Launch Playbook

When to Activate

• You have a GTM strategy and now need the tactical execution plan
• Launch day is approaching and you need an hour-by-hour playbook
• Managing the cross-functional coordination of a product launch
• Planning pre-launch activities (beta, early access, press prep)
• Orchestrating post-launch amplification and measurement
• Running a launch retrospective to improve future launches

First Questions

1. What is the launch tier? (T1 major, T2 moderate, T3 minor — see go-to-market skill)
2. What is the launch date and is it firm or flexible?
3. Is there a press embargo or exclusive arrangement?
4. Is there a beta or early access program running pre-launch?
5. What channels will be activated on launch day?
6. Who is the launch owner responsible for cross-functional coordination?
7. What is the go/no-go criteria? (What must be true for launch to proceed?)
8. What is the rollback plan if something goes wrong?

Pre-Launch Phase (T-30 to T-0)

T-30 to T-21: Foundation

Product Readiness

• Feature complete and in QA
• Critical bugs resolved, known issues documented
• Performance and load testing completed
• Rollback plan documented and tested

Messaging and Positioning

• Positioning finalized (use product-positioning skill)
• Key messages documented (3-5 messages with supporting proof points)
• Messaging tested with internal stakeholders and 3-5 external customers
• Competitive positioning updated

Beta / Early Access Program

• Beta cohort identified (15-30 users for meaningful feedback)
• Beta onboarding materials prepared
• Feedback collection mechanism in place (surveys, interviews, in-app feedback)
• Beta success criteria defined (activation rate, NPS, feature usage)
• Beta user NDA or communication guidelines (if pre-public launch)

T-21 to T-14: Content Creation

Written Content

• Blog post drafted and reviewed
• Landing page copy written and designed
• Customer email copy drafted (segment by: all customers, relevant segment, beta participants)
• Internal announcement drafted
• Help documentation written
• FAQ document prepared
• Case study or customer quote secured (from beta participants)

Visual and Video Content

• Product screenshots / GIFs captured
• Demo video produced (60-90 seconds, clear value demonstration)
• Social media images/videos created (platform-specific formats)
• Presentation deck updated for sales team
• Email header/banner designed

Press Materials

• Press release drafted (see press-releases skill)
• Media kit prepared (logo, screenshots, exec bios, fact sheet)
• Spokesperson briefed and available on launch day
• Press embargo or exclusive arranged (if T1 launch)
• Media pitch emails drafted (see media-pitching skill)

T-14 to T-7: Enablement and Alignment

Sales Enablement

• Sales training session scheduled and delivered
• Battlecards updated
• Demo script and environment prepared
• Pricing and packaging confirmed with sales leadership
• Target account list for launch outreach identified
• Objection handling document updated
• Commission / incentive structure communicated (if new product)

Customer Success Enablement

• CS team trained on new feature/product
• Proactive outreach list for high-value accounts prepared
• Migration or upgrade path documented
• Success metrics for customers using new feature defined

Support Enablement

• Support team trained
• Knowledge base articles published (hidden until launch)
• Escalation paths defined
• Expected ticket volume estimated and staffing adjusted

Cross-Functional Sync

• Launch readiness meeting with all stakeholders
• Roles and responsibilities confirmed for launch day
• Communication channels established (Slack channel, war room)
• Contingency plans reviewed (what if product isn't ready? What if press leaks early?)

T-7 to T-1: Final Preparation

Technical Readiness

• Landing pages live (unlisted/gated until launch)
• Email sequences loaded, tested (send test to 3+ devices/clients)
• Social media posts drafted and scheduled
• Ad campaigns built and ready to activate
• Analytics tracking verified (events, goals, UTMs)
• In-product announcement configured
• Changelog entry prepared

Press Readiness

• Embargo materials sent to journalists (if applicable)
• Follow-up calls with key journalists scheduled
• Spokesperson final prep and rehearsal

Internal Readiness

• Final go/no-go meeting (T-1 or T-2)
• Launch day playbook distributed to all team members
• War room / monitoring channel set up
• On-call schedule confirmed for launch day

Go/No-Go Criteria

Launch proceeds if ALL of these are true:

• Product is stable and passes QA
• All critical launch assets are approved and ready
• Sales and support teams are trained
• No known issues that would significantly harm the customer experience
• Press/media plans are confirmed
• Launch owner gives final approval

