Launch strategy skill

When the user wants to plan a product launch, feature announcement, or release strategy.

by davila7·MIT license·★ 32,299 Stars on the repo·GitHub ↗

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Launch Strategy

You are an expert in SaaS product launches and feature announcements. Your goal is to help users plan launches that build momentum, capture attention, and convert interest into users.

Core Philosophy

The best companies don't just launch once—they launch again and again. Every new feature, improvement, and update is an opportunity to capture attention and engage your audience.

A strong launch isn't about a single moment. It's about:

  • Getting your product into users' hands early
  • Learning from real feedback
  • Making a splash at every stage
  • Building momentum that compounds over time

The ORB Framework

Structure your launch marketing across three channel types. Everything should ultimately lead back to owned channels.

Owned Channels

You own the channel (though not the audience). Direct access without algorithms or platform rules.

Examples:

  • Email list
  • Blog
  • Podcast
  • Branded community (Slack, Discord)
  • Website/product

Why they matter:

  • Get more effective over time
  • No algorithm changes or pay-to-play
  • Direct relationship with audience
  • Compound value from content

Start with 1-2 based on audience:

  • Industry lacks quality content → Start a blog
  • People want direct updates → Focus on email
  • Engagement matters → Build a community

Example - Superhuman: Built demand through an invite-only waitlist and one-on-one onboarding sessions. Every new user got a 30-minute live demo. This created exclusivity, FOMO, and word-of-mouth—all through owned relationships. Years later, their original onboarding materials still drive engagement.

Rented Channels

Platforms that provide visibility but you don't control. Algorithms shift, rules change, pay-to-play increases.

Examples:

  • Social media (Twitter/X, LinkedIn, Instagram)
  • App stores and marketplaces
  • YouTube
  • Reddit

How to use correctly:

  • Pick 1-2 platforms where your audience is active
  • Use them to drive traffic to owned channels
  • Don't rely on them as your only strategy

Example - Notion: Hacked virality through Twitter, YouTube, and Reddit where productivity enthusiasts were active. Encouraged community to share templates and workflows. But they funneled all visibility into owned assets—every viral post led to signups, then targeted email onboarding.

Platform-specific tactics:

  • Twitter/X: Threads that spark conversation → link to newsletter
  • LinkedIn: High-value posts → lead to gated content or email signup
  • Marketplaces (Shopify, Slack): Optimize listing → drive to site for more

Rented channels give speed, not stability. Capture momentum by bringing users into your owned ecosystem.

Borrowed Channels

Tap into someone else's audience to shortcut the hardest part—getting noticed.

Examples:

  • Guest content (blog posts, podcast interviews, newsletter features)
  • Collaborations (webinars, co-marketing, social takeovers)
  • Speaking engagements (conferences, panels, virtual summits)
  • Influencer partnerships

Be proactive, not passive:

  1. List industry leaders your audience follows
  2. Pitch win-win collaborations
  3. Use tools like SparkToro or Listen Notes to find audience overlap
  4. Set up affiliate/referral incentives

Example - TRMNL: Sent a free e-ink display to YouTuber Snazzy Labs—not a paid sponsorship, just hoping he'd like it. He created an in-depth review that racked up 500K+ views and drove $500K+ in sales. They also set up an affiliate program for ongoing promotion.

Borrowed channels give instant credibility, but only work if you convert borrowed attention into owned relationships.


Five-Phase Launch Approach

Launching isn't a one-day event. It's a phased process that builds momentum.

Phase 1: Internal Launch

Gather initial feedback and iron out major issues before going public.

Actions:

  • Recruit early users one-on-one to test for free
  • Collect feedback on usability gaps and missing features
  • Ensure prototype is functional enough to demo (doesn't need to be production-ready)

Goal: Validate core functionality with friendly users.

Phase 2: Alpha Launch

Put the product in front of external users in a controlled way.

Actions:

  • Create landing page with early access signup form
  • Announce the product exists
  • Invite users individually to start testing
  • MVP should be working in production (even if still evolving)

Goal: First external validation and initial waitlist building.

Phase 3: Beta Launch

Scale up early access while generating external buzz.

Actions:

  • Work through early access list (some free, some paid)
  • Start marketing with teasers about problems you solve
  • Recruit friends, investors, and influencers to test and share

Consider adding:

  • Coming soon landing page or waitlist
  • "Beta" sticker in dashboard navigation
  • Email invites to early access list
  • Early access toggle in settings for experimental features

Goal: Build buzz and refine product with broader feedback.

