launch-strategy

What this skill does

# Launch Strategy

**Category:** Marketing
**Tags:** product launch, feature release, Product Hunt, go-to-market, launch playbook, announcement strategy

## Overview

Launch Strategy provides the complete playbook for launching products and features that build momentum, capture attention, and convert interest into users. A product launch is not an event -- it is a campaign with pre-launch, launch day, and post-launch phases. Shipping without a launch plan is leaving growth on the table.

---

## Launch Tiers

Not every release deserves the same effort. Classify first.

| Tier | What It Is | Marketing Effort | Examples |
|------|-----------|-----------------|---------|
| **Tier 1: Major Launch** | New product, major pivot, rebrand | 4-8 weeks prep, all channels | New product launch, platform launch |
| **Tier 2: Feature Launch** | Significant new capability | 2-4 weeks prep, owned + select channels | Major feature, integration, new plan |
| **Tier 3: Update** | Improvement to existing feature | 1 week prep, owned channels only | Performance improvement, UI refresh |
| **Tier 4: Changelog** | Bug fix, minor improvement | Same day, changelog only | Bug fixes, minor UX tweaks |

The rest of this skill focuses on Tier 1-2 launches. Tier 3-4 follow a simplified version of the same process.

---

## Phase 1: Pre-Launch (4-8 Weeks Before)

### Week 8-6: Foundation

**Positioning & Messaging**
1. Define the one-sentence value prop for this launch
2. Identify primary audience segment (who cares most about this?)
3. Draft the headline you want to see in coverage
4. Answer the "so what?" question -- why should anyone care?

**Positioning Template:**
```
For [target audience] who [need/pain point],
[product/feature] is the [category]
that [key benefit].
Unlike [alternatives],
we [key differentiator].
```

**Asset Checklist:**
- [ ] Landing page copy and design
- [ ] Product screenshots / demo video
- [ ] Blog post (announcement)
- [ ] Email announcement draft
- [ ] Social media posts (per platform)
- [ ] Press release / media pitch (Tier 1 only)
- [ ] Internal FAQ for team
- [ ] Customer FAQ

### Week 6-4: Build Momentum

**Audience Warming**
- Tease the launch in social posts (building in public)
- Share behind-the-scenes development content
- Engage with potential users about the problem you are solving
- Collect early feedback from beta users

**Waitlist / Early Access**
For Tier 1 launches, consider a waitlist to build anticipation:
```
Waitlist Landing Page Elements:
1. Clear headline: what is coming
2. One-sentence description: why it matters
3. Email capture form
4. Social proof: "Join [X] others waiting"
5. Expected launch date
6. Share incentive: "Move up the list by sharing"
```

### Week 4-2: Prepare Channels

**The ORB Channel Framework**

Categorize every launch channel as Owned, Rented, or Borrowed:

| Channel Type | Definition | Examples | Control |
|-------------|-----------|---------|---------|
| **Owned** | You control the audience | Email list, blog, product (in-app), changelog | Full |
| **Rented** | You pay for access | Paid ads, sponsorships, promoted posts | High (while paying) |
| **Borrowed** | You earn access through others | Press, influencer mentions, community shares, Product Hunt | Low |

**Channel Strategy by Tier:**

| Channel | Tier 1 | Tier 2 | Tier 3 |
|---------|--------|--------|--------|
| Email (full list) | Yes | Yes | Segment only |
| Blog post | Long-form | Short-form | Changelog |
| Social media | Multi-post campaign | Single announcement | Brief mention |
| In-app notification | Yes | Yes | Optional |
| Product Hunt | If applicable | No | No |
| Press / media | Targeted pitches | No | No |
| Paid amplification | Budget allocated | Small budget | No |
| Partner co-marketing | If applicable | No | No |
| Community posts | HN, Reddit, Discord | HN maybe | No |

