launch

# Launch Strategy & Go-to-Market

A launch is not a moment — it's a 6-week campaign with a peak in the middle. This skill helps you build a waitlist, coordinate launch day across multiple channels, and sustain momentum for 30 days after.

## Core Principles

- A launch without an audience is a tree falling in an empty forest. Build the audience first, even if it's small.
- Momentum is manufactured, not organic. Every "overnight success" launch had weeks of preparation.
- Launch once, but launch everywhere simultaneously. Coordinated beats sequential.
- The goal of launch day is not revenue — it is attention, feedback, and a base of early advocates.
- Post-launch matters more than launch day. Most founders celebrate and then go silent. The ones who win keep pushing for 30 days after.

## Pre-Launch Phase (4-6 Weeks Before)

### Build a Waitlist

```
Waitlist Setup Checklist:
- [ ] Landing page live with clear value prop (see landing-page)
- [ ] Email capture with incentive ("Get early access" or "Join 500+ founders")
- [ ] Confirmation email with share mechanic ("Move up the list by sharing")
- [ ] Weekly update email to keep waitlist warm
- [ ] Social proof counter ("1,247 founders waiting")
```

**Tools:** Waitlist-specific (LaunchList, GetWaitlist) or simple email capture (ConvertKit, Buttondown).

**Tell AI:**
```
Build a waitlist landing page for [product]. Include email capture,
a "why join" section with 3 bullets, social proof counter, and a
share-to-move-up mechanic. Use [framework/stack].
```

### Seed Your Launch Audience

You need at least 100 people who will show up on launch day. Sources:

- **Build in public** — Share progress on Twitter/X, LinkedIn, Indie Hackers for 4-6 weeks before launch (see content)
- **Direct outreach** — Email 50 people who fit your ICP, offer early access in exchange for feedback
- **Communities** — Be active (not spammy) in 3-5 communities where your users hang out
- **Personal network** — Email everyone you know. Ask for shares, not signups
- **Founder communities** — Indie Hackers, r/SaaS, Hacker News, relevant Discord/Slack groups

### Prepare Launch Assets

```
Launch Asset Checklist:
- [ ] Product demo video or GIF (60-90 seconds max)
- [ ] 5-8 screenshots showing key workflows
- [ ] Founder story (why you built this — 3 paragraphs)
- [ ] One-liner description (under 10 words)
- [ ] Short description (2-3 sentences)
- [ ] Long description (2-3 paragraphs)
- [ ] Launch-day pricing (consider a launch discount or extended trial)
- [ ] Social media post drafts (Twitter thread, LinkedIn post)
- [ ] Email to waitlist (announcement + special offer)
- [ ] Direct messages to 20 supporters asking them to engage on launch day
```

**Tell AI:**
```
Write launch copy for [product]. I need:
1. A one-liner under 10 words
2. A 2-sentence description
3. A 3-paragraph description with founder story
4. A Twitter/X launch thread (5-7 tweets)
5. A LinkedIn launch post
Target audience: [ICP description]
```

---

## Product Hunt Launch

Product Hunt is optional but high-leverage for B2B SaaS. If you do it, do it right.

### Timing

- **Best days:** Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday
- **Avoid:** Monday (crowded), Friday-Sunday (low traffic)
- **Post at:** 12:01 AM PT (competition resets daily)
- **Peak voting:** 6 AM - 12 PM PT

### Preparation (2 Weeks Before)

```
Product Hunt Prep:
- [ ] Hunter lined up (someone with followers, or self-hunt)
- [ ] Tagline written (60 chars max, no buzzwords)
- [ ] 5-8 gallery images (first image is most important)
- [ ] Maker comment drafted (authentic, tell your story)
- [ ] "Launching tomorrow" posts scheduled for social media
- [ ] Email to waitlist scheduled for launch morning
- [ ] 20+ supporters committed to upvote and comment on day 1
- [ ] Responses pre-drafted for common questions
```

### Launch Day

Hour-by-hour:

1. **12:01 AM PT** — Listing goes live. Post maker comment immediately.
2. **5-6 AM PT** — Send waitlist email. Post on social media. DM your 20 supporters.
3. **8 AM - 12 PM PT** — Actively respond to every comment. Engage on social media.
4. **12-6 PM PT** — Share updates, user count milestones, interesting feedback.
5. **Evening** — Thank everyone publicly. Share results regardless of ranking.

### What Matters More Than Upvotes

- **Comments** — Product Hunt's algorithm weighs comments heavily. Ask supporters to leave genuine comments, not just upvote.
- **Engagement** — Reply to every single comment within 30 minutes.
- **Quality over quantity** — 50 engaged comments beat 200 silent upvotes.