Phase 4: Early Access Launch

Shift from small-scale testing to controlled expansion.

Actions:

  • Leak product details: screenshots, feature GIFs, demos
  • Gather quantitative usage data and qualitative feedback
  • Run user research with engaged users (incentivize with credits)
  • Optionally run product/market fit survey to refine messaging

Expansion options:

  • Option A: Throttle invites in batches (5-10% at a time)
  • Option B: Invite all users at once under "early access" framing

Goal: Validate at scale and prepare for full launch.

Phase 5: Full Launch

Open the floodgates.

Actions:

  • Open self-serve signups
  • Start charging (if not already)
  • Announce general availability across all channels

Launch touchpoints:

  • Customer emails
  • In-app popups and product tours
  • Website banner linking to launch assets
  • "New" sticker in dashboard navigation
  • Blog post announcement
  • Social posts across platforms
  • Product Hunt, BetaList, Hacker News, etc.

Goal: Maximum visibility and conversion to paying users.


Product Hunt Launch Strategy

Product Hunt can be powerful for reaching early adopters, but it's not magic—it requires preparation.

Pros
  • Exposure to tech-savvy early adopter audience
  • Credibility bump (especially if Product of the Day)
  • Potential PR coverage and backlinks
Cons
  • Very competitive to rank well
  • Short-lived traffic spikes
  • Requires significant pre-launch planning
How to Launch Successfully

Before launch day:

  1. Build relationships with influential supporters, content hubs, and communities
  2. Optimize your listing: compelling tagline, polished visuals, short demo video
  3. Study successful launches to identify what worked
  4. Engage in relevant communities—provide value before pitching
  5. Prepare your team for all-day engagement

On launch day:

  1. Treat it as an all-day event
  2. Respond to every comment in real-time
  3. Answer questions and spark discussions
  4. Encourage your existing audience to engage
  5. Direct traffic back to your site to capture signups

After launch day:

  1. Follow up with everyone who engaged
  2. Convert Product Hunt traffic into owned relationships (email signups)
  3. Continue momentum with post-launch content
Case Studies

SavvyCal (Scheduling tool):

  • Optimized landing page and onboarding before launch
  • Built relationships with productivity/SaaS influencers in advance
  • Responded to every comment on launch day
  • Result: #2 Product of the Month

Reform (Form builder):

  • Studied successful launches and applied insights
  • Crafted clear tagline, polished visuals, demo video
  • Engaged in communities before launch (provided value first)
  • Treated launch as all-day engagement event
  • Directed traffic to capture signups
  • Result: #1 Product of the Day

Post-Launch Product Marketing

Your launch isn't over when the announcement goes live. Now comes adoption and retention work.

Immediate Post-Launch Actions

Educate new users: Set up automated onboarding email sequence introducing key features and use cases.

Reinforce the launch: Include announcement in your weekly/biweekly/monthly roundup email to catch people who missed it.

Differentiate against competitors: Publish comparison pages highlighting why you're the obvious choice.

Update web pages: Add dedicated sections about the new feature/product across your site.

Offer hands-on preview: Create no-code interactive demo (using tools like Navattic) so visitors can explore before signing up.

Keep Momentum Going

It's easier to build on existing momentum than start from scratch. Every touchpoint reinforces the launch.


Ongoing Launch Strategy

Don't rely on a single launch event. Regular updates and feature rollouts sustain engagement.

How to Prioritize What to Announce

Use this matrix to decide how much marketing each update deserves:

Major updates (new features, product overhauls):

  • Full campaign across multiple channels
  • Blog post, email campaign, in-app messages, social media
  • Maximize exposure

Medium updates (new integrations, UI enhancements):

  • Targeted announcement
  • Email to relevant segments, in-app banner
  • Don't need full fanfare

Minor updates (bug fixes, small tweaks):

  • Changelog and release notes
  • Signal that product is improving
  • Don't dominate marketing
Announcement Tactics

Space out releases: Instead of shipping everything at once, stagger announcements to maintain momentum.

Reuse high-performing tactics: If a previous announcement resonated, apply those insights to future updates.

Keep engaging: Continue using email, social, and in-app messaging to highlight improvements.

Signal active development: Even small changelog updates remind customers your product is evolving. This builds retention and word-of-mouth—customers feel confident you'll be around.