### Week 2-1: Final Prep

- [ ] All assets created and reviewed
- [ ] Landing page live (or ready to flip)
- [ ] Email sequences loaded and tested
- [ ] Social posts scheduled
- [ ] Team briefed on launch plan and talking points
- [ ] Analytics tracking configured for launch metrics
- [ ] Support team briefed on new feature / expected questions
- [ ] Rollback plan documented (if something goes wrong)

---

## Phase 2: Launch Day Execution

### Launch Day Checklist (Time-Boxed)

**T-2 hours:**
- [ ] Final check: landing page, links, tracking all working
- [ ] Team Slack channel open for coordination
- [ ] Support team ready

**T-0 (Launch):**
- [ ] Flip landing page / feature gate live
- [ ] Send email announcement (Segment 1: most engaged users)
- [ ] Publish blog post
- [ ] Post on social media (all platforms, staggered by 30 min)
- [ ] Submit to Product Hunt (if planned -- see PH section)
- [ ] Post in relevant communities (HN, Reddit, Discord)
- [ ] Notify partners for co-promotion

**T+2 hours:**
- [ ] Check analytics: traffic, signups, errors
- [ ] Respond to all social media comments/questions
- [ ] Send email announcement (Segment 2: broader list)
- [ ] Monitor Product Hunt ranking (if applicable)

**T+6 hours:**
- [ ] Share early results with team
- [ ] Address any support issues
- [ ] Engage with community discussion threads
- [ ] Schedule next-day follow-up content

**End of Day:**
- [ ] Document day-one metrics
- [ ] Thank early adopters publicly
- [ ] Note any issues for immediate fix
- [ ] Confirm next-day plan

### Launch Day Communication Rules

1. **Respond to everything** -- launch day is not the day to ignore comments
2. **Founder engagement** -- CEO/founders should personally reply on HN, Reddit, PH
3. **Celebrate wins publicly** -- share milestones as they happen ("500 signups in first 3 hours!")
4. **Address issues immediately** -- if something breaks, communicate before people complain
5. **Never argue** -- if someone criticizes, thank them and learn

---

## Phase 3: Product Hunt Playbook

Product Hunt is a launch channel, not a launch strategy. It works best when combined with the full ORB approach.

### PH Timeline

**Week -4: Preparation**
- Create / update Maker profile
- Engage genuinely in PH community (comment on other products)
- Build relationships with active PH hunters
- Draft listing: tagline, description, first comment, media

**Week -1: Pre-Launch**
- Confirm launch date (Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday -- avoid Monday/Friday)
- Prepare all PH assets:
  - Thumbnail (240x240, clean, recognizable)
  - Gallery images (1270x760, show the product, not marketing fluff)
  - Demo video or GIF (under 60s)
  - First comment (personal, story-driven, not corporate)
- Notify your network: "We are launching on PH on [date]"
- Do NOT ask for upvotes (against PH guidelines and counterproductive)

**Launch Day (12:01 AM PT)**
- Submit immediately after midnight PT (products are ranked by votes within a 24h window starting at midnight PT)
- Post first comment within 5 minutes (this is your pitch)
- Share across channels: "We launched on Product Hunt today" with direct link
- Respond to EVERY comment on PH within 30 minutes
- Engage authentically -- answer questions, thank feedback, acknowledge criticism

**First Comment Template:**
```
Hey PH! [Name] here, [role] at [Company].

We built [product] because [personal story about the problem].

[1-2 sentences about what it does and why it's different]

Here's what you get:
- [Key feature 1]
- [Key feature 2]
- [Key feature 3]

Special for PH: [offer -- extended trial, discount, early access to feature]

Would love your honest feedback. Happy to answer any questions!
```

### PH Success Metrics

| Outcome | What It Means |
|---------|---------------|
| Top 5 of the day | Strong launch, badge, homepage visibility |
| Top 10 of the day | Good launch, still gets homepage traffic for 24h |
| Below top 10 | Minimal PH-specific value, but launch content still works elsewhere |
| Product of the week/month | Significant ongoing PH traffic |

---

## Phase 4: Post-Launch Momentum (30 Days)

The launch is not