The 7 stages

Your launch is split into seven stages, in the order a marketing plan is usually built: first understand where you are, then decide, then act and measure.

#	Stage	In one line
1	Presence	Your accounts exist and you own them.
2	Identity & brand	Same name, logo and phone everywhere.
3	Verification	Platforms check your documents.
4	Strategy	Who to target and why.
5	Catalogue	Your products or services listed on each platform.
6	Funnel & tracking	How a stranger becomes a customer.
7	Campaigns	Starts when everything above is done.

What each stage contains

1. Presence: account exists · owned by your business · ad account ready · connected to Spark.
2. Identity & brand: name matches · address & phone match · logo & cover in the right size (recommended) · description, website, category and hours (recommended).
3. Verification: business verified · payment method & advertiser verified.
4. Strategy: situation (strengths, weaknesses and 3 competitors) · who you target · positioning statement · customer profiles · your offer (4Ps or 7Ps) · goals · budget & weekly cap · plan approved by you.
5. Catalogue: products or services published (recommended).
6. Funnel & tracking: tracking code working · funnel stages matched to campaign objectives · a target number per funnel stage.
7. Campaigns: launch check passed. See Campaigns: coming next.

Items in stages 4 and 6 about your plan are done once per business, not per platform. They come from the strategy workspace.

Why your accounts must be yours

Every platform needs a business account owned by you. Spark works as your partner, so you can remove Spark at any time and nothing is lost.

Learn more: the professional terms

The stage order follows the SOSTAC planning model by PR Smith: Situation, Objectives, Strategy, Tactics, Action, Control. Stage 2 is about NAP consistency (Name, Address, Phone). Stage 4 uses STP (Segmentation, Targeting, Positioning) and the marketing mix (4Ps, or 7Ps for services). See Marketing terms explained.