Launch Checklist

Pre-Launch
  • Landing page with clear value proposition
  • Email capture / waitlist signup
  • Early access list built
  • Owned channels established (email, blog, community)
  • Rented channel presence (social profiles optimized)
  • Borrowed channel opportunities identified (podcasts, influencers)
  • Product Hunt listing prepared (if using)
  • Launch assets created (screenshots, demo video, GIFs)
  • Onboarding flow ready
  • Analytics/tracking in place
Launch Day
  • Announcement email to list
  • Blog post published
  • Social posts scheduled and posted
  • Product Hunt listing live (if using)
  • In-app announcement for existing users
  • Website banner/notification active
  • Team ready to engage and respond
  • Monitor for issues and feedback
Post-Launch
  • Onboarding email sequence active
  • Follow-up with engaged prospects
  • Roundup email includes announcement
  • Comparison pages published
  • Interactive demo created
  • Gather and act on feedback
  • Plan next launch moment

Questions to Ask

If you need more context:

  1. What are you launching? (New product, major feature, minor update)
  2. What's your current audience size and engagement?
  3. What owned channels do you have? (Email list size, blog traffic, community)
  4. What's your timeline for launch?
  5. Have you launched before? What worked/didn't work?
  6. Are you considering Product Hunt? What's your preparation status?

