# Product Launch Playbook

Based on research from [Product Hunt](https://www.producthunt.com/), [First Round](https://review.firstround.com/), [Lenny's Newsletter](https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/).

---

## Launch Types

### By Scope
| Type | Audience | Goal |
|------|----------|------|
| Soft Launch | Limited/beta | Test, gather feedback |
| Feature Launch | Existing users | Adoption, retention |
| Product Launch | Market | Acquisition, awareness |
| Major Version | All | Re-engagement, press |
| Company Launch | Investors, press | Funding, visibility |

### By Channel Focus
| Channel | Best For |
|---------|----------|
| Product Hunt | B2B SaaS, dev tools |
| Hacker News | Technical products |
| Twitter/X | Community-driven |
| Press/PR | Enterprise, major funding |
| Email | Existing audience |
| Community | Niche products |

---

## Pre-Launch Phase (4-8 weeks before)

### Week 8-6: Foundation
- [ ] Define launch goals and success metrics
- [ ] Identify target audience for launch
- [ ] Research optimal launch timing
- [ ] Create launch timeline and checklist
- [ ] Assign team responsibilities

### Week 6-4: Content Prep
- [ ] Create launch landing page
- [ ] Write launch announcement (blog post)
- [ ] Prepare email sequences (waitlist, launch)
- [ ] Create social media content calendar
- [ ] Develop demo/explainer video
- [ ] Prepare press kit/media assets

### Week 4-2: Community & Outreach
- [ ] Build waitlist (target: 500+ for Product Hunt)
- [ ] Engage in relevant communities
- [ ] Reach out to early reviewers/beta testers
- [ ] Contact press/journalists (if applicable)
- [ ] Line up influencer/partner support
- [ ] Create referral/sharing mechanism

### Week 2-1: Final Prep
- [ ] Test all systems and flows
- [ ] Prepare support team for influx
- [ ] Brief team on launch day procedures
- [ ] Schedule social posts
- [ ] Confirm launch date with partners
- [ ] Prepare for contingencies

---

## Product Hunt Launch Strategy

### Timing
| Factor | Recommendation |
|--------|----------------|
| Day | Tuesday-Thursday (best) |
| Time | 12:01 AM PT (PH reset time) |
| Avoid | Holidays, major tech events |
| Season | Avoid late December |

### Preparation Checklist
- [ ] Hunter lined up (ideally with following)
- [ ] Tagline: 60 characters max
- [ ] Description: 260 characters
- [ ] Gallery: 4-6 images, video optional
- [ ] First comment ready (founder intro)
- [ ] Topics selected (up to 3)
- [ ] Makers added

### Gallery Requirements
| Asset | Specification |
|-------|--------------|
| Thumbnail | 240x240px |
| Gallery images | 1270x760px |
| Video | YouTube/Vimeo link |
| GIF | Supported |

### Launch Day Activities
| Time (PT) | Action |
|-----------|--------|
| 12:01 AM | Launch goes live |
| 12:15 AM | Share on Twitter, notify supporters |
| Morning | Engage with every comment |
| Midday | Email waitlist |
| Afternoon | Share updates, thank supporters |
| Evening | Continue engagement |
| 11:59 PM | Final push |

### Engagement Best Practices
- Reply to EVERY comment (speed matters)
- Be authentic, not salesy
- Answer questions in depth
- Thank supporters publicly
- Share in relevant communities
- Don't ask for upvotes (against TOS)

---

## Feature Launch Framework

### Announcement Tiers
| Tier | Feature Type | Channels |
|------|--------------|----------|
| Tier 1 | Major | All channels, press, events |
| Tier 2 | Medium | Email, social, blog, in-app |
| Tier 3 | Minor | In-app, changelog, docs |

### Feature Launch Checklist
- [ ] Documentation updated
- [ ] Help center articles
- [ ] In-app announcement/tooltip
- [ ] Email to relevant segments
- [ ] Social media announcement
- [ ] Blog post (if Tier 1-2)
- [ ] Demo video
- [ ] Customer success briefed

### In-App Announcement Elements
```
New Feature Announcement

🎉 [Feature Name] is Here!

[Brief description - 1-2 sentences]

[Screenshot or GIF]

[Try It Now →]

[Dismiss]
```

---

## Waitlist Building

### Waitlist Landing Page Elements
```
H1: [Compelling headline]
Subhead: [Value proposition]

[Email input] [Join Waitlist]

Social proof: "X people already waiting"

What you'll get:
✓ Early access
✓ Exclusive discount
✓ Direct feedback channel
```