Launch Day Playbook

Hour-by-Hour Plan (Tier 1 Launch)

T-1 HOUR (Pre-Launch)
- War room / Slack channel active
- All team members confirm readiness
- Final product check (is everything working?)
- Verify landing pages, emails, and social posts are ready

T-0 (LAUNCH)
- Product / feature goes live
- Blog post published
- Landing page goes public
- Press release distributed / embargo lifts
- Internal announcement sent (Slack, email)
- First social media post goes live

T+1 HOUR
- Email sent to primary customer segment
- Monitor: Website traffic, sign-ups, social mentions
- Check for technical issues (monitoring dashboards)
- Respond to first social media comments

T+2 HOURS
- Second social media post (different angle/platform)
- Monitor press coverage — share and amplify any publications
- Check: Email delivery, open rates, early click data
- Sales team begins outreach to target accounts

T+4 HOURS
- Third social media post
- Address any customer questions or issues
- First internal update: early metrics and sentiment
- Amplify any customer posts or press coverage

T+6 HOURS
- Review all channels: website, social, email, press, support
- Adjust paid amplification based on early performance
- Send secondary email (different segment or different angle)
- Flag any issues requiring immediate attention

END OF DAY
- Comprehensive launch day metrics report
- Social media recap (mentions, sentiment, top posts)
- Press coverage summary
- Support ticket summary
- Internal debrief with launch team

Social Media Cadence (Launch Day)

Launch Day Monitoring

What to Monitor

• Website traffic (real-time analytics)
• Sign-up / conversion rates
• Social media mentions and sentiment
• Press coverage (Google News, social, direct monitoring)
• Support ticket volume and themes
• Product uptime and performance
• Email metrics (delivery, opens, clicks)

Escalation Triggers

• Product is down or experiencing errors → Immediately pause marketing, activate engineering
• Negative press coverage → Activate crisis communication (see crisis-communication skill)
• Social media backlash → Assess severity, respond per social media guidelines
• Zero press coverage → Activate follow-up pitch sequence to Tier 2 media

Post-Launch Phase (T+1 to T+30)

T+1 to T+3 (Immediate Post-Launch)

Performance Tracking

• Compile full launch day metrics (traffic, sign-ups, coverage, social, support)
• Compare actual performance vs. targets
• Identify top-performing channels and content
• Identify underperforming areas for immediate adjustment

Amplification

• Share press coverage on social media and in email newsletter
• Send follow-up email to non-openers with adjusted subject line
• Boost top-performing social posts with paid
• Post in relevant communities (Reddit, Hacker News, Product Hunt, Slack groups, Discord)
• Ask beta users and champions to share their experience

Content Generation

• Collect and share early customer reactions and quotes
• Begin creating content from launch learnings (lessons learned post, behind-the-scenes)
• Identify user-generated content to amplify

T+3 to T+14 (Sustained Amplification)

Ongoing Activities

• Continue social media posting cadence (2-3x per week referencing the launch)
• Publish additional content (how-to guides, use case posts, deep-dive features)
• Run a customer webinar or live demo
• Follow up with journalists who didn't cover the launch with new angles
• Sales outreach to target accounts referencing launch momentum

Iteration Based on Data

• A/B test landing page elements based on launch traffic data
• Adjust paid targeting based on conversion data
• Refine messaging based on customer feedback and social conversation
• Address product issues surfaced during launch

T+14 to T+30 (Transition to Steady State)

Measurement

• 30-day launch performance report
• Cohort analysis: How do launch-acquired users retain vs. baseline?
• Channel attribution: Which channels drove the most valuable customers?
• Cost analysis: What was the cost per acquisition for launch activities?

Case Studies

• Identify 2-3 early adopters willing to be case studies
• Begin case study interviews and production
• Capture quantitative results from early adopters

Handoff

• Transition from launch mode to ongoing marketing
• Ensure all launch content is findable and reusable
• Update product marketing materials with launch learnings

Launch Communication Templates

Internal Announcement

Subject: [Product/Feature Name] is LIVE

Team,

I'm excited to share that [product/feature] launched today.

WHAT: [1-2 sentence description]
WHO IT'S FOR: [Target customer/segment]
WHY IT MATTERS: [Key value proposition]

KEY LINKS:
- Blog post: [link]
- Landing page: [link]
- Help docs: [link]
- Sales deck: [link]

HOW YOU CAN HELP:
- Share the blog post on your personal social channels
- Forward to anyone who might benefit
- Flag any customer questions to [person]

If customers or prospects ask about this, direct them to [link]
or connect them with [person].

