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How to Start a New Business in Michigan: A Practical Launch and Marketing Checklist
- Sep 12, 2022
- 13 min read
Updated: Aug 7
Starting a business is exciting—but the number of things you need to create, register, connect and manage can become overwhelming quickly.
You need a business name, registration, banking, insurance, a website, a Google Business Profile, social media accounts and some way of bringing in customers. Then you begin hearing about SEO, GEO, Google Analytics, CRMs, email marketing and conversion tracking.
It is easy to spend so much time preparing to launch that you never actually begin generating revenue.
This guide separates the process into three categories:
What you should have before launching
What you can add as the business grows
What you probably do not need immediately
This article focuses primarily on Michigan businesses and their digital presence. Legal, licensing, tax and insurance requirements vary by business, so consult an attorney, accountant or other qualified professional when appropriate.
The Essential New-Business Checklist
Before investing heavily in advertising, try to have these foundational items in place:
A finalized business name
The appropriate business registration
An Employer Identification Number, if needed
Required licenses, permits and insurance
A business bank account
Clearly defined services or products
Basic pricing or a quoting process
A business phone number and email address
A domain name
A professional website or landing page
A Google Business Profile, if eligible
Relevant social media profiles
Website analytics and conversion tracking
A process for responding to leads
A realistic marketing budget
You do not need to perfect every detail before opening. You should, however, have enough of the foundation in place to accept customers and measure how they find you.
Part One: Business Essentials
1. Choose and Verify Your Business Name
Your business name needs to be memorable, appropriate for your industry and usable across the internet.
Before committing to a name, check:
Michigan business records
Google search results
Available domain names
Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn
Relevant trademark records
Similar businesses in your market
Whether the name is easy to spell and pronounce
Avoid choosing a name based solely on whether the domain is available. Make sure it will still make sense if the business expands into additional services or locations.
Michigan business owners can search existing entities and begin the registration process through the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs.
Checklist
Business name selected
Similar businesses researched
Domain availability checked
Social media usernames checked
State business records searched
2. Register the Business
The appropriate business structure depends on your circumstances. Common options include:
Sole proprietorship
Limited liability company
Partnership
Corporation
The structure can affect taxes, liability, ownership and reporting requirements. An accountant or attorney can help you decide which option is appropriate.
Michigan launched its MiBusiness Registry Portal for business formations, annual reports and other official filings. You can access current information through the Michigan Corporations Division.
Be cautious of unofficial websites and mailings that charge unnecessary fees for government filings.
Checklist
Business structure selected
State registration completed
Registered agent information confirmed
Required local registrations reviewed
Important filing deadlines saved
3. Apply for an EIN if Needed
An Employer Identification Number is a federal tax identification number issued by the IRS.
Businesses may need an EIN to:
Hire employees
Open certain business bank accounts
File business tax returns
Apply for licenses
Operate as certain types of legal entities
Apply directly through the IRS Employer Identification Number page. The IRS does not charge a fee to obtain an EIN.
If you are forming an LLC, corporation or partnership, complete the state formation process before applying for the EIN.
Checklist
EIN requirement determined
EIN obtained directly from the IRS
Confirmation letter stored securely
4. Determine Your Licensing, Permit and Insurance Requirements
Depending on the business, you may need:
State professional licensing
Local business licenses
Building or zoning approval
Sales-tax registration
Health department approval
Contractor licensing
Commercial auto insurance
General liability insurance
Professional liability insurance
Workers’ compensation coverage
Do not assume that registering an LLC gives you every license required to operate.
Michigan provides a state license search to help businesses identify regulated activities. Your city, township or county may have additional requirements.
Checklist
State licensing researched
Local requirements checked
Insurance needs reviewed
Required permits obtained
Renewal dates documented
5. Open a Business Bank Account and Establish Bookkeeping
Keeping business and personal finances separate makes accounting easier and helps create clearer records.
Before accepting payments, establish:
A business checking account
A business credit or debit card
A bookkeeping system
A payment-processing method
A process for saving receipts
A system for invoices and estimates
A plan for tax payments
You may also want to consult an accountant about estimated taxes, payroll, sales tax and deductible expenses.
Checklist
Business bank account opened
Payment processor selected
Bookkeeping software configured
Invoice and estimate templates created
Tax responsibilities reviewed
6. Define What You Sell and Who You Help
Before marketing the business, you need to explain the offer clearly.
Identify:
Your primary products or services
Your ideal customers
The geographic area you serve
The problems you solve
How customers purchase or schedule
How your pricing works
Why someone should choose your business
What you do not offer
“Everyone” is rarely a useful target audience.
