launch-strategy

Use the five-phase approach: Internal launch for feedback, Alpha for external validation, Beta for buzz building, Early Access for controlled expansion, then Full Launch with open signups. Map each phase to your timeline and assign tactics across owned, rented, and borrowed channels.

Start preparation 2-4 weeks early by building supporter relationships, optimizing your tagline, visuals, and demo video, and engaging communities before pitching. On launch day, respond to every comment in real time and direct traffic to your site to capture email signups.

ORB stands for Owned, Rented, and Borrowed channels. Owned channels like email lists compound over time, rented channels like social media provide speed but no control, and borrowed channels like podcasts and influencers give instant credibility. Everything should funnel back to owned channels.

Major feature updates warrant a targeted campaign: announcement email, blog post, social posts, and in-app notification, but not a full multi-channel launch. Minor updates belong in the changelog. Use the major/medium/minor matrix to scale effort appropriately.

Diagnose whether the cause was insufficient pre-launch audience building, wrong channels, or weak messaging. Analyze which channels produced your existing signups, double down on those, gather testimonials from early users, and run a 30-day recovery plan with new distribution channels.

Product Hunt delivers short-lived traffic spikes and is highly competitive, so it should not be your only channel. If your audience is not tech early adopters or you lack preparation time, prioritize owned channels and borrowed audiences like podcasts and partnerships instead.