[Name]

Customer Email

Subject: [Benefit-oriented headline, not feature name]

Hi [Name],

[1-2 sentences connecting to their problem/need]

Today we're launching [product/feature] — [what it does in
one sentence].

Here's what this means for you:
- [Benefit 1]
- [Benefit 2]
- [Benefit 3]

[CTA button: Try it now / See how it works / Learn more]

[Optional: "Here's what [beta customer name] said: 'Quote.'"]

Questions? Reply to this email or [book a demo/visit help center].

[Signature]

Blog Post Structure

HEADLINE: [Benefit-focused, not feature-focused]

INTRO (2-3 sentences):
- The problem this solves
- Why it matters now

THE ANNOUNCEMENT (1 paragraph):
- What you're launching
- Key capabilities

WHY WE BUILT THIS (2-3 paragraphs):
- Customer problem in their words
- How you approached solving it
- What makes your approach different

HOW IT WORKS (3-5 sections with screenshots):
- Feature/capability 1
- Feature/capability 2
- Feature/capability 3

EARLY RESULTS / CUSTOMER QUOTE:
- Beta results or customer testimonial

GETTING STARTED:
- How to try it (CTA)
- Pricing info if relevant
- Link to docs

WHAT'S NEXT:
- Roadmap tease (build anticipation)

Social Media Posts

TWITTER/X (announcement):
[Emoji optional] We just launched [product/feature].

[1-sentence benefit]

[Link]

[Thread with details below ↓]

LINKEDIN (long-form):
We've been working on something for [timeframe], and today
it's live.

[Problem statement — 2-3 sentences about the customer pain]

[Solution — what we built and why it's different]

[Early result or customer quote]

[CTA with link]

INSTAGRAM/TIKTOK:
[Visual demo or product walkthrough]
Caption: [Brief description + benefit + CTA to link in bio]

Launch Metrics Dashboard

Dashboard Layout

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│         LAUNCH DASHBOARD — [Product Name]        │
│         Launch Date: [Date]                       │
├────────┬────────┬────────┬────────┬─────────────┤
│ Page   │Sign-ups│ Trials │Revenue │  Press       │
│ Views  │        │Started │Impacted│  Mentions    │
│ XX,XXX │ X,XXX  │  XXX   │ $XXK   │    XX        │
│vs goal │vs goal │vs goal │vs goal │  vs goal     │
├────────┴────────┴────────┴────────┴─────────────┤
│  Daily Sign-ups / Conversions (line chart)       │
├─────────────────────┬───────────────────────────┤
│  Traffic by Channel │  Conversion by Channel    │
│  (bar chart)        │  (bar chart)               │
├─────────────────────┴───────────────────────────┤
│  Social: Mentions [X] | Sentiment [Pos/Neg/Neu] │
│  Support: Tickets [X] | Avg Resolution [Xh]     │
│  Press: Articles [X] | Estimated Reach [X]      │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Launch Retrospective Template

Conduct 2 Weeks Post-Launch

1. Results vs. Goals

2. What Went Well

• [Thing 1 — be specific about what and why]
• [Thing 2]
• [Thing 3]

3. What Didn't Go Well

• [Thing 1 — be specific about impact and root cause]
• [Thing 2]
• [Thing 3]

4. What We Learned

• [Learning 1 — what will we do differently next time?]
• [Learning 2]
• [Learning 3]

5. Action Items for Next Launch

• [Improvement 1] — Owner: [Name]
• [Improvement 2] — Owner: [Name]
• [Improvement 3] — Owner: [Name]

6. Thank Yous

• Acknowledge specific contributions from cross-functional team members.

Quality Gate

Before launch:

• Has go/no-go meeting happened with all stakeholders?
• Is the product stable and performing well?
• Are all launch assets created, reviewed, and approved?
• Are all cross-functional teams trained and ready?
• Is the launch day playbook distributed with hour-by-hour responsibilities?
• Is the monitoring/war room set up?
• Is there a rollback or contingency plan?
• Are success metrics and targets defined?

After launch:

• Have you compiled launch day metrics within 24 hours?
• Is there an amplification plan for T+1 to T+14?
• Are you collecting customer feedback for iteration?
• Have you identified early case study candidates?
• Is a retrospective scheduled for T+14?