A residential carpet cleaner in Novi, a statewide retirement-plan consultant and an online retailer require very different websites and marketing strategies.
Clear positioning makes everything that follows easier, including the logo, website, advertising and sales process.
Checklist
Primary services or products defined
Ideal customer identified
Service area established
Pricing or quote process determined
Main competitive difference identified
Part Two: Your Brand and Contact Information
7. Create a Basic Brand Identity
You do not need a massive brand-guidelines document before launching, but your company should have a consistent visual identity.
At minimum, establish:
A professionally designed logo
Primary and secondary colors
One or two fonts
A short business description
A consistent tone of voice
Versions of the logo for light and dark backgrounds
The logo should work on websites, social media, print materials, vehicles, uniforms and signs.
Avoid relying on a detailed logo that becomes unreadable when displayed as a small social media profile image.
Checklist
Primary logo created
Simplified or square logo version created
Brand colors selected
Fonts selected
Short business description written
Logo files stored in multiple formats
8. Get a Business Phone Number and Professional Email
Customers should have a reliable way to reach the business.
Use an email address connected to your domain, such as:
A domain-based email generally looks more established than using a personal Gmail, Yahoo or AOL address for business communications.
Your phone system should also provide:
A professional voicemail greeting
Reliable notifications
The ability to return calls quickly
Access for the appropriate employees
Call tracking if you plan to advertise
Checklist
Business phone number active
Voicemail recorded
Professional email created
Email signature added
Lead notifications tested
9. Register Your Domain Name
Your domain is the address people use to access your website.
Choose a domain that is:
Easy to remember
Easy to spell
Closely connected to the business name
Free of unnecessary hyphens and numbers
Flexible enough for future growth
The business owner should retain ownership and control of the domain. Do not allow a designer, employee or marketing company to register it in an account that you cannot access.
Turn on automatic renewal and keep the payment method current. Losing access to a domain can interrupt the website, email and advertising.
Checklist
Domain registered
Business owner listed as the account owner
Automatic renewal enabled
Recovery email and phone verified
Login stored securely
Part Three: Your Essential Digital Presence
10. Build a Professional Website
Your website serves as the central location for information about your company.
Even if customers discover you through Google, Facebook, an advertisement or a referral, many will visit the website before contacting you.
A new-business website should clearly communicate:
What the business does
Who it serves
Where it operates
Why customers should trust it
How to request service or make a purchase
At minimum, most service-business websites need:
A homepage
Individual service information
An About page
A Contact page
Privacy and legal information
Clear calls to action
A mobile-friendly design
A contact form that has been tested
Businesses with several important services should usually create dedicated pages rather than placing everything on one general services page.
The website should be built in an account the business owns. The domain, website and digital assets should remain under the business’s ownership and control.
Website Launch Checklist
Domain connected
SSL certificate active
Website displays correctly on mobile
Phone number is clickable
Contact forms work
Form notifications are received
Thank-you page or completion event works
Page titles and descriptions are added
Search engines can index the website
Privacy policy is published
Analytics and conversion tracking are installed
All temporary text and images are removed
11. Create or Claim Your Google Business Profile
For eligible local and service-area businesses, a Google Business Profile is one of the most important free marketing tools available.
A verified profile can help your business appear in Google Search and Google Maps.
You can create or claim a Google Business Profile here. Google does not charge businesses to create a profile.
Complete as much of the profile as possible:
Official business name
Primary business category
Additional categories
Address or service area
Phone number
Website
Business hours
Services
Business description
Logo
Cover image
Original photos
Use the real-world business name consistently. Do not add cities, services or keywords to the name unless they are genuinely part of the business’s legal and public-facing name.
Service-area businesses that do not receive customers at their address should hide the address rather than displaying a home, virtual office or unauthorized location.
Google Business Profile Checklist
Existing profile searched for
Profile created or claimed
Business verified
Correct category selected
Address or service area configured
Phone number and website added
Hours completed
Services added
Logo and photos uploaded
Review link saved
12. Create a Facebook Business Page
A Facebook Page gives the business an official presence separate from your personal profile.
You can create a Facebook Page here.
Add:
Business name
Appropriate category
Short description
Logo
Cover image
Phone number
Website
Hours
Service area or location
Call-to-action button
A real personal Facebook account must create and administer the Page. Do not create a fake personal profile for the business.
Instead of sharing personal passwords, give employees and marketing partners the appropriate Page or Meta Business access.
Facebook Checklist
Business Page created
Username claimed
Logo and cover image added
Contact information completed
Call-to-action button configured
Appropriate administrators added
Facebook Page secured through Meta Business tools
13. Create the Social Profiles That Fit Your Business
You do not need to be active on every social network.