---

## Non-Product-Hunt Launch

Product Hunt is one channel. A coordinated multi-channel launch works for any SaaS:

### Launch Week Timeline

**Day -7:** Teaser post on social media. "Something's coming."

**Day -3:** Share a behind-the-scenes look. Screenshots or demo video.

**Day -1:** "Launching tomorrow" post. Email waitlist with exact time.

**Day 0 (Launch Day):**
- Morning: Email waitlist with link and launch offer
- Morning: Post on all social channels simultaneously
- Morning: Submit to communities (Indie Hackers, relevant subreddits, Hacker News)
- All day: Engage with every comment, reply, and mention
- Evening: Share day-one stats (signups, not revenue)

**Day +1 to +3:** Share user reactions, testimonials, quick wins.

**Day +7:** "One week later" post with learnings, stats, what's next.

**Day +14:** Feature update based on launch feedback. Shows you listen.

**Day +30:** "One month in" retrospective. Share real numbers.

---

## Launch Channels Ranked for Bootstrapped Founders

| Channel | Effort | Impact | Best For |
|---------|--------|--------|----------|
| Email to waitlist | Low | High | Converting warm leads |
| Twitter/X thread | Medium | High | Dev tools, B2B, indie |
| Product Hunt | High | High | B2B SaaS, tools |
| LinkedIn post | Low | Medium | B2B, professional tools |
| Indie Hackers | Low | Medium | Bootstrapped SaaS |
| Hacker News (Show HN) | Low | High (if it hits) | Technical products |
| Reddit (relevant subs) | Medium | Medium | Niche products |
| Email to personal network | Low | Medium | Any product |
| Partner cross-promotion | Medium | High | If you have partners |

---

## Beta Program Design

If you're not ready for a public launch, run a beta:

```
Beta Program Checklist:
- [ ] Define beta size (10-50 users is ideal for solo founder)
- [ ] Set beta duration (2-4 weeks)
- [ ] Create feedback mechanism (Typeform, in-app widget, or just email)
- [ ] Write beta welcome email explaining what you need from them
- [ ] Schedule check-in emails at day 3, day 7, day 14
- [ ] Define "beta exit criteria" (what metrics/feedback mean you're ready)
- [ ] Plan beta-to-launch transition (discount for beta users, testimonials)
```

**Beta users are not free users.** They are partners. Treat them like advisors:
- Give them direct access to you (email, not a support form)
- Ask specific questions, not "any feedback?"
- Implement their top request visibly and tell them you did it
- Ask for a testimonial before the beta ends

---

## Launch Pricing Strategies

- **Launch discount** — 30-50% off annual plans for first 100 customers. Creates urgency.
- **Lifetime deal** — One-time payment for lifetime access. Good for initial cash but be cautious (LTD buyers churn to free and demand support forever).
- **Extended trial** — 30-day trial instead of 14-day during launch. Reduces friction.
- **Early adopter tier** — Lock in a lower price forever. "This price disappears after launch."
- **Free tier** — Give away a generous free plan. Convert later. Best for PLG products.

Pick ONE. Don't stack discounts.

---

## Post-Launch: The 30-Day Push

Most founders launch, celebrate, and go quiet. The winners keep pushing:

**Week 1:** Share user feedback, testimonials, day-one stats. Fix critical bugs immediately.

**Week 2:** Ship one feature that users asked for during launch. Announce it publicly.

**Week 3:** Write a "lessons learned" post. Share honest numbers. Build in public.

**Week 4:** Transition from "launch mode" to "growth mode." Set up ongoing acquisition channels (see growth-plg, content-marketing, paid-acquisition).

---

## Common Mistakes

| Mistake | Fix |
|---------|-----|
| Launching with zero audience | Spend 4-6 weeks building an audience first |
| Launching everywhere over weeks | Coordinate everything on the same day |
| Asking for upvotes only | Ask for comments and genuine engagement |
| Going silent after launch day | Plan 30 days of post-launch content |
| Waiting until it's "perfect" | Launch when core value works; polish later |
| No launch pricing incentive | Give early adopters a reason to act now |
| Treating beta users as testers | Treat them as partners and future advocates |

---

## Success Looks Like

- 100+ signups in the first week (for a niche B2B SaaS)
- 10+ genuine testimonials or quotes from real users
- 3-5 pieces of user feedback that clarify your roadmap
- A repeatable channel identified (the one that worked best)
- Momentum that carries into month 2, not a spike that flatlines

---

## Related Skills

- **landing-page** — Build the landing page your launch drives traffic to
- **content** — Build-in-public content to warm up your audience pre-launch
- **social-media** — Platform-specific strategies for launch day
- **email** — Welcome sequence for new signups from launch
- **analytics** — Track launch metrics and attribution