CATALYST Orchestrator: Master Marketing Framework skill

Master orchestrator for B2B SaaS marketing campaigns using the CATALYST framework (Coordinated Agents for Targeted, Analytics-Led, Year-round SaaS Transformation).

by shalintripathi·MIT license·★ 20 Stars on the repo·GitHub ↗

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SKILL.md · the author's own words
# CATALYST Orchestrator: Master Marketing Framework

## Step 0 (always first): Load brand context

**Before routing any work or producing any deliverable, look for a `brand-context.md` file** in the user's project root (also check `./.cla…

- **If it exists:** read it in full and treat it as binding for this run. Pass its contents to every specialist agent you route work to, al…
- **If it does not exist:** say so, point the user at the template ([`templates/brand-context.md`](../../templates/brand-context.md)), and…

**Non-negotiable regardless of which path applies:** do not invent customer names, metrics, funding, integrations, certifications, or outco…

Brand context is what turns generic B2B SaaS output into output that sounds like the user's company. Skipping this step is the single most…

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## What This Is

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CATALYST Orchestrator: Master Marketing Framework

Step 0 (always first): Load brand context

Before routing any work or producing any deliverable, look for a brand-context.md file in the user's project root (also check ./.claude/brand-context.md and ./docs/brand-context.md). It holds the company's ICP, positioning, messaging pillars, citable proof, voice, banned words, and compliance constraints.

  • If it exists: read it in full and treat it as binding for this run. Pass its contents to every specialist agent you route work to, along with the task brief. Its "Rules for agents reading this file" section overrides an agent's own defaults.
  • If it does not exist: say so, point the user at the template (templates/brand-context.md), and offer to generate a filled draft by interviewing them or by reading their website and existing content. Then proceed with explicitly-labelled assumptions — never silently invented ones.

Non-negotiable regardless of which path applies: do not invent customer names, metrics, funding, integrations, certifications, or outcomes. Only proof recorded in brand-context.md (or supplied directly in the request) may be used as fact. Where a claim would help but no evidence exists, emit a [NEEDS INPUT: …] marker in the deliverable rather than a plausible-sounding guess.

Brand context is what turns generic B2B SaaS output into output that sounds like the user's company. Skipping this step is the single most common cause of low-quality results.


What This Is

CATALYST (Coordinated Agents for Targeted, Analytics-Led, Year-round SaaS Transformation) is the master orchestration framework for enterprise-scale B2B SaaS marketing. It coordinates 90 specialized agents across 17 disciplines executing campaigns from strategy through optimization. CATALYST is designed for organizations that need simultaneous execution across multiple disciplines—not sequential waterfall, but parallel execution with intelligent coordination, quality gates, and escalation procedures.

CATALYST operates in three modes:

  1. CATALYST-Full: Complete annual planning (90 agents, 12+ weeks) for comprehensive GTM launches and year-round marketing strategy
  2. CATALYST-Sprint: Focused 2-4 week campaigns (20-30 agents) for quarterly planning or major product launches
  3. CATALYST-Micro: Rapid 1-5 day execution (5-10 agents) for tactical campaigns or immediate needs

All three modes flow through six phase gates ensuring strategic clarity before build-out and data-driven optimization post-launch.

The Team / How It Works

17 Disciplines & 90 Specialist Agents
Discipline Agents Specialty
Content Marketing 9 agents Blog content, whitepapers, case studies, newsletters, copywriting, video scripts, thought leadership
SEO & Growth 7 agents Technical SEO, keyword research, content optimization, link building, AI/AEO/GEO, international, programmatic SEO
Paid Media Operations 8 agents PPC strategy, social ads (including Thought Leader Ads and Meta partnership ads on a person's post), creative strategy, budget optimization, programmatic buying, attribution, sponsorships and content syndication, the conversion signal fed back to the bidders (offline conversion import, LinkedIn Conversions API, pipeline-stage values)
Social Media Operations 8 agents LinkedIn, Twitter/X, Reddit, YouTube, community management, influencer partnerships, B2B podcast strategy and podcast guesting, social listening (query book, coverage map, validated sentiment, share of voice, signal routing)
Email Marketing Operations 5 agents Lifecycle design, copywriting, automation, deliverability, newsletter growth
Design Operations 5 agents Landing pages, brand identity, presentations, visual content, ad creative
Sales Enablement 8 agents Outbound, discovery coaching, deal strategy, battle cards, proposals, pipeline analysis, technical presales (demos, POCs, security questionnaires), the website AI chat agent / inbound AI SDR
Product Marketing 13 agents Integrated campaign design and the channel plan (campaign brief, offer ladder, channel jobs, kill/scale rules, stop list), acquisition integration (sign-to-close guardrails, acquired-customer comms, brand decision, database merge, sunsets), founder-led GTM (design partners, founder-led sales, product-market-fit evidence, first hire), positioning, messaging, launches, competitive intel, customer advocacy, pricing & packaging, agent readiness, international market entry and localization, brand marketing and demand creation (brand-vs-performance split, category entry points, brand measurement), public-sector marketing (FedRAMP/GovRAMP claims, gift rules for officials, quiet periods, contract vehicles)
Account-Based Marketing 1 agent Target account list and 1:1/1:few/1:many tiering, capacity-sized coverage, signals-to-actions, per-tier orchestration contract, account coverage and penetration
Growth 3 agents PLG activation (signup → first invoice, PQLs, in-product upgrade moments), the self-guided interactive demo in front of the login wall (gate policy, demo freshness, step-level analytics), customer marketing (expansion, churn-save, NRR, champion tracking)
Marketing Analytics 9 agents Performance analysis, attribution modeling, demand planning (funnel model, sales-cycle lag, capacity ceilings, scenario band), CRO, customer insights, marketing ops architecture, martech stack and platform-migration strategy, marketing AI governance
Communications 2 agents PR and earned media, announcements, crisis comms; analyst relations (Magic Quadrant, Wave, MarketScape)
Partnerships 2 agents Co-marketing with alliances and channel, integration launches, cloud-marketplace GTM, affiliate and partner-referral programs — plus channel program architecture: readiness gate, motion selection, partner economics, margin/SPIF design, recruitment and certification ramp, rules of engagement and channel conflict
Events & Field Marketing 1 agent Conference and sponsorship selection, booths, owned events, roadshows, the webinar engine
Developer Marketing 1 agent Docs as a marketing surface, quickstarts, SDKs, open source, DevRel
Marketing Project Management 4 agents Campaign coordination, timeline management, resource allocation, stakeholder communication
Client Operations 4 agents Client reporting, QA, financial tracking, legal compliance

Total: 17 Disciplines × 90 Specialist Agents

CATALYST Phase Architecture

All campaigns flow through six sequential phases with quality gates between each:

Phase 0: Discovery & Audit (2-3 weeks for Full | 1-2 days for Sprint)

Establishes factual foundation through primary customer research, competitive analysis, technical audits, and market assessment.

Agents Involved: Customer Insights Researcher, Competitive Intelligence Analyst, SEO Technical Auditor, Analytics Performance Analyst, Customer Journey Mapper, Voice-of-Customer Specialist, Industry Trend Analyst, Advertising Audit Analyst

Key Activities:

  • 10-12 customer interviews (current customers, prospects, competitor customers)
  • Competitive positioning analysis (3-5 key competitors)
  • Technical SEO audit and infrastructure assessment
  • Customer journey mapping and pain point identification
  • Market sizing (TAM, SAM, SOM analysis)
  • Voice-of-customer research and quote library

Deliverables:

  • Customer research summary with personas (2-3 pages)
  • Competitive positioning analysis (3-5 pages)
  • Technical audit findings with priority fixes
  • Customer journey map with key touchpoints
  • Market opportunity assessment
  • Strategic assumptions document (10-15 key assumptions to validate)

Quality Gate: Minimum 10 customer interviews completed, 3+ competitors analyzed, clear strategic assumptions identified


Phase 1: Strategy & Planning (2-3 weeks for Full | 2-3 days for Sprint)

Translates discovery findings into comprehensive marketing strategy with clear positioning, messaging, audience segmentation, channel strategy, and success metrics.

