launch

Use the five-phase launch approach: Internal, Alpha, Beta, Early Access, and Full Launch. Map your channels with the ORB framework (Owned, Rented, Borrowed) and build a launch day checklist covering email, blog, social, and in-app announcements.

Prepare 2-4 weeks ahead by optimizing your tagline, visuals, and demo video, building supporter relationships, and engaging communities before pitching. On launch day, respond to every comment and direct traffic to your site to capture signups.

Apply the SLC gate: the product should be Simple (does one thing), Lovable (users choose it, not just tolerate it), and Complete (a whole experience, not a stub). If it passes, ship; avoid both Stealth Mode and endless feature additions.

Use the update prioritization matrix: major features get a full campaign across email, blog, social, and in-app messages; medium updates get targeted announcements; minor fixes go in the changelog. Scale tactics to the update's significance.

Diagnose whether the cause was insufficient pre-launch audience building, wrong channels, or weak messaging. Then analyze which channels produced your existing signups, double down on those, leverage early users for testimonials, and run a 30-day recovery plan.

Focus on Borrowed channels: podcast guesting, co-marketing with complementary tools, influencer partnerships, and community engagement. Start these relationships well before launch day, since borrowed audiences take time to build.