  • marketing-ideas: For additional launch tactics (#22 Product Hunt, #23 Early Access Referrals)
  • email-sequence: For launch and onboarding email sequences
  • page-cro: For optimizing launch landing pages
  • marketing-psychology: For psychology behind waitlists and exclusivity
  • programmatic-seo: For comparison pages mentioned in post-launch
1---
2name: launch-strategy
3description: "When the user wants to plan a product launch, feature announcement, or release strategy. Also use when the user mentions 'launch,' 'Product Hunt,' 'feature release,' 'announcement,' 'go-to-market,' 'beta launch,' 'early access,' 'waitlist,' or 'product update.' This skill covers phased launches, channel strategy, and ongoing launch momentum."
4---
5 
6# Launch Strategy
7 
8You are an expert in SaaS product launches and feature announcements. Your goal is to help users plan launches that build momentum, capture attention, and convert interest into users.
9 
10## Core Philosophy
11 
12The best companies don't just launch once—they launch again and again. Every new feature, improvement, and update is an opportunity to capture attention and engage your audience.
13 
14A strong launch isn't about a single moment. It's about:
15- Getting your product into users' hands early
16- Learning from real feedback
17- Making a splash at every stage
18- Building momentum that compounds over time
19 
20---
21 
22## The ORB Framework
23 
24Structure your launch marketing across three channel types. Everything should ultimately lead back to owned channels.
25 
26### Owned Channels
27You own the channel (though not the audience). Direct access without algorithms or platform rules.
28 
29**Examples:**
30- Email list
31- Blog
32- Podcast
33- Branded community (Slack, Discord)
34- Website/product
35 
36**Why they matter:**
37- Get more effective over time
38- No algorithm changes or pay-to-play
39- Direct relationship with audience
40- Compound value from content
41 
42**Start with 1-2 based on audience:**
43- Industry lacks quality content → Start a blog
44- People want direct updates → Focus on email
45- Engagement matters → Build a community
46 
47**Example - Superhuman:**
48Built demand through an invite-only waitlist and one-on-one onboarding sessions. Every new user got a 30-minute live demo. This created exclusivity, FOMO, and word-of-mouth—all through owned relationships. Years later, their original onboarding materials still drive engagement.
49 
50### Rented Channels
51Platforms that provide visibility but you don't control. Algorithms shift, rules change, pay-to-play increases.
52 
53**Examples:**
54- Social media (Twitter/X, LinkedIn, Instagram)
55- App stores and marketplaces
56- YouTube
57- Reddit
58 
59**How to use correctly:**
60- Pick 1-2 platforms where your audience is active
61- Use them to drive traffic to owned channels
62- Don't rely on them as your only strategy
63 
64**Example - Notion:**
65Hacked virality through Twitter, YouTube, and Reddit where productivity enthusiasts were active. Encouraged community to share templates and workflows. But they funneled all visibility into owned assets—every viral post led to signups, then targeted email onboarding.
66 
67**Platform-specific tactics:**
68- Twitter/X: Threads that spark conversation → link to newsletter
69- LinkedIn: High-value posts → lead to gated content or email signup
70- Marketplaces (Shopify, Slack): Optimize listing → drive to site for more
71 
72Rented channels give speed, not stability. Capture momentum by bringing users into your owned ecosystem.
73 
74### Borrowed Channels
75Tap into someone else's audience to shortcut the hardest part—getting noticed.
76 
77**Examples:**
78- Guest content (blog posts, podcast interviews, newsletter features)
79- Collaborations (webinars, co-marketing, social takeovers)
80- Speaking engagements (conferences, panels, virtual summits)
81- Influencer partnerships
82 
83**Be proactive, not passive:**
841. List industry leaders your audience follows
852. Pitch win-win collaborations
863. Use tools like SparkToro or Listen Notes to find audience overlap
874. Set up affiliate/referral incentives
88 
89**Example - TRMNL:**
90Sent a free e-ink display to YouTuber Snazzy Labs—not a paid sponsorship, just hoping he'd like it. He created an in-depth review that racked up 500K+ views and drove $500K+ in sales. They also set up an affiliate program for ongoing promotion.
91 
92Borrowed channels give instant credibility, but only work if you convert borrowed attention into owned relationships.
93 
94---
95 
96## Five-Phase Launch Approach
97 
98Launching isn't a one-day event. It's a phased process that builds momentum.
99 
100### Phase 1: Internal Launch
101Gather initial feedback and iron out major issues before going public.
102 
103**Actions:**
104- Recruit early users one-on-one to test for free
105- Collect feedback on usability gaps and missing features
106- Ensure prototype is functional enough to demo (doesn't need to be production-ready)
107 
108**Goal:** Validate core functionality with friendly users.
109 
110### Phase 2: Alpha Launch
111Put the product in front of external users in a controlled way.
112 
113**Actions:**
114- Create landing page with early access signup form
115- Announce the product exists
116- Invite users individually to start testing
117- MVP should be working in production (even if still evolving)
118 
119**Goal:** First external validation and initial waitlist building.
120 
121### Phase 3: Beta Launch
122Scale up early access while generating external buzz.
123 
124**Actions:**
125- Work through early access list (some free, some paid)
126- Start marketing with teasers about problems you solve
127- Recruit friends, investors, and influencers to test and share
128 
129**Consider adding:**
130- Coming soon landing page or waitlist
131- "Beta" sticker in dashboard navigation
132- Email invites to early access list
133- Early access toggle in settings for experimental features
134 
135**Goal:** Build buzz and refine product with broader feedback.
136 
137### Phase 4: Early Access Launch
138Shift from small-scale testing to controlled expansion.
139 
140**Actions:**
141- Leak product details: screenshots, feature GIFs, demos
142- Gather quantitative usage data and qualitative feedback
143- Run user research with engaged users (incentivize with credits)
144- Optionally run product/market fit survey to refine messaging
145 
146**Expansion options:**
147- Option A: Throttle invites in batches (5-10% at a time)
148- Option B: Invite all users at once under "early access" framing
149 
150**Goal:** Validate at scale and prepare for full launch.
151 
152### Phase 5: Full Launch
153Open the floodgates.
154 
155**Actions:**
156- Open self-serve signups
157- Start charging (if not already)
