Are you using the USBasp for your programmer?
If you are I have found this software to be useful in setting up Atmega328p chips
Download page for eXtreme Burner on the eXtreme Electronics page is found here:
you can use it to see if you can communicate with the chip and it can also help you set fuses for your configuration. you can copy and load the flash and eeprom with it also.
Burning a bootloader is only needed if you are using a serial port for programming at a later time. If you plan on loading you program through the "Upload using programmer" though the ICSP port you will only need to make sure your fuses match what you chip wiring configuration is set to.
Please show us your schematic and let us know which programmer you are using. for us to help you more.