sales-launchday

What this skill does

# LaunchDay Platform Help

Helps the user submit to, evaluate, and get the most from LaunchDay — a curated 24-hour product launch event platform that features indie makers with exclusive deals, podcast interviews, and influencer promotion.

## Step 1 — Gather context


If `references/learnings.md` exists, read it first for accumulated knowledge.

Ask the user:

1. **What do you need help with?**
   - A) Submitting a product to LaunchDay
   - B) Evaluating if LaunchDay is worth $99
   - C) Preparing for the video interview / podcast
   - D) Comparing LaunchDay with other launch platforms
   - E) Something else — describe it

2. **What's your product?**
   - A) SaaS / software tool
   - B) Mobile app
   - C) API / developer tool
   - D) No-code / low-code tool
   - E) Something else

3. **Can you offer a >40% discount?**
   - A) Yes — easy, margins allow it
   - B) Maybe — depends on the tier/plan
   - C) No — high costs (e.g., AI inference) make deep discounts unsustainable
   - D) Not sure — need to think about it

**If the user's request already provides most of this context, skip directly to the relevant step.** Lead with your best-effort answer using reasonable assumptions (stated explicitly), then ask only the most critical 1-2 clarifying questions at the end.

## Step 2 — Route or answer directly

If the request maps to a different skill, route:
- Multi-directory launch strategy → `/sales-launch-directory`
- Product Hunt launch → `/sales-producthunt`
- Email marketing to subscribers → `/sales-email-marketing`
- Landing page optimization → `/sales-checkout`
- Audience growth strategy → `/sales-audience-growth`
- Other specific directory platforms → hand off to that platform's skill

Otherwise, answer directly from the LaunchDay reference below.

## Step 3 — LaunchDay platform reference

### Platform overview

| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| URL | itslaunchday.com |
| Founder | Dagobert Renouf (indie maker, 100K+ Twitter followers @dagorenouf) |
| Model | Curated 24-hour launch events — 1-2 per month, max 20 products each |
| Pricing | $99 submission fee — **only charged if selected** |
| Sponsorship | Guarantees a spot (price not public) |
| Backlink | Unknown DR, unknown dofollow/nofollow — verify after event |
| Events held | 4 as of early 2026 (very early-stage platform) |
| API | None |

### What you get when selected

1. **Homepage featuring** during the 24-hour launch event
2. **Permanent archive placement** — your product stays listed after the event ends
3. **LaunchDay Podcast interview** — 30-min recorded video covering your story and product demo (53+ episodes on Spotify/Apple Podcasts)
4. **Influencer promotion** — Dagobert (100K+ followers) promotes your product
5. **Slack community access** — connect with other LaunchDay makers
6. **Applaud/voting system** — community engagement during the event
7. **Deal unlocks** — users share on social media to access your exclusive discount

### Submission requirements

| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| Company stage | Indie or early-stage only — fully bootstrapped or mostly bootstrapped with minor incubator/fund support. **VC-backed companies excluded** |
| Discount | Must offer >40% discount (exception for high-cost products like AI with expensive inference) |
| Video interview | Must participate in a 30-minute recorded video interview about your story and product |
| Availability | Limited — only 1-2 events per month, max 20 products each |

### How LaunchDay compares to directories

LaunchDay is fundamentally different from traditional startup directories — it's an **event**, not a listing.

| Aspect | LaunchDay | Free directories (SoloPush, ProductBurst) | Paid directories (Open Launch $12) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | $99 (if selected) | Free | $12-$149 |
| Model | 24-hour event, 1-2/month | Always-on listing | Always-on listing |
| Backlink | Unknown | Confirmed dofollow | Guaranteed dofollow |
| Podcast | Yes — 30-min interview | No | No |
| Influencer promo | Yes — 100K+ followers | No | No |
| Discount required | >40% | No | No |
| VC-backed allowed | No | Yes | Yes |
| Permanent listing | Archive only | Full listing | Full listing |

### When LaunchDay makes sense

**Good fit:**
- You're bootstrapped and want exposure beyond just a backlink
- You value the podcast interview and influencer promotion more than the listing itself
- You can offer a meaningful discount (>40%) without hurting margins
- You're willing to invest $99 + time for a 30-min video interview

**Not ideal:**
- Your primary goal is SEO backlinks — unknown DR/dofollow status makes this unreliable for backlinks
- You're VC-backed — not eligible
- You can't offer >40% discount — required for participation
- You want a permanent, always-on directory listing — LaunchDay is a one-time event with archive placement

## Step 4 — Actionable guidance

### Preparing your LaunchDay submission

1. **Check eligibility**: Bootstrapped/indie? Can offer >40% discount? Willing to do video?
2. **Prepare your deal**: Create a specific discount code or landing page with >40% off
3. **Submit at itslaunchday.com/submit-product** — $99 fee is only charged if selected
4. **Prepare for the video interview**:
   - Have your product demo ready (working, not a prototype walkthrough)
   - Prepare your founder story — why you built it, what problem it solves
   - Keep it conversational — this becomes a podcast episode
5. **Add UTM tracking**: `?utm_source=launchday&utm_medium=directory&utm_campaign=launch`

### Maximizing your LaunchDay event

- **Promote the event yourself** — share on your social channels that you're featured
- **Engage during the 24-hour window** — respond to comments, thank people who applaud
- **Track deal unlocks** — monitor how many people unlock your discount
- **Follow up in Slack** — connect with other makers in the LaunchDay community

### Should you pay $99?

**Compare with alternatives:**
- **$99 on LaunchDay** = event featuring + podcast + influencer promo + Slack community + unknown backlink
- **$99 on LaunchingNext** = 1-business-day expedited review + DR51 dofollow backlink
- **$99 split across directories** = Open Launch Premium ($12) + CtrlAlt.cc ($39) + MicroLaunch Pro ($39) = 3 guaranteed dofollow backlinks + permanent listings

**If your goal is backlinks**: Split the budget across directories instead.
**If your goal is exposure + podcast + community**: LaunchDay offers unique value that directories don't.
**If budget allows both**: Do LaunchDay AND directory submissions.

## Gotchas

*Best-effort from research — review these, especially items about pricing and event model that may change.*

- **Very early platform.** Only 4 events held as of early 2026. Track record is limited, and the platform's longevity is unproven.
- **Backlink value unknown.** No data on DR or dofollow/nofollow status. Don't count on LaunchDay for SEO value — treat any backlink as a bonus.
- **$99 is non-trivial for indie makers.** Compare with free directories (SoloPush, ProductBurst) and cheaper paid options (OpenHunts $9.90, Open Launch $12) before committing.
- **>40% discount required.** This can be a significant margin hit depending on your product. AI products with high inference costs get an exception, but SaaS products generally don't.
- **Video interview is mandatory.** If you're camera-shy or time-constrained, factor in the 30-minute commitment. The video becomes a public podcast episode.
- **Limited availability.** 1-2 events per month, max 20 products. Rejection is possible even after paying (payment is only processed if selected).
- **Event-based, not always-on.** Your featuring lasts 24 hours. After that, you're in the archive — not on the homepage.

- **Self-improving**: If you discover something not covered here, append it to `references/learnings.md` with today's date.

## Related skills

- `/sales-launch-directory` — Coordinates submissions across 10+ startup directories with sequencing, backlink stacking, and budg