the keys have been handed over. Far too often we see a new business owner without access to their own Facebook page, missing credentials for things like Yelp and Google My Business.

That’s why we’ve created this New Business Marketing Essentials Checklist, with everything you should ask the previous business owner for to ensure a successful transition:

New Business Marketing Essentials Checklist

Logo & Brand Standards (be sure to get the logo as a VECTOR file!)

ALL Brand-Owned Videos & Images (preferably in a folder like Google Drive)

Website Admin Access

Website Hosting Provider Logins (make sure to have this account transferred to you so you are the account owner)

Website Domain Registrar Logins (make sure to have this domain transferred to you so you are the owner)

Google Analytics Access (ask them to add you as an Owner/Admin, using any email you have that is tied to a Google Account - if you do not have one, you will want to make one even if it’s a free Gmail account)

Google Tag Manager

Google Search Console

Bing Webmaster Tools

Google Ads Access (same process as Google Analytics)

Bing Ads Access

Facebook (you will want to ensure you gain access to OWN the Business Owner Account if there is one, ensure you do not only get page access! You can also have the previous owner release the account from their Business Owner Account so you can add it to yours and make yourself the owner)

Facebook Ads Manager

Instagram Account Login

LinkedIn Company Profile

LinkedIn Company Ads Manager

TikTok Account or Business Account

Pinterest Account

YouTube Channel

Google My Business

Bing Places for Business

Email Marketing Login

Yelp Login (note: you will have to gain access via biz.yelp.com which is their business platform)

X (formerly Twitter)

Other Directory Sites, such as: TripAdvisor, Angi, Houzz, Apple Maps, HomeAdvisor, etc. A good rule of thumb is to Google your business name or your ideal keywords (like “marketing agency near me” to see what other potential listing directories show up!)

Additionally, be sure to ask for any licenses regarding purchased photography, videography, and music.

Whether you’re a seasoned entrepreneur or new to the world of business ownership, navigating the acquisition process can be daunting. But armed with the right information and resources, you can set yourself up for success from the very beginning.

Learn more about how to gain access to most of these platforms on our Platform Onboarding Guide.

Back to All Insights

Brittany Mathisen

2023-09-27

OTM has been a wonderful marketing partner for the last four years. We have shifted marketing plans over time and they are very open and explained all the details as we moved forward with new plans. They have done everything from help design and update offices, managed social media, planning marketing events, and many more things. The Hear for Holidays Event that we do each year is one of my favorite events that we work on together. Rachel and the whole OTM team have brought my marketing vision to life and I love everything they have done for my business. I look forward to what the future holds as we continue to work together.

Yvonne Myers

2023-07-30

I worked with Old Town Media (OTM) on a quick grant project that had a 6-week timeline. They were very thoughtful about whether they could meet the grant expectations and needs before accepting the work. The team at OTM then completed extensive research and facilitated focus groups to ensure the product they created met the needs of the end-users. They met all of the grant deadlines and far exceeded our expectations of the portal they created for us! I would not hesitate to use their services again and highly recommend them to others looking for a professional, high quality, and FUN team to work with.

Julie Dokoupil

2023-07-18

OTM is a locally owned firm that I have worked with for over 13 years. They are an amazing team of people who know and understand current marketing technology and strategies. My husband and I are starting a new business and they have helped us out even with small details to get our business going.

TunDesign

2023-06-20

I have seen a significant increase in community engagement which has helped bolster our brand presence, exceeding the expectations of the entire team. Carrie and her team provides consistent communication through slack and emails which has led to an effective and trusted partnership. Truly appreciate how hard-working, agile, and driven everyone on the team is. Thanks again for eveything your team has done for our company.

David Haase

2023-06-07

OTM has done a fantastic job bringing the Fort Collins Peach Festival back to the public! OTM is dealing with several volunteers on a committee and keeping everyone informed, best in business advice and a platform that will serve us for years. We didn't know what we needed and were presented with choices and educated about each before implementation. Kerrie and Brianna have done great work for us! Dave Haase Committee Chair Fort Collins Peach Festival

Dana Sednek

2023-03-15

Using their Path to Growth Model, OTM not only gave me a path forward, but they helped me clarify my strategy, direction, and actions for how to set and launch my business. I was able to launch quickly and I see the flywheel ahead that is necessary to accelerate customer intake and revenue building. Thrilled with the outcome!!!

Liza Adams

2023-01-13

As the Head of Marketing at Encompass Technologies, I considered Old Town Media an extension of our marketing team. OTM worked closely with us on rebranding and repositioning, multiple industry-first product launches, key industry events, and integrated demand generation campaigns while we grew our marketing team and acquired new companies. With the help of OTM, we grew our pipeline and bested industry benchmarks for Software as a Service (SaaS) sales and marketing efficiency metrics. We came to rely on OTM for tactical execution to augment our team but where they added the most value was in our rebranding strategy and market positioning efforts. OTM played an integral role in conducting research and deeply understanding our market dynamics, ideal customer profile, customer challenges, competitive landscape, products and innovation, key differentiators, vision, and mission. This was no easy feat with a highly complex ecosystem, multiple segments, wide variety of audiences, and a broad array of products. Armed with market insights, OTM helped us develop a compelling brand, an inspirational story reflecting our vision and strategy, a unique and defensible market position, and messaging that was relevant to our target audiences. I appreciated that the team was respectful and empathetic, intently curious, insightful with their observations and recommendations, and candid with their feedback. OTM set realistic expectations about deliverables/scope, level of effort, roles, timeline, and cost. The team was responsive, highly collaborative, and open to suggestions. OTM plugged our expertise and resource gaps which allowed us to break the compromise between doing good work and doing it quickly. On top of that, they were fun to work with. OTM was truly a partner of the business.

Eric Dengler

2023-01-11

Great team! Small company service. Big firm power and expertise.

zach fulton

2023-01-06

Simply put, OTM is a well oiled machine! Thanks for all you do