### Waitlist Size Targets
| Launch Type | Minimum | Good | Great |
|-------------|---------|------|-------|
| Product Hunt | 200 | 500 | 1000+ |
| General launch | 500 | 1000 | 3000+ |
| Enterprise | 50 | 100 | 200+ |

### Waitlist Growth Tactics
1. **Referral incentive** - Skip the line, get bonus
2. **Limited early access** - Exclusivity psychology
3. **Content value** - Free resource for joining
4. **Social sharing** - Shareable waitlist position
5. **Community engagement** - Build before product

---

## Launch Messaging

### Launch Announcement Template
```
Subject: [Product] is live! 🚀

Hey [Name],

After [X months] of building, we're thrilled to announce
that [Product] is officially live!

[One-sentence description]

Here's what you can do:
• [Benefit 1]
• [Benefit 2]
• [Benefit 3]

[CTA Button: Get Started Free]

As a thank you for being on our waitlist, you get
[exclusive offer - discount/extra features].

We can't wait to see what you build!

[Founder name]
```

### Social Media Templates

**Twitter/X Launch Thread:**
```
1/ 🚀 We just launched [Product]!

After [X months] of building with [approach],
we're excited to share it with you.

Here's what makes it different 🧵

2/ The problem: [Pain point]

3/ Our solution: [How you solve it]

4/ Key features:
• [Feature 1]
• [Feature 2]
• [Feature 3]

5/ What early users are saying:
"[Testimonial]"

6/ Special launch offer:
[Discount/bonus]

Try it free: [link]

7/ We'd love your support!
- Try it out
- Share your feedback
- Spread the word

Thank you! 🙏
```

---

## Post-Launch Phase

### Day 1-7: Immediate Follow-Up
- [ ] Thank all supporters/commenters
- [ ] Collect and respond to feedback
- [ ] Fix critical bugs immediately
- [ ] Share launch results/metrics
- [ ] Send follow-up to waitlist non-converts
- [ ] Publish launch retrospective (optional)

### Week 2-4: Momentum
- [ ] Continue content marketing
- [ ] Engage new users for testimonials
- [ ] Address feature requests
- [ ] Share user success stories
- [ ] Retarget launch visitors
- [ ] Plan next feature announcement

---

## Launch Metrics

### Key Performance Indicators
| Metric | What It Measures |
|--------|------------------|
| Waitlist size | Pre-launch interest |
| Conversion rate | Waitlist → Signup |
| Launch day signups | Immediate traction |
| Product Hunt rank | Community validation |
| Week 1 retention | Product-market fit signal |
| Social mentions | Buzz/awareness |
| Press coverage | Reach |
| Referral rate | Virality |

### Success Benchmarks (Product Hunt)
| Outcome | Votes (typical) |
|---------|-----------------|
| Top 5 of day | 500+ |
| Top 10 of day | 300+ |
| Featured | 200+ |
| Notable | 100+ |

### Post-Launch Analysis
| Question | Data Source |
|----------|-------------|
| Where did traffic come from? | Analytics |
| Which channels converted best? | Attribution |
| What feedback repeats? | Comments, support |
| Who are the best-fit users? | User interviews |
| What should we build next? | Feature requests |

---

## Launch Mistakes to Avoid

| Mistake | Impact | Prevention |
|---------|--------|------------|
| Launching too early | Bad first impression | Test thoroughly |
| No launch audience | Low traction | Build waitlist first |
| Poor timing | Lost momentum | Research timing |
| Asking for upvotes | PH ban | Organic support only |
| Ignoring feedback | Missed insights | Engage actively |
| One-and-done | Short-lived buzz | Sustain marketing |
| No analytics | Can't optimize | Set up tracking |

---

## Launch Templates

### Press Release Template
```
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

[Company] Launches [Product] to [Solve Problem]

[City, Date] — [Company name], [brief description],
today announced the launch of [Product], a [category]
that [primary benefit].

[Quote from founder about mission/vision]

Key features include:
• [Feature 1]
• [Feature 2]
• [Feature 3]

[Product] is available [pricing/availability info].

About [Company]
[Boilerplate - 2-3 sentences]

Media Contact:
[Name]
[Email]
[Phone]
```

### Changelog Entry Template
```
## [Date] - [Feature Name]

We're excited to announce [feature]!

### What's New
[Description of change]

### How to Use It
1. [Step 1]
2. [Step 2]
3. [Step 3]

### Why We Built This
[User benefit/feedback that drove this]

[Learn more →]
```