Agents Involved: Positioning Strategist, Messaging Architect, Campaign Coordinator, Budget Optimizer, Marketing Goals Strategist, Audience Segmentation Specialist, Integrated Campaign Strategist

Key Activities:

  • Develop positioning statement (15-20 word core positioning)
  • Create 3-5 key messaging pillars with proof points
  • Build 3-4 target audience personas with buying process
  • Segment audiences by buying stage and buying group role
  • Define channel strategy (which channels for which audiences/stages)
  • Set marketing goals, KPIs, and success metrics (5-10 primary KPIs)
  • Build budget allocation plan across channels
  • Create content calendar outline and tactical roadmap

Deliverables:

  • Positioning & messaging strategy (5-8 pages)
  • Target audience segmentation with personas (3-5 pages)
  • Channel strategy matrix (which channels for which segments/stages)
  • 90/365 day marketing roadmap with key milestones
  • KPI framework and success metrics definition
  • Budget allocation plan by channel
  • Campaign brief with goals, audience, channels, messaging, timeline, success criteria

Quality Gate: Positioning clear and defensible, messaging pillars aligned with customer research, audiences segmented by stage and buying group, success metrics quantifiable


Phase 2: Foundation & Operations (1-2 weeks for Full | 1-2 days for Sprint)

Builds marketing operations infrastructure, CRM configuration, data pipelines, integrations, and creative/brand systems before content production.

Agents Involved: Marketing Ops Architect, CRM Configuration Specialist, Data Pipeline Engineer, Integration Specialist, Stack Optimization Analyst, Compliance & Privacy Officer, Brand Identity Strategist, Visual Design Lead, Brand Voice Specialist, Creative Director, Design Systems Manager

Key Activities:

  • Design marketing technology stack and integrations
  • Configure CRM and marketing automation platform
  • Build data pipelines for analytics, reporting, attribution
  • Design analytics dashboard and reporting structure
  • Establish brand guidelines and design system
  • Create template library for consistent execution
  • Set up compliance and privacy protocols
  • Configure email marketing platform and segmentation logic

Deliverables:

  • Marketing technology architecture diagram
  • CRM configuration specifications and data model
  • Data pipeline and integration documentation
  • Analytics and reporting framework (dashboards, KPIs, data sources)
  • Brand guidelines and design system (logo, colors, typography, voice, tone)
  • Email marketing platform configuration guide
  • Compliance and privacy checklist (GDPR, CCPA, CAN-SPAM)
  • Launch readiness checklist

Quality Gate: Technology stack configured and tested, data pipelines operational, brand assets documented, compliance protocols established


Phase 3: Build & Execution (3-6 weeks for Full | 2-4 weeks for Sprint)

Produces marketing content, creatives, campaigns, landing pages, and advertising assets across all channels. This is the production phase where agents execute in parallel.

Agents Involved: All content, design, paid media, social, email, sales enablement, and product marketing agents

Key Activities:

  • Create content calendar and publish schedule
  • Produce blog content (8-12 posts for Full, 2-3 for Sprint)
  • Create thought leadership and whitepaper content
  • Produce case studies (2-3 for Full)
  • Create landing pages and conversion assets
  • Design email nurture sequences (5-10 emails)
  • Build ad creative (headline variants, visual variants, ad copy)
  • Create social media content calendar (30-60 posts for Full)
  • Build sales enablement materials (battle cards, objection handling, sales decks)
  • Create product marketing assets (feature pages, beta launch materials)
  • Design graphics and visual assets

Parallel Execution Model:

  • Content production runs parallel to creative design
  • Email sequences built concurrently with landing pages
  • Ad creative produced while audience targeting defined
  • Sales enablement developed alongside messaging finalization
  • All assets flow through QA gate before launch

Deliverables:

  • Content library (blog posts, whitepapers, case studies, guides)
  • Email campaign sequences (automation workflows, nurture tracks)
  • Ad creative library (headline/image/copy variants for A/B testing)
  • Social media content calendar (30-90 days pre-scheduled)
  • Landing page suite (dedicated pages for key offers)
  • Sales enablement library (battlecards, objection handling, decks, one-pagers)
  • Product marketing assets (feature pages, beta launch kit)
  • Design asset library (graphics, templates, brand-compliant templates)

Quality Gate: All customer-facing assets pass QA review, brand compliance verified, technical testing complete, accessibility standards met


Phase 4: Launch & Activation (1-2 weeks)

Launches campaigns across all channels, activates paid media, sends initial email sequences, publishes content, announces on social, and activates sales motion.

Agents Involved: All category teams + Project Management Coordinator, Client Operations Manager

Key Activities:

  • Verify all tracking and analytics are live
  • Launch advertising (paid search, social, display, LinkedIn)
  • Send initial email sequences to segments
  • Publish content on schedule (blog posts, guides)
  • Launch social media campaign
  • Activate sales enablement (equip sales team with materials)
  • Monitor initial performance and identify issues
  • Scale winning channels and pause underperformers
  • Monitor compliance and technical issues
  • Track early KPI performance

Launch Sequence (3-5 days):

  • Day 0: Email and organic social launch
  • Day 1: Paid media activation
  • Days 2-5: Content publishing, nurture sequences, sales outreach

Deliverables:

  • Campaign launch checklist (final sign-off)
  • Analytics dashboard live and verified
  • Attribution tracking configured and tested
  • Sales team enablement and training completed
  • Campaign performance baseline established
  • Risk/issue log for ongoing monitoring

Quality Gate: All systems tested and live, tracking verified, team trained, early performance metrics visible, escalation procedures established


Phase 5: Optimize & Iterate (Ongoing through campaign)

Analyzes performance data, identifies optimization opportunities, tests variations, reallocates budget, improves targeting, and continuously improves campaign performance.

Agents Involved: Performance Analyst, CRO Specialist, Analytics Performance Analyst, Data Storyteller, Paid Media team, Email Specialist, Social team

Key Activities (Weekly optimization cycles):

  • Analyze daily/weekly campaign performance vs. KPIs
  • Identify underperforming channels and pause low-ROI spend
  • Identify overperforming channels and increase allocation
  • A/B test email subject lines, send times, content
  • A/B test ad creatives (headlines, images, copy)
  • A/B test landing pages (headlines, CTAs, forms)
  • Improve audience targeting based on performance data
  • Optimize email segmentation and personalization
  • Analyze customer acquisition cost by channel and segment
  • Build attribution model to understand contribution by channel
  • Generate weekly performance reports and insights
  • Conduct monthly strategy reviews and optimization planning

Continuous Improvement Process:

  • Week 1-2: Monitor initial performance, fix technical issues, scale winners
  • Week 3-4: A/B test variations, optimize targeting
  • Week 5-8: Reallocate budget based on performance, improve messaging
  • Month 3+: Deep dive analysis, major strategic pivots if needed, prepare for next phase

Deliverables:

  • Weekly performance reports with insights
  • Monthly optimization recommendations
  • A/B test results and winning variants
  • Budget optimization report (ROI by channel)
  • Attribution analysis (channel contribution)
  • Customer acquisition cost analysis
  • Quarterly strategy review and next quarter recommendations
  • Campaign success case study and learnings