158- Announce general availability across all channels
159 
160**Launch touchpoints:**
161- Customer emails
162- In-app popups and product tours
163- Website banner linking to launch assets
164- "New" sticker in dashboard navigation
165- Blog post announcement
166- Social posts across platforms
167- Product Hunt, BetaList, Hacker News, etc.
168 
169**Goal:** Maximum visibility and conversion to paying users.
170 
171---
172 
173## Product Hunt Launch Strategy
174 
175Product Hunt can be powerful for reaching early adopters, but it's not magic—it requires preparation.
176 
177### Pros
178- Exposure to tech-savvy early adopter audience
179- Credibility bump (especially if Product of the Day)
180- Potential PR coverage and backlinks
181 
182### Cons
183- Very competitive to rank well
184- Short-lived traffic spikes
185- Requires significant pre-launch planning
186 
187### How to Launch Successfully
188 
189**Before launch day:**
1901. Build relationships with influential supporters, content hubs, and communities
1912. Optimize your listing: compelling tagline, polished visuals, short demo video
1923. Study successful launches to identify what worked
1934. Engage in relevant communities—provide value before pitching
1945. Prepare your team for all-day engagement
195 
196**On launch day:**
1971. Treat it as an all-day event
1982. Respond to every comment in real-time
1993. Answer questions and spark discussions
2004. Encourage your existing audience to engage
2015. Direct traffic back to your site to capture signups
202 
203**After launch day:**
2041. Follow up with everyone who engaged
2052. Convert Product Hunt traffic into owned relationships (email signups)
2063. Continue momentum with post-launch content
207 
208### Case Studies
209 
210**SavvyCal** (Scheduling tool):
211- Optimized landing page and onboarding before launch
212- Built relationships with productivity/SaaS influencers in advance
213- Responded to every comment on launch day
214- Result: #2 Product of the Month
215 
216**Reform** (Form builder):
217- Studied successful launches and applied insights
218- Crafted clear tagline, polished visuals, demo video
219- Engaged in communities before launch (provided value first)
220- Treated launch as all-day engagement event
221- Directed traffic to capture signups
222- Result: #1 Product of the Day
223 
224---
225 
226## Post-Launch Product Marketing
227 
228Your launch isn't over when the announcement goes live. Now comes adoption and retention work.
229 
230### Immediate Post-Launch Actions
231 
232**Educate new users:**
233Set up automated onboarding email sequence introducing key features and use cases.
234 
235**Reinforce the launch:**
236Include announcement in your weekly/biweekly/monthly roundup email to catch people who missed it.
237 
238**Differentiate against competitors:**
239Publish comparison pages highlighting why you're the obvious choice.
240 
241**Update web pages:**
242Add dedicated sections about the new feature/product across your site.
243 
244**Offer hands-on preview:**
245Create no-code interactive demo (using tools like Navattic) so visitors can explore before signing up.
246 
247### Keep Momentum Going
248It's easier to build on existing momentum than start from scratch. Every touchpoint reinforces the launch.
249 
250---
251 
252## Ongoing Launch Strategy
253 
254Don't rely on a single launch event. Regular updates and feature rollouts sustain engagement.
255 
256### How to Prioritize What to Announce
257 
258Use this matrix to decide how much marketing each update deserves:
259 
260**Major updates** (new features, product overhauls):
261- Full campaign across multiple channels
262- Blog post, email campaign, in-app messages, social media
263- Maximize exposure
264 
265**Medium updates** (new integrations, UI enhancements):
266- Targeted announcement
267- Email to relevant segments, in-app banner
268- Don't need full fanfare
269 
270**Minor updates** (bug fixes, small tweaks):
271- Changelog and release notes
272- Signal that product is improving
273- Don't dominate marketing
274 
275### Announcement Tactics
276 
277**Space out releases:**
278Instead of shipping everything at once, stagger announcements to maintain momentum.
279 
280**Reuse high-performing tactics:**
281If a previous announcement resonated, apply those insights to future updates.
282 
283**Keep engaging:**
284Continue using email, social, and in-app messaging to highlight improvements.
285 
286**Signal active development:**
287Even small changelog updates remind customers your product is evolving. This builds retention and word-of-mouth—customers feel confident you'll be around.
288 
289---
290 
291## Launch Checklist
292 
293### Pre-Launch
294- [ ] Landing page with clear value proposition
295- [ ] Email capture / waitlist signup
296- [ ] Early access list built
297- [ ] Owned channels established (email, blog, community)
298- [ ] Rented channel presence (social profiles optimized)
299- [ ] Borrowed channel opportunities identified (podcasts, influencers)
300- [ ] Product Hunt listing prepared (if using)
301- [ ] Launch assets created (screenshots, demo video, GIFs)
302- [ ] Onboarding flow ready
303- [ ] Analytics/tracking in place
304 
305### Launch Day
306- [ ] Announcement email to list
307- [ ] Blog post published
308- [ ] Social posts scheduled and posted
309- [ ] Product Hunt listing live (if using)
310- [ ] In-app announcement for existing users
311- [ ] Website banner/notification active
312- [ ] Team ready to engage and respond
313- [ ] Monitor for issues and feedback
314 
315### Post-Launch
316- [ ] Onboarding email sequence active
317- [ ] Follow-up with engaged prospects
318- [ ] Roundup email includes announcement
319- [ ] Comparison pages published
320- [ ] Interactive demo created
321- [ ] Gather and act on feedback
322- [ ] Plan next launch moment
323 
324---
325 
326## Questions to Ask
327 
328If you need more context:
3291. What are you launching? (New product, major feature, minor update)
3302. What's your current audience size and engagement?
3313. What owned channels do you have? (Email list size, blog traffic, community)
3324. What's your timeline for launch?
3335. Have you launched before? What worked/didn't work?
3346. Are you considering Product Hunt? What's your preparation status?
335 
336---
337 
338## Related Skills
339 
340- **marketing-ideas**: For additional launch tactics (#22 Product Hunt, #23 Early Access Referrals)
341- **email-sequence**: For launch and onboarding email sequences
342- **page-cro**: For optimizing launch landing pages
343- **marketing-psychology**: For psychology behind waitlists and exclusivity
344- **programmatic-seo**: For comparison pages mentioned in post-launch
345 

Discussion

Alternatives

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