Choose platforms based on where customers spend time and what type of content the business can realistically create.
Instagram is especially valuable for businesses with visual work, products, transformations, projects or an active local audience.
Examples include:
Contractors
Landscapers
Medical aesthetics practices
Restaurants
Retailers
Fitness businesses
Real estate professionals
Designers
Set up a professional account, complete the contact information and connect it to the Facebook Page. Instagram’s professional dashboard provides access to business tools and performance insights.
LinkedIn is generally more useful for:
Business-to-business companies
Consultants
Professional services
Financial companies
Commercial contractors
Manufacturers
Companies recruiting employees
A LinkedIn Page is free to create and gives the company an official professional presence. Review LinkedIn’s Page setup guidance before creating one.
YouTube, TikTok and Other Platforms
Video platforms can be valuable when the business can consistently produce demonstrations, project footage, educational videos or short-form content.
They are not automatic requirements for every new business.
It is better to maintain two complete and active profiles than create six profiles that remain empty for years.
Social Profile Checklist
Appropriate platforms selected
Usernames claimed
Business descriptions added
Logo and cover images uploaded
Phone number and website added
Login and recovery information secured
Administrative access assigned properly
14. Claim Other Important Business Listings
Google is the priority, but it is not the only place customers and digital systems may encounter your company.
Depending on the business, consider claiming:
Yelp
Better Business Bureau
Industry-specific directories
Local chambers of commerce
Professional associations
Manufacturer or franchise directories
You do not need hundreds of low-quality listings.
Focus on reputable platforms that customers, search engines and AI-powered search systems may use to verify information about the business.
Keep the following information consistent:
Business name
Address or service area
Phone number
Website
Hours
Business description
Business Listing Checklist
Bing listing claimed
Apple listing claimed
Important industry listings identified
Business information kept consistent
Duplicate listings reported or corrected
Part Four: Tracking and Lead Management
15. Install Website Analytics
Before investing in SEO, Google Ads, Facebook advertising or other campaigns, establish a way to measure performance.
At minimum, most businesses should consider:
Google Analytics 4
Google Search Console
Google Tag Manager
Form-submission tracking
Phone-click tracking
Advertising conversion tracking
Google Analytics can provide information about website traffic and visitor behavior.
Google Search Console helps monitor how the website appears in Google Search, including queries, impressions, clicks and indexing issues.
Google Tag Manager can provide more control over marketing and conversion events, depending on the website platform.
Simply connecting Google Analytics is not enough. Make sure important actions are actually recorded.
Tracking Checklist
Google Analytics installed
Google Search Console verified
XML sitemap submitted
Form submissions tracked
Phone-number clicks tracked
Google Ads conversions configured when applicable
Meta Pixel configured when applicable
Test conversions completed
Duplicate events ruled out
16. Create a Process for Handling Leads
Generating leads does not help if nobody responds to them.
Decide:
Who receives form notifications
Who answers calls
How quickly leads should receive a response
Where contact information is stored
How estimates and appointments are scheduled
How follow-ups are handled
How unsuccessful leads are documented
A spreadsheet may be sufficient at the beginning. As lead volume increases, a customer relationship management system can help organize contacts, automate follow-ups and prevent opportunities from being forgotten.
Lead-Management Checklist
Lead notifications assigned
Response-time goal established
Contact information stored
Follow-up process documented
Scheduling process created
CRM considered or configured
17. Create a Review Process
Reviews help potential customers evaluate a new business and can strengthen local visibility.
Create a simple system for requesting reviews from actual customers after the service or purchase is complete.
Do not:
Purchase reviews
Ask employees to pose as customers
Create fake accounts
Offer incentives that violate platform policies
Request reviews from people who did not use the business
Make sure someone monitors and responds professionally to new reviews.
Review Checklist
Google review link saved
Review request message created
Appropriate customers asked for feedback
New reviews monitored
Responses posted professionally
Part Five: Marketing Planning
18. Define Your Business Goals
“Get more customers” is a reasonable goal, but it is not specific enough to build a complete marketing strategy.
Clarify:
Which services need to grow
Which locations matter most
What a qualified lead looks like
How many new customers the business can handle
The approximate value of a customer
Which services are most profitable
Whether the goal is immediate leads or long-term growth
A business trying to generate appointments this month may need a different strategy than one building organic visibility over the next year.
Goal-Setting Checklist
Priority service selected
Target locations selected
Ideal customer defined
Lead capacity estimated
Customer value estimated
Short- and long-term goals documented
19. Establish a Realistic Marketing Budget
Marketing should be treated as an investment in customer acquisition rather than something funded only when money happens to be left over.