Quality Gate: Data accuracy verified, optimization decisions data-driven, changes tracked and measured, learnings documented


How to Use

Invoking CATALYST: Three Operating Modes

Choose the CATALYST mode based on your initiative scope:

CATALYST-Full: Annual Planning & Major GTM Launches
  • Use when: Annual marketing planning, major product launch, market entry, comprehensive strategy refresh
  • Timeline: 12+ weeks end-to-end
  • Agents: All 90 agents across all 17 disciplines
  • Scope: Full funnel (awareness, consideration, decision, adoption)
  • Budget: Enterprise-scale multi-channel campaigns
  • Expected Output: Comprehensive annual strategy, full content calendar, multi-channel campaigns, reporting infrastructure
CATALYST-Sprint: Quarterly Planning & Focused Campaigns
  • Use when: Quarterly planning, specific campaign (demand gen, ABM, product launch), channel-specific focus
  • Timeline: 2-4 weeks
  • Agents: 20-30 agents (select categories based on campaign focus)
  • Scope: Specific funnel stage (e.g., awareness + consideration for demand gen)
  • Budget: 1-2 campaign budgets
  • Expected Output: Campaign strategy, 30-60 day content calendar, focused multi-channel execution
CATALYST-Micro: Rapid Tactical Campaigns
  • Use when: Urgent response, single channel campaign, urgent demand generation, time-sensitive offers
  • Timeline: 1-5 days
  • Agents: 5-10 agents (focus on essential channels)
  • Scope: Single funnel stage or single channel
  • Budget: Tactical spending
  • Expected Output: Quick strategy, campaign assets, launch within 1-5 days
Request Routing & Decision Matrix
When to Invoke CATALYST-Full
  • "We need a complete GTM strategy for our Series B launch"
  • "Create our annual marketing plan for 2026"
  • "We're entering a new market—need full strategy and execution"
  • "Build a comprehensive demand generation program"

Route to: Phase 0 (Discovery) → Phase 1 (Strategy) → Phase 2 (Foundation) → Phase 3 (Build) → Phase 4 (Launch) → Phase 5 (Optimize)

When to Invoke CATALYST-Sprint
  • "We have a quarterly marketing plan we need to execute"
  • "Launch a demand generation campaign in 3 weeks"
  • "Plan and execute Q2 content marketing push"
  • "Build an ABM campaign for these 20 target accounts"

Route to: Phase 1 (use existing strategy) → Phase 2 (partial foundation) → Phase 3 (Build) → Phase 4 (Launch) → Phase 5 (Optimize)

When to Invoke CATALYST-Micro
  • "We need landing pages and ads for a webinar launching in 3 days"
  • "Create cold email sequence for outbound campaign"
  • "Build email nurture for incoming leads"

Route to: Phase 3 (Build with existing messaging) → Phase 4 (Launch)

Category Skill Routing for Specific Disciplines

Even within CATALYST, you can invoke individual category skills for focused work:

When User Asks Primary Category Supporting Categories
"We need a blog strategy and content calendar" Content Marketing SEO, Analytics
"Audit our SEO and create optimization plan" SEO & Growth Content Marketing, Analytics
"Plan a paid media campaign" Paid Media Operations Analytics, Strategy
"Build an email nurture sequence" Email Marketing Content, Design
"Create a product launch plan" Product Marketing Content, Sales Enablement, Design
"Develop competitive positioning" Strategy & Planning Content, Product Marketing
"Build sales enablement materials" Sales Enablement Content, Design, Product Marketing
"Optimize our analytics and reporting" Marketing Analytics Client Operations, Strategy
"Execute a quarterly marketing plan" Project Management All categories (depends on plan)

CATALYST Framework Architecture: Coordination Model

Handoff Protocols Between Phases

Phase 0 → Phase 1 Handoff

  • Discovery findings (customer research, competitive analysis) become input to Strategy phase
  • Strategic assumptions documented from Phase 0 research
  • Personas and customer insights inform audience segmentation
  • Competitive gaps inform positioning opportunities

Phase 1 → Phase 2 Handoff

  • Positioning and messaging finalized before brand/creative system built
  • Audience segmentation determines CRM data model and list structure
  • Channel strategy determines technology stack configuration
  • KPI framework determines analytics dashboard structure

Phase 2 → Phase 3 Handoff

  • Brand guidelines and design system enable content production
  • CRM and automation configuration enables email sequences
  • Analytics dashboard live before content launches for real-time tracking
  • Compliance protocols established before customer-facing assets created

Phase 3 → Phase 4 Handoff

  • All assets pass QA review before launch
  • Tracking and analytics verified as live
  • Sales team trained on enablement materials
  • Performance baseline established on first day

Phase 4 → Phase 5 Handoff

  • Daily performance data flowing into dashboards
  • Weekly optimization cycles begin
  • A/B tests initialized
  • Budget reallocation recommendations generated
Escalation & Risk Management

Quality Gate Escalations:

  • QA Failures: Issues blocking launch escalated to Project Manager + client stakeholder within 4 hours
  • Performance Issues: Campaign performance >20% below targets escalated within 48 hours with optimization plan
  • Compliance Issues: GDPR/CAN-SPAM/legal violations escalated immediately with remediation plan
  • Budget Overruns: Spend >10% above planned budget escalated within 24 hours with reallocation recommendation

Project Risks:

  • Resource constraints → Project Manager reallocates across CATALYST phases
  • Timeline slippage → Prioritize Phase 3 (Build) tasks and compress Phase 2 if needed
  • Performance underperformance → Escalate to Strategy phase for repositioning
Quality Checkpoints by Phase
Phase Quality Gate Responsible Agent Success Criteria
Phase 0 Discovery Complete Insights Researcher ≥10 customer interviews, ≥3 competitors analyzed, strategic assumptions documented
Phase 1 Strategy Approved Positioning Strategist Positioning clear, messaging aligned with research, KPIs quantifiable, budget realistic
Phase 2 Infrastructure Live Ops Architect CRM configured, data pipelines operational, brand system documented, compliance protocols established
Phase 3 QA Sign-Off QA Manager All assets pass brand/copy/technical QA, accessibility compliant, legal review complete
Phase 4 Launch Verified Project Manager Analytics tracking live, paid media serving, email queues active, sales team trained
Phase 5 Optimization Active Performance Analyst Daily data flowing, weekly optimization cycles running, A/B tests initialized, budget reallocating based on performance

Operating Models by Scale

CATALYST-Full: Enterprise Campaign

Timeline: 12+ weeks | Team: All 90 agents | Scope: Full GTM strategy

  • Week 1-3: Phase 0 Discovery (10 customer interviews, 5 competitor analyses, technical audits)
  • Week 4-6: Phase 1 Strategy (positioning, messaging, audience segmentation, channel strategy, KPIs)
  • Week 7-8: Phase 2 Foundation (ops setup, CRM config, brand system, analytics framework)
  • Week 9-14: Phase 3 Build (parallel content, creative, landing page, email, ad production)
  • Week 15: Phase 4 Launch (email, organic social, ads all go live)
  • Week 16+: Phase 5 Optimize (ongoing weekly optimization, A/B testing, budget reallocation)

Expected Deliverables:

  • Complete marketing strategy document (10-15 pages)
  • 90-day content calendar (50-100+ pieces)
  • 5-10 core value propositions with proof points
  • 6 personas with buying journey maps
  • Email nurture sequences (5-8 sequences, 30+ emails)
  • 15-20 landing pages and conversion assets
  • 2-3 whitepaper/guide content pieces
  • 3-5 case studies
  • 200+ social media posts
  • Ad creative library (20+ variants for testing)
  • Sales enablement library (battle cards, decks, one-pagers)
  • Analytics dashboards and reporting framework
  • Brand guidelines and design system

CATALYST-Sprint: Quarterly Campaign

Timeline: 2-4 weeks | Team: 20-30 agents | Scope: Focused campaign

  • Day 1-2: Phase 1 Review (validate existing strategy against current market)
  • Day 3-4: Phase 2 Partial Setup (validate tech stack, CRM, analytics)
  • Day 5-15: Phase 3 Build (content, creative, emails, landing pages)
  • Day 16: Phase 4 Launch (go live)
  • Day 17+: Phase 5 Optimize (weekly optimization)

Expected Deliverables:

  • Campaign brief (strategy, positioning, audience, messaging, channels)
  • 30-60 day content calendar (15-30 pieces)
  • 3-5 landing pages
  • 2-3 email sequences (10-15 emails)
  • Ad creative (8-10 variants)
  • 30-50 social media posts
  • Sales enablement focused on campaign (2-3 materials)
  • Campaign success criteria and KPIs

CATALYST-Micro: Rapid Campaign

Timeline: 1-5 days | Team: 5-10 agents | Scope: Single channel or funnel stage

  • Day 1: Phase 1 Strategy Brief (2-hour alignment on strategy, messaging, audience)
  • Day 2-3: Phase 3 Build (essential assets only—landing page, emails, ads)
  • Day 4: Phase 4 Launch (go live)
  • Day 5+: Phase 5 Optimize (daily monitoring, rapid iteration)

Expected Deliverables:

  • Campaign brief (1-2 pages)
  • 1-2 landing pages
  • 1 email sequence (3-5 emails)
  • Ad creative (3-5 variants)
  • 10-15 social posts
  • Campaign success criteria

Output Standards & Success Criteria

Strategy Deliverables
  • Positioning Statement: 15-20 words, unique, defensible, resonates with target audience
  • Messaging Pillars: 3-5 pillars with 2-3 proof points each, all backed by customer research
  • Audience Segmentation: 3-4 personas with buying stage, buying group role, pain points, success criteria
  • Channel Strategy: Clear rationale for which channels reach which audiences at which stages
  • KPI Framework: 5-10 primary KPIs with targets, all connected to business outcomes
Content Deliverables
  • Blog Content: 800-2000 words, SEO-optimized, includes data/examples, guest quotes from customers
  • Whitepaper/Guide: 8-12 pages, includes research, frameworks, templates, customer examples
  • Case Study: Customer name, industry, challenge, solution, results (quantified), customer quote
  • Email: Clear CTA, personalized subject line, 100-200 word body, tested on mobile
  • Landing Page: Compelling headline, clear value prop, 1-2 paragraphs body, strong CTA, 1-2 images
Campaign Performance Standards
  • Email Open Rates: 25-35% (B2B benchmark)
  • Click-Through Rates: 3-5% (B2B benchmark)
  • Landing Page Conversion: 5-15% (depends on offer type)
  • Paid Media CTR: 2-5% (depends on industry)
  • Cost Per Lead: Within budget allocation ±10%
  • Lead Quality: >70% passing sales qualification
Quality Assurance Standards
  • Brand Compliance: 100% adherence to brand guidelines (font, color, tone, messaging)
  • Technical Functionality: 100% of links tested and working, forms submitting, tracking firing
  • Copy Quality: Grammar/spelling checked, messaging consistent, clear CTAs
  • Legal Compliance: GDPR/CAN-SPAM/FTC compliance verified, legal review completed
  • Accessibility: WCAG 2.1 AA compliance, alt text on images, keyboard navigation working
Reporting Standards
  • Weekly Reports: 1-2 page summary of KPI performance + top 3 optimization recommendations
  • Monthly Reports: 3-5 page deep dive including attribution analysis, budget reallocation recommendations
  • Executive Reports: 1-page executive summary with headline metrics + 1 key insight + next steps
  • Dashboard Accuracy: Verified daily, data reconciled weekly with source systems

CATALYST Playbook Files

The following playbooks are included in the agents/ directory to guide execution through each phase:

  • phase-0-discovery.md - Discovery activities, research methodology, competitive analysis framework
  • phase-1-strategy.md - Strategy development, positioning, messaging, audience segmentation, channel planning
  • phase-2-foundation.md - Marketing ops setup, CRM configuration, analytics framework, brand system
  • phase-3-build.md - Content production, creative development, asset creation across all channels
  • phase-4-launch.md - Campaign activation, media buying, email launch, monitoring procedures
  • phase-5-optimize.md - Performance analysis, A/B testing, budget optimization, continuous improvement
  • catalyst-strategy.md - CATALYST framework overview and 90-agent reference guide

When NOT to Use CATALYST

CATALYST is designed for coordinated, multi-phase campaigns. Do NOT use CATALYST if:

  • You need a single-asset request (e.g., "write a blog post") → Use specific category skill instead
  • You need tactical execution only (e.g., "create an email") without strategy → Use specific category skill
  • You need immediate execution without planning → Use CATALYST-Micro for rapid mode
  • You need ad-hoc consulting (e.g., "should we do ABM?") → Use Strategy & Planning category

Getting Started with CATALYST

  1. Load Brand Context: Read brand-context.md (see Step 0). If it's missing, offer the template before going further.
  2. Assess Initiative Scope: Is this CATALYST-Full (annual), CATALYST-Sprint (quarterly), or CATALYST-Micro (urgent)?
  3. Review Current State: Do you have existing strategy (skip to Phase 2) or starting fresh (start at Phase 0)?
  4. Identify Key Stakeholders: Who needs to approve strategy? Who owns execution?
  5. Allocate Resources: Which agents/categories do you need? Full team or focused subset?
  6. Set Timeline & Milestones: When does each phase gate need to complete?
  7. Invoke Specific Phase: Start with the phase that matches your current state

Example CATALYST-Sprint Initialization:

  • "We have existing positioning but need to execute Q2 campaign. Invoke Phase 2 (partial foundation setup) then Phase 3 (build) and Phase 4 (launch)"

Example CATALYST-Full Initialization:

  • "We're launching into a new market. Invoke Phase 0 (discovery), Phase 1 (strategy), Phase 2 (foundation), Phase 3 (build), Phase 4 (launch), Phase 5 (optimize)"
1---
2name: catalyst-orchestrator
3description: "Master orchestrator for B2B SaaS marketing campaigns using the CATALYST framework (Coordinated Agents for Targeted, Analytics-Led, Year-round SaaS Transformation). Coordinates 90 specialist agents across 17 marketing disciplines. Use this skill for ANY large-scale marketing initiative: full GTM launches, annual marketing plans, multi-channel campaigns, quarterly planning, or any task requiring coordination across content, SEO, paid media, social, email, design, sales enablement, product marketing, analytics, project management, and client operations. Also triggers on: marketing strategy, campaign plan, GTM launch, quarterly plan, marketing ops, full-funnel campaign, marketing audit, growth plan."
4---
5 
6# CATALYST Orchestrator: Master Marketing Framework
7 
8## Step 0 (always first): Load brand context
9 
10**Before routing any work or producing any deliverable, look for a `brand-context.md` file** in the user's project root (also check `./.claude/brand-context.md` and `./docs/brand-context.md`). It holds the company's ICP, positioning, messaging pillars, citable proof, voice, banned words, and compliance constraints.
11 
12- **If it exists:** read it in full and treat it as binding for this run. Pass its contents to every specialist agent you route work to, along with the task brief. Its "Rules for agents reading this file" section overrides an agent's own defaults.
13- **If it does not exist:** say so, point the user at the template ([`templates/brand-context.md`](../../templates/brand-context.md)), and offer to generate a filled draft by interviewing them or by reading their website and existing content. Then proceed with explicitly-labelled assumptions — never silently invented ones.
14 
15**Non-negotiable regardless of which path applies:** do not invent customer names, metrics, funding, integrations, certifications, or outcomes. Only proof recorded in `brand-context.md` (or supplied directly in the request) may be used as fact. Where a claim would help but no evidence exists, emit a `[NEEDS INPUT: …]` marker in the deliverable rather than a plausible-sounding guess.
16 
17Brand context is what turns generic B2B SaaS output into output that sounds like the user's company. Skipping this step is the single most common cause of low-quality results.
18 
19---
20 
21## What This Is
22 
23CATALYST (Coordinated Agents for Targeted, Analytics-Led, Year-round SaaS Transformation) is the master orchestration framework for enterprise-scale B2B SaaS marketing. It coordinates 90 specialized agents across 17 disciplines executing campaigns from strategy through optimization. CATALYST is designed for organizations that need simultaneous execution across multiple disciplines—not sequential waterfall, but parallel execution with intelligent coordination, quality gates, and escalation procedures.
24 
25CATALYST operates in three modes:
26 
271. **CATALYST-Full**: Complete annual planning (90 agents, 12+ weeks) for comprehensive GTM launches and year-round marketing strategy
282. **CATALYST-Sprint**: Focused 2-4 week campaigns (20-30 agents) for quarterly planning or major product launches
293. **CATALYST-Micro**: Rapid 1-5 day execution (5-10 agents) for tactical campaigns or immediate needs
30 
31All three modes flow through six phase gates ensuring strategic clarity before build-out and data-driven optimization post-launch.
32 
33## The Team / How It Works
34 
35### 17 Disciplines & 90 Specialist Agents
36 
37| Discipline | Agents | Specialty |
38|----------|--------|-----------|
39| **Content Marketing** | 9 agents | Blog content, whitepapers, case studies, newsletters, copywriting, video scripts, thought leadership |
40| **SEO & Growth** | 7 agents | Technical SEO, keyword research, content optimization, link building, AI/AEO/GEO, international, programmatic SEO |
41| **Paid Media Operations** | 8 agents | PPC strategy, social ads (including Thought Leader Ads and Meta partnership ads on a person's post), creative strategy, budget optimization, programmatic buying, attribution, sponsorships and content syndication, the conversion signal fed back to the bidders (offline conversion import, LinkedIn Conversions API, pipeline-stage values) |
42| **Social Media Operations** | 8 agents | LinkedIn, Twitter/X, Reddit, YouTube, community management, influencer partnerships, B2B podcast strategy and podcast guesting, social listening (query book, coverage map, validated sentiment, share of voice, signal routing) |
43| **Email Marketing Operations** | 5 agents | Lifecycle design, copywriting, automation, deliverability, newsletter growth |
44| **Design Operations** | 5 agents | Landing pages, brand identity, presentations, visual content, ad creative |
45| **Sales Enablement** | 8 agents | Outbound, discovery coaching, deal strategy, battle cards, proposals, pipeline analysis, technical presales (demos, POCs, security questionnaires), the website AI chat agent / inbound AI SDR |
46| **Product Marketing** | 13 agents | Integrated campaign design and the channel plan (campaign brief, offer ladder, channel jobs, kill/scale rules, stop list), acquisition integration (sign-to-close guardrails, acquired-customer comms, brand decision, database merge, sunsets), founder-led GTM (design partners, founder-led sales, product-market-fit evidence, first hire), positioning, messaging, launches, competitive intel, customer advocacy, pricing & packaging, agent readiness, international market entry and localization, brand marketing and demand creation (brand-vs-performance split, category entry points, brand measurement), public-sector marketing (FedRAMP/GovRAMP claims, gift rules for officials, quiet periods, contract vehicles) |
47| **Account-Based Marketing** | 1 agent | Target account list and 1:1/1:few/1:many tiering, capacity-sized coverage, signals-to-actions, per-tier orchestration contract, account coverage and penetration |
48| **Growth** | 3 agents | PLG activation (signup → first invoice, PQLs, in-product upgrade moments), the self-guided interactive demo in front of the login wall (gate policy, demo freshness, step-level analytics), customer marketing (expansion, churn-save, NRR, champion tracking) |
49| **Marketing Analytics** | 9 agents | Performance analysis, attribution modeling, demand planning (funnel model, sales-cycle lag, capacity ceilings, scenario band), CRO, customer insights, marketing ops architecture, martech stack and platform-migration strategy, marketing AI governance |
50| **Communications** | 2 agents | PR and earned media, announcements, crisis comms; analyst relations (Magic Quadrant, Wave, MarketScape) |
51| **Partnerships** | 2 agents | Co-marketing with alliances and channel, integration launches, cloud-marketplace GTM, affiliate and partner-referral programs — plus channel program architecture: readiness gate, motion selection, partner economics, margin/SPIF design, recruitment and certification ramp, rules of engagement and channel conflict |
52| **Events & Field Marketing** | 1 agent | Conference and sponsorship selection, booths, owned events, roadshows, the webinar engine |
53| **Developer Marketing** | 1 agent | Docs as a marketing surface, quickstarts, SDKs, open source, DevRel |
54| **Marketing Project Management** | 4 agents | Campaign coordination, timeline management, resource allocation, stakeholder communication |
55| **Client Operations** | 4 agents | Client reporting, QA, financial tracking, legal compliance |
56 
57**Total: 17 Disciplines × 90 Specialist Agents**
58 
59### CATALYST Phase Architecture
60 
61All campaigns flow through six sequential phases with quality gates between each:
62 
63#### **Phase 0: Discovery & Audit** (2-3 weeks for Full | 1-2 days for Sprint)
64 
65Establishes factual foundation through primary customer research, competitive analysis, technical audits, and market assessment.
66 
67**Agents Involved**: Customer Insights Researcher, Competitive Intelligence Analyst, SEO Technical Auditor, Analytics Performance Analyst, Customer Journey Mapper, Voice-of-Customer Specialist, Industry Trend Analyst, Advertising Audit Analyst
68 
69**Key Activities**:
70- 10-12 customer interviews (current customers, prospects, competitor customers)
71- Competitive positioning analysis (3-5 key competitors)
72- Technical SEO audit and infrastructure assessment
73- Customer journey mapping and pain point identification
74- Market sizing (TAM, SAM, SOM analysis)
75- Voice-of-customer research and quote library
76 
77**Deliverables**:
78- Customer research summary with personas (2-3 pages)
79- Competitive positioning analysis (3-5 pages)
80- Technical audit findings with priority fixes
81- Customer journey map with key touchpoints
82- Market opportunity assessment
83- Strategic assumptions document (10-15 key assumptions to validate)
84 
85**Quality Gate**: Minimum 10 customer interviews completed, 3+ competitors analyzed, clear strategic assumptions identified
86 
87---
88 
89#### **Phase 1: Strategy & Planning** (2-3 weeks for Full | 2-3 days for Sprint)
90 
91Translates discovery findings into comprehensive marketing strategy with clear positioning, messaging, audience segmentation, channel strategy, and success metrics.
92 
93**Agents Involved**: Positioning Strategist, Messaging Architect, Campaign Coordinator, Budget Optimizer, Marketing Goals Strategist, Audience Segmentation Specialist, Integrated Campaign Strategist
94 
95**Key Activities**:
96- Develop positioning statement (15-20 word core positioning)
97- Create 3-5 key messaging pillars with proof points
98- Build 3-4 target audience personas with buying process
99- Segment audiences by buying stage and buying group role
100- Define channel strategy (which channels for which audiences/stages)
101- Set marketing goals, KPIs, and success metrics (5-10 primary KPIs)
102- Build budget allocation plan across channels
103- Create content calendar outline and tactical roadmap
104 
105**Deliverables**:
106- Positioning & messaging strategy (5-8 pages)
107- Target audience segmentation with personas (3-5 pages)
108- Channel strategy matrix (which channels for which segments/stages)
109- 90/365 day marketing roadmap with key milestones
110- KPI framework and success metrics definition
111- Budget allocation plan by channel
112- Campaign brief with goals, audience, channels, messaging, timeline, success criteria
113 
114**Quality Gate**: Positioning clear and defensible, messaging pillars aligned with customer research, audiences segmented by stage and buying group, success metrics quantifiable
115 
116---
117 
118#### **Phase 2: Foundation & Operations** (1-2 weeks for Full | 1-2 days for Sprint)
119 
120Builds marketing operations infrastructure, CRM configuration, data pipelines, integrations, and creative/brand systems before content production.
121 
122**Agents Involved**: Marketing Ops Architect, CRM Configuration Specialist, Data Pipeline Engineer, Integration Specialist, Stack Optimization Analyst, Compliance & Privacy Officer, Brand Identity Strategist, Visual Design Lead, Brand Voice Specialist, Creative Director, Design Systems Manager
123 
124**Key Activities**:
125- Design marketing technology stack and integrations
126- Configure CRM and marketing automation platform
127- Build data pipelines for analytics, reporting, attribution
128- Design analytics dashboard and reporting structure
129- Establish brand guidelines and design system
130- Create template library for consistent execution
131- Set up compliance and privacy protocols
132- Configure email marketing platform and segmentation logic
133 
134**Deliverables**:
135- Marketing technology architecture diagram
136- CRM configuration specifications and data model
137- Data pipeline and integration documentation
138- Analytics and reporting framework (dashboards, KPIs, data sources)
139- Brand guidelines and design system (logo, colors, typography, voice, tone)
140- Email marketing platform configuration guide
141- Compliance and privacy checklist (GDPR, CCPA, CAN-SPAM)
142- Launch readiness checklist
143 
144**Quality Gate**: Technology stack configured and tested, data pipelines operational, brand assets documented, compliance protocols established
145 
146---
147 
148#### **Phase 3: Build & Execution** (3-6 weeks for Full | 2-4 weeks for Sprint)
149 
150Produces marketing content, creatives, campaigns, landing pages, and advertising assets across all channels. This is the production phase where agents execute in parallel.
151 
152**Agents Involved**: All content, design, paid media, social, email, sales enablement, and product marketing agents
153 
154**Key Activities**:
155- Create content calendar and publish schedule
156- Produce blog content (8-12 posts for Full, 2-3 for Sprint)
157- Create thought leadership and whitepaper content
158- Produce case studies (2-3 for Full)
159- Create landing pages and conversion assets
160- Design email nurture sequences (5-10 emails)
161- Build ad creative (headline variants, visual variants, ad copy)
162- Create social media content calendar (30-60 posts for Full)
163- Build sales enablement materials (battle cards, objection handling, sales decks)
164- Create product marketing assets (feature pages, beta launch materials)
165- Design graphics and visual assets
166 
167**Parallel Execution Model**:
168- Content production runs parallel to creative design
169- Email sequences built concurrently with landing pages
170- Ad creative produced while audience targeting defined
171- Sales enablement developed alongside messaging finalization
172- All assets flow through QA gate before launch
173 
174**Deliverables**:
175- Content library (blog posts, whitepapers, case studies, guides)
176- Email campaign sequences (automation workflows, nurture tracks)
177- Ad creative library (headline/image/copy variants for A/B testing)
178- Social media content calendar (30-90 days pre-scheduled)
179- Landing page suite (dedicated pages for key offers)
180- Sales enablement library (battlecards, objection handling, decks, one-pagers)
181- Product marketing assets (feature pages, beta launch kit)
182- Design asset library (graphics, templates, brand-compliant templates)
183 
184**Quality Gate**: All customer-facing assets pass QA review, brand compliance verified, technical testing complete, accessibility standards met
185 
186---
187 
188#### **Phase 4: Launch & Activation** (1-2 weeks)
189 
190Launches campaigns across all channels, activates paid media, sends initial email sequences, publishes content, announces on social, and activates sales motion.
191 
192**Agents Involved**: All category teams + Project Management Coordinator, Client Operations Manager
193 
194**Key Activities**:
195- Verify all tracking and analytics are live
196- Launch advertising (paid search, social, display, LinkedIn)
197- Send initial email sequences to segments
198- Publish content on schedule (blog posts, guides)
199- Launch social media campaign
200- Activate sales enablement (equip sales team with materials)
201- Monitor initial performance and identify issues
202- Scale winning channels and pause underperformers
203- Monitor compliance and technical issues
204- Track early KPI performance
205 
206**Launch Sequence** (3-5 days):
207- Day 0: Email and organic social launch
208- Day 1: Paid media activation
209- Days 2-5: Content publishing, nurture sequences, sales outreach
210 
211**Deliverables**:
212- Campaign launch checklist (final sign-off)
213- Analytics dashboard live and verified
214- Attribution tracking configured and tested
215- Sales team enablement and training completed
216- Campaign performance baseline established
217- Risk/issue log for ongoing monitoring
218 
219**Quality Gate**: All systems tested and live, tracking verified, team trained, early performance metrics visible, escalation procedures established
220 
221---
222 
223#### **Phase 5: Optimize & Iterate** (Ongoing through campaign)
224 
225Analyzes performance data, identifies optimization opportunities, tests variations, reallocates budget, improves targeting, and continuously improves campaign performance.
226 
227**Agents Involved**: Performance Analyst, CRO Specialist, Analytics Performance Analyst, Data Storyteller, Paid Media team, Email Specialist, Social team
228 
229**Key Activities** (Weekly optimization cycles):
230- Analyze daily/weekly campaign performance vs. KPIs
231- Identify underperforming channels and pause low-ROI spend
232- Identify overperforming channels and increase allocation
233- A/B test email subject lines, send times, content