Your budget may need to cover:
Website development
SEO
Content creation
Google Ads
Social media advertising
Graphic design
Photography or video
Email marketing
CRM software
Call tracking
Directory memberships
You do not need to launch every channel simultaneously.
Choose the marketing methods most likely to reach your customers and support the current stage of the business.
20. Choose the Right Initial Marketing Strategy
Different strategies serve different purposes.
Search Engine Optimization
SEO builds long-term visibility in Google and other search experiences. It generally takes time, but results can compound as the website gains relevance and authority.
Google Ads
Google Ads can place the business in front of people actively searching for a service. It can produce leads more quickly, but the website and tracking should be ready before campaigns begin.
Social Media Marketing
Social media can build visibility, maintain customer relationships and demonstrate the company’s work. Results depend heavily on the business, audience and content.
Meta Advertising
Facebook and Instagram ads can be effective for reaching specific audiences, promoting visual services and generating demand.
Generative Engine Optimization
GEO helps make the business easier to understand and reference in AI-powered search experiences such as ChatGPT, Gemini and Google’s AI search features. It builds on a strong SEO, content and business-information foundation.
The right strategy may combine several channels, but each one should have a defined role.
Nice-to-Have Items You Can Add Later
These items can be valuable, but most businesses do not need all of them before accepting their first customer.
Professional Photography and Video
Original visuals can make the website, social profiles, advertisements and Google Business Profile more credible.
Email Marketing
An email list can help the business maintain relationships, promote services and encourage repeat purchases.
A CRM and Automated Follow-Up
Automation can help with:
Immediate lead responses
Appointment reminders
Estimate follow-ups
Review requests
Customer reactivation
Email and text communication
A Content and Blogging Strategy
Helpful content can answer customer questions, support SEO and increase visibility in AI search.
Case Studies
Case studies demonstrate real experience by explaining the customer’s problem, the work performed and the result.
Paid Advertising
Advertising can help the business generate leads more quickly, but it works best after the website, offer and tracking are ready.
Brand Guidelines
Formal guidelines become more useful as the business hires employees, works with multiple vendors or produces more marketing material.
What You Probably Do Not Need on Day One
A new business generally does not need:
An expensive custom-coded website
A presence on every social network
Hundreds of directory listings
Thousands of social media followers
A complicated software stack
A massive advertising campaign
Perfect branding before earning the first dollar
Every possible service listed at launch
Focus on the pieces that help customers understand, trust and contact the business.
You can expand as you learn what customers need and which marketing channels produce results.
Keep Ownership of Your Business Accounts
The business owner should retain ownership and primary control of:
The domain
Website
Google Business Profile
Facebook Page
Instagram account
LinkedIn Page
Google Analytics
Google Search Console
Google Ads account
Meta advertising account
CRM
Logo and design files
Customer data
Marketing providers and employees can be granted the access required to perform their work. They should not need to own the accounts.
Use secure passwords, enable multifactor authentication and avoid sharing a single personal login among several people.
Complete New-Business Digital Checklist
Must Have
Business name
State registration
EIN, if needed
Required licenses and insurance
Business bank account
Defined services and service area
Basic pricing or quote process
Business phone number
Professional email address
Domain name
Brand identity
Mobile-friendly website
Working contact form
Google Business Profile, if eligible
Relevant social media profiles
Website analytics
Conversion tracking
Lead-response process
Marketing goals and budget
Strongly Recommended
Bing Places listing
Apple Business Connect listing
Review-request process
Google Search Console
Original business photos
Dedicated service pages
Basic SEO
Paid search advertising
Customer follow-up system
Add as the Business Grows
CRM and automation
Email marketing
Blogging and content strategy
Case studies
Professional video
Expand paid search advertising
Social media advertising
Ongoing SEO and GEO
Additional location or service pages
Advanced reporting
You Can Do This Yourself—or We Can Handle the Digital Side
Everything in this guide can be completed individually. Some business owners enjoy creating accounts, building a website, learning analytics and managing marketing campaigns.
Others would rather focus on serving customers, developing the business and generating revenue.
Amplify Digital Marketing helps new and established Michigan businesses build the digital foundation they need to grow.
We can help with:
Social media profile setup
Google Analytics and conversion tracking
Meta advertising
CRM and marketing automation
You maintain ownership and control of the website and digital assets we create for your business.
Whether you need help with one missing piece or want us to handle the entire digital setup, we can create a strategy based on your business, budget and goals.
We use AI to move faster—not to cut corners.
Contact Amplify Digital Marketing to schedule a free consultation.