234- A/B test ad creatives (headlines, images, copy)
235- A/B test landing pages (headlines, CTAs, forms)
236- Improve audience targeting based on performance data
237- Optimize email segmentation and personalization
238- Analyze customer acquisition cost by channel and segment
239- Build attribution model to understand contribution by channel
240- Generate weekly performance reports and insights
241- Conduct monthly strategy reviews and optimization planning
242 
243**Continuous Improvement Process**:
244- Week 1-2: Monitor initial performance, fix technical issues, scale winners
245- Week 3-4: A/B test variations, optimize targeting
246- Week 5-8: Reallocate budget based on performance, improve messaging
247- Month 3+: Deep dive analysis, major strategic pivots if needed, prepare for next phase
248 
249**Deliverables**:
250- Weekly performance reports with insights
251- Monthly optimization recommendations
252- A/B test results and winning variants
253- Budget optimization report (ROI by channel)
254- Attribution analysis (channel contribution)
255- Customer acquisition cost analysis
256- Quarterly strategy review and next quarter recommendations
257- Campaign success case study and learnings
258 
259**Quality Gate**: Data accuracy verified, optimization decisions data-driven, changes tracked and measured, learnings documented
260 
261---
262 
263## How to Use
264 
265### Invoking CATALYST: Three Operating Modes
266 
267Choose the CATALYST mode based on your initiative scope:
268 
269#### **CATALYST-Full**: Annual Planning & Major GTM Launches
270- **Use when**: Annual marketing planning, major product launch, market entry, comprehensive strategy refresh
271- **Timeline**: 12+ weeks end-to-end
272- **Agents**: All 90 agents across all 17 disciplines
273- **Scope**: Full funnel (awareness, consideration, decision, adoption)
274- **Budget**: Enterprise-scale multi-channel campaigns
275- **Expected Output**: Comprehensive annual strategy, full content calendar, multi-channel campaigns, reporting infrastructure
276 
277#### **CATALYST-Sprint**: Quarterly Planning & Focused Campaigns
278- **Use when**: Quarterly planning, specific campaign (demand gen, ABM, product launch), channel-specific focus
279- **Timeline**: 2-4 weeks
280- **Agents**: 20-30 agents (select categories based on campaign focus)
281- **Scope**: Specific funnel stage (e.g., awareness + consideration for demand gen)
282- **Budget**: 1-2 campaign budgets
283- **Expected Output**: Campaign strategy, 30-60 day content calendar, focused multi-channel execution
284 
285#### **CATALYST-Micro**: Rapid Tactical Campaigns
286- **Use when**: Urgent response, single channel campaign, urgent demand generation, time-sensitive offers
287- **Timeline**: 1-5 days
288- **Agents**: 5-10 agents (focus on essential channels)
289- **Scope**: Single funnel stage or single channel
290- **Budget**: Tactical spending
291- **Expected Output**: Quick strategy, campaign assets, launch within 1-5 days
292 
293### Request Routing & Decision Matrix
294 
295#### When to Invoke CATALYST-Full
296- "We need a complete GTM strategy for our Series B launch"
297- "Create our annual marketing plan for 2026"
298- "We're entering a new market—need full strategy and execution"
299- "Build a comprehensive demand generation program"
300 
301**Route to**: Phase 0 (Discovery) → Phase 1 (Strategy) → Phase 2 (Foundation) → Phase 3 (Build) → Phase 4 (Launch) → Phase 5 (Optimize)
302 
303#### When to Invoke CATALYST-Sprint
304- "We have a quarterly marketing plan we need to execute"
305- "Launch a demand generation campaign in 3 weeks"
306- "Plan and execute Q2 content marketing push"
307- "Build an ABM campaign for these 20 target accounts"
308 
309**Route to**: Phase 1 (use existing strategy) → Phase 2 (partial foundation) → Phase 3 (Build) → Phase 4 (Launch) → Phase 5 (Optimize)
310 
311#### When to Invoke CATALYST-Micro
312- "We need landing pages and ads for a webinar launching in 3 days"
313- "Create cold email sequence for outbound campaign"
314- "Build email nurture for incoming leads"
315 
316**Route to**: Phase 3 (Build with existing messaging) → Phase 4 (Launch)
317 
318### Category Skill Routing for Specific Disciplines
319 
320Even within CATALYST, you can invoke individual category skills for focused work:
321 
322| When User Asks | Primary Category | Supporting Categories |
323|---|---|---|
324| "We need a blog strategy and content calendar" | Content Marketing | SEO, Analytics |
325| "Audit our SEO and create optimization plan" | SEO & Growth | Content Marketing, Analytics |
326| "Plan a paid media campaign" | Paid Media Operations | Analytics, Strategy |
327| "Build an email nurture sequence" | Email Marketing | Content, Design |
328| "Create a product launch plan" | Product Marketing | Content, Sales Enablement, Design |
329| "Develop competitive positioning" | Strategy & Planning | Content, Product Marketing |
330| "Build sales enablement materials" | Sales Enablement | Content, Design, Product Marketing |
331| "Optimize our analytics and reporting" | Marketing Analytics | Client Operations, Strategy |
332| "Execute a quarterly marketing plan" | Project Management | All categories (depends on plan) |
333 
334---
335 
336## CATALYST Framework Architecture: Coordination Model
337 
338### Handoff Protocols Between Phases
339 
340**Phase 0 → Phase 1 Handoff**
341- Discovery findings (customer research, competitive analysis) become input to Strategy phase
342- Strategic assumptions documented from Phase 0 research
343- Personas and customer insights inform audience segmentation
344- Competitive gaps inform positioning opportunities
345 
346**Phase 1 → Phase 2 Handoff**
347- Positioning and messaging finalized before brand/creative system built
348- Audience segmentation determines CRM data model and list structure
349- Channel strategy determines technology stack configuration
350- KPI framework determines analytics dashboard structure
351 
352**Phase 2 → Phase 3 Handoff**
353- Brand guidelines and design system enable content production
354- CRM and automation configuration enables email sequences
355- Analytics dashboard live before content launches for real-time tracking
356- Compliance protocols established before customer-facing assets created
357 
358**Phase 3 → Phase 4 Handoff**
359- All assets pass QA review before launch
360- Tracking and analytics verified as live
361- Sales team trained on enablement materials
362- Performance baseline established on first day
363 
364**Phase 4 → Phase 5 Handoff**
365- Daily performance data flowing into dashboards
366- Weekly optimization cycles begin
367- A/B tests initialized
368- Budget reallocation recommendations generated
369 
370### Escalation & Risk Management
371 
372**Quality Gate Escalations**:
373- **QA Failures**: Issues blocking launch escalated to Project Manager + client stakeholder within 4 hours
374- **Performance Issues**: Campaign performance >20% below targets escalated within 48 hours with optimization plan
375- **Compliance Issues**: GDPR/CAN-SPAM/legal violations escalated immediately with remediation plan
376- **Budget Overruns**: Spend >10% above planned budget escalated within 24 hours with reallocation recommendation
377 
378**Project Risks**:
379- Resource constraints → Project Manager reallocates across CATALYST phases
380- Timeline slippage → Prioritize Phase 3 (Build) tasks and compress Phase 2 if needed
381- Performance underperformance → Escalate to Strategy phase for repositioning
382 
383### Quality Checkpoints by Phase
384 
385| Phase | Quality Gate | Responsible Agent | Success Criteria |
386|-------|-------------|-------------------|-----------------|
387| Phase 0 | Discovery Complete | Insights Researcher | ≥10 customer interviews, ≥3 competitors analyzed, strategic assumptions documented |
388| Phase 1 | Strategy Approved | Positioning Strategist | Positioning clear, messaging aligned with research, KPIs quantifiable, budget realistic |
389| Phase 2 | Infrastructure Live | Ops Architect | CRM configured, data pipelines operational, brand system documented, compliance protocols established |
390| Phase 3 | QA Sign-Off | QA Manager | All assets pass brand/copy/technical QA, accessibility compliant, legal review complete |
391| Phase 4 | Launch Verified | Project Manager | Analytics tracking live, paid media serving, email queues active, sales team trained |
392| Phase 5 | Optimization Active | Performance Analyst | Daily data flowing, weekly optimization cycles running, A/B tests initialized, budget reallocating based on performance |
393 
394---
395 
396## Operating Models by Scale
397 
398### CATALYST-Full: Enterprise Campaign
399 
400**Timeline**: 12+ weeks | **Team**: All 90 agents | **Scope**: Full GTM strategy
401 
402- **Week 1-3**: Phase 0 Discovery (10 customer interviews, 5 competitor analyses, technical audits)
403- **Week 4-6**: Phase 1 Strategy (positioning, messaging, audience segmentation, channel strategy, KPIs)
404- **Week 7-8**: Phase 2 Foundation (ops setup, CRM config, brand system, analytics framework)
405- **Week 9-14**: Phase 3 Build (parallel content, creative, landing page, email, ad production)
406- **Week 15**: Phase 4 Launch (email, organic social, ads all go live)
407- **Week 16+**: Phase 5 Optimize (ongoing weekly optimization, A/B testing, budget reallocation)
408 
409**Expected Deliverables**:
410- Complete marketing strategy document (10-15 pages)
411- 90-day content calendar (50-100+ pieces)
412- 5-10 core value propositions with proof points
413- 6 personas with buying journey maps
414- Email nurture sequences (5-8 sequences, 30+ emails)
415- 15-20 landing pages and conversion assets
416- 2-3 whitepaper/guide content pieces
417- 3-5 case studies
418- 200+ social media posts
419- Ad creative library (20+ variants for testing)
420- Sales enablement library (battle cards, decks, one-pagers)
421- Analytics dashboards and reporting framework
422- Brand guidelines and design system
423 
424---
425 
426### CATALYST-Sprint: Quarterly Campaign
427 
428**Timeline**: 2-4 weeks | **Team**: 20-30 agents | **Scope**: Focused campaign
429 
430- **Day 1-2**: Phase 1 Review (validate existing strategy against current market)
431- **Day 3-4**: Phase 2 Partial Setup (validate tech stack, CRM, analytics)
432- **Day 5-15**: Phase 3 Build (content, creative, emails, landing pages)
433- **Day 16**: Phase 4 Launch (go live)
434- **Day 17+**: Phase 5 Optimize (weekly optimization)
435 
436**Expected Deliverables**:
437- Campaign brief (strategy, positioning, audience, messaging, channels)
438- 30-60 day content calendar (15-30 pieces)
439- 3-5 landing pages
440- 2-3 email sequences (10-15 emails)
441- Ad creative (8-10 variants)
442- 30-50 social media posts
443- Sales enablement focused on campaign (2-3 materials)
444- Campaign success criteria and KPIs
445 
446---
447 
448### CATALYST-Micro: Rapid Campaign
449 
450**Timeline**: 1-5 days | **Team**: 5-10 agents | **Scope**: Single channel or funnel stage
451 
452- **Day 1**: Phase 1 Strategy Brief (2-hour alignment on strategy, messaging, audience)
453- **Day 2-3**: Phase 3 Build (essential assets only—landing page, emails, ads)
454- **Day 4**: Phase 4 Launch (go live)
455- **Day 5+**: Phase 5 Optimize (daily monitoring, rapid iteration)
456 
457**Expected Deliverables**:
458- Campaign brief (1-2 pages)
459- 1-2 landing pages
460- 1 email sequence (3-5 emails)
461- Ad creative (3-5 variants)
462- 10-15 social posts
463- Campaign success criteria
464 
465---
466 
467## Output Standards & Success Criteria
468 
469### Strategy Deliverables
470- **Positioning Statement**: 15-20 words, unique, defensible, resonates with target audience
471- **Messaging Pillars**: 3-5 pillars with 2-3 proof points each, all backed by customer research
472- **Audience Segmentation**: 3-4 personas with buying stage, buying group role, pain points, success criteria
473- **Channel Strategy**: Clear rationale for which channels reach which audiences at which stages
474- **KPI Framework**: 5-10 primary KPIs with targets, all connected to business outcomes
475 
476### Content Deliverables
477- **Blog Content**: 800-2000 words, SEO-optimized, includes data/examples, guest quotes from customers
478- **Whitepaper/Guide**: 8-12 pages, includes research, frameworks, templates, customer examples
479- **Case Study**: Customer name, industry, challenge, solution, results (quantified), customer quote
480- **Email**: Clear CTA, personalized subject line, 100-200 word body, tested on mobile
481- **Landing Page**: Compelling headline, clear value prop, 1-2 paragraphs body, strong CTA, 1-2 images
482 
483### Campaign Performance Standards
484- **Email Open Rates**: 25-35% (B2B benchmark)
485- **Click-Through Rates**: 3-5% (B2B benchmark)
486- **Landing Page Conversion**: 5-15% (depends on offer type)
487- **Paid Media CTR**: 2-5% (depends on industry)
488- **Cost Per Lead**: Within budget allocation ±10%
489- **Lead Quality**: >70% passing sales qualification
490 
491### Quality Assurance Standards
492- **Brand Compliance**: 100% adherence to brand guidelines (font, color, tone, messaging)
493- **Technical Functionality**: 100% of links tested and working, forms submitting, tracking firing
494- **Copy Quality**: Grammar/spelling checked, messaging consistent, clear CTAs
495- **Legal Compliance**: GDPR/CAN-SPAM/FTC compliance verified, legal review completed
496- **Accessibility**: WCAG 2.1 AA compliance, alt text on images, keyboard navigation working
497 
498### Reporting Standards
499- **Weekly Reports**: 1-2 page summary of KPI performance + top 3 optimization recommendations
500- **Monthly Reports**: 3-5 page deep dive including attribution analysis, budget reallocation recommendations
501- **Executive Reports**: 1-page executive summary with headline metrics + 1 key insight + next steps
502- **Dashboard Accuracy**: Verified daily, data reconciled weekly with source systems
503 
504---
505 
506## CATALYST Playbook Files
507 
508The following playbooks are included in the agents/ directory to guide execution through each phase:
509 
510- **phase-0-discovery.md** - Discovery activities, research methodology, competitive analysis framework
511- **phase-1-strategy.md** - Strategy development, positioning, messaging, audience segmentation, channel planning
512- **phase-2-foundation.md** - Marketing ops setup, CRM configuration, analytics framework, brand system
513- **phase-3-build.md** - Content production, creative development, asset creation across all channels
514- **phase-4-launch.md** - Campaign activation, media buying, email launch, monitoring procedures
515- **phase-5-optimize.md** - Performance analysis, A/B testing, budget optimization, continuous improvement
516- **catalyst-strategy.md** - CATALYST framework overview and 90-agent reference guide
517 
518---
519 
520## When NOT to Use CATALYST
521 
522CATALYST is designed for coordinated, multi-phase campaigns. Do NOT use CATALYST if:
523 
524- You need a **single-asset request** (e.g., "write a blog post") → Use specific category skill instead
525- You need **tactical execution only** (e.g., "create an email") without strategy → Use specific category skill
526- You need **immediate execution without planning** → Use CATALYST-Micro for rapid mode
527- You need **ad-hoc consulting** (e.g., "should we do ABM?") → Use Strategy & Planning category
528 
529---
530 
531## Getting Started with CATALYST
532 
5330. **Load Brand Context**: Read `brand-context.md` (see [Step 0](#step-0-always-first-load-brand-context)). If it's missing, offer the [template](../../templates/brand-context.md) before going further.
5341. **Assess Initiative Scope**: Is this CATALYST-Full (annual), CATALYST-Sprint (quarterly), or CATALYST-Micro (urgent)?
5352. **Review Current State**: Do you have existing strategy (skip to Phase 2) or starting fresh (start at Phase 0)?
5363. **Identify Key Stakeholders**: Who needs to approve strategy? Who owns execution?
5374. **Allocate Resources**: Which agents/categories do you need? Full team or focused subset?
5385. **Set Timeline & Milestones**: When does each phase gate need to complete?
5396. **Invoke Specific Phase**: Start with the phase that matches your current state
540 
541**Example CATALYST-Sprint Initialization**:
542- "We have existing positioning but need to execute Q2 campaign. Invoke Phase 2 (partial foundation setup) then Phase 3 (build) and Phase 4 (launch)"
543 
544**Example CATALYST-Full Initialization**:
545- "We're launching into a new market. Invoke Phase 0 (discovery), Phase 1 (strategy), Phase 2 (foundation), Phase 3 (build), Phase 4 (launch), Phase 5 (optimize)"
546 

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