Launch Day Autopilot

A launch is not a deploy. A deploy puts code on a server. A launch puts a product in front of people who need it, at the right time, with the right message, on the right channels. This skill treats launch as a coordinated campaign, not a checkbox.

Process

Phase 1: Analyze Project

node ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/tools/launch-prep.mjs <project-directory> --url=<production-url>

Parse the JSON output for project info, launch copy, checklist, and press kit.

Phase 2: Audience & Positioning

Before writing a single word of copy, nail the positioning:

Who is this for?

• Define the target user in one sentence (e.g., "Solo SaaS founders with $5K-50K MRR who are losing customers to churn")
• What is their current pain? What do they do today without this product?
• What is the single most compelling thing this product does for them?

Positioning statement:

For [target user] who [pain point], [product] is a [category] that [key benefit]. Unlike [alternatives], it [differentiator].

This positioning statement drives ALL copy below. Every piece of content should map back to it.

Competitive angle:

• What exists today that partially solves this? Why is it insufficient?
• What is the "wedge" — the one thing that makes someone try this instead? Lead with that.

Phase 3: Launch Checklist

Present the launch checklist with pass/fail/warn status:

Product Ready:

• Landing page live and fast (Lighthouse 90+)
• Signup/onboarding flow tested end-to-end
• Pricing page clear with CTA
• No console.logs, TODOs, or placeholder text visible
• Error states handled (404, 500, empty states)

SEO + AI visibility Ready:

• Meta description, OG tags, favicon, sitemap, robots.txt
• llms.txt for AI discoverability
• Structured data (JSON-LD) on key pages
• AI-friendly robots.txt (GPTBot, PerplexityBot allowed)

Analytics Ready:

• Event tracking on signup, activation, and payment
• UTM parameters working for campaign attribution
• Goal/conversion tracking configured

Legal Ready:

• Privacy policy and terms of service linked in footer
• Cookie consent if serving EU users
• GDPR/data deletion path documented

Social Proof Ready:

• At least one testimonial, beta user quote, or dogfood result
• GitHub stars, npm downloads, or other traction signal visible
• Author/founder bio with credibility signals

For any FAIL items, fix them immediately.

Phase 4: Launch Copy — Platform by Platform

Product Hunt:

• Tagline (max 60 chars): Punchy, specific, no buzzwords. Lead with what it does, not what it is.
  • Bad: "AI-powered productivity platform"
  • Good: "Find which customers are about to churn before they cancel"
• Description (2-3 sentences): Problem → solution → proof. Include a number (users, rules, time saved).
• Maker's first comment: Personal, authentic. Why you built this. What surprised you. What's next. End with a question to drive comments.
• Gallery images (5-6): Hero screenshot, key feature 1-3, before/after or comparison, social proof. Each image should stand alone and tell a story.

Twitter/X Thread (5-7 tweets):

• Tweet 1: Hook — state the problem in a way your target user feels. No "I'm excited to announce." Start with the pain.
• Tweet 2: The aha moment — what you realized that led to building this.
• Tweet 3-4: Show, don't tell — screenshot, GIF, or concrete example of the product working.
• Tweet 5: Social proof — beta results, dogfood data, a specific number.
• Tweet 6: The ask — try it (link), star it, share it. One clear CTA.
• Tweet 7: Bonus — what's coming next. Creates anticipation for followers.

LinkedIn Post:

• Professional tone but not corporate. Focus on the journey and the problem space.
• Lead with insight about the industry, not about your product.
• Include 3-5 hashtags (industry-specific, not generic).
• End with a question that invites comments.

Hacker News (Show HN):

• Title: "Show HN: [Product] – [What it does in plain English]"
• Body: Technical, honest, no marketing. Explain: What it does. Why you built it. How it works technically. What's interesting about the implementation. What you learned. Link to demo/repo.
• HN values: technical depth, honesty about limitations, open source, responding to every comment.

Phase 5: Community Seeding Strategy

Launching on platforms is necessary but not sufficient. The products that break through have community presence before launch day:

Pre-launch (1-2 weeks before):

• Post in 3-5 relevant communities about the problem you're solving (not your product)
• Share a "building in public" update showing progress
• DM 10-20 people in your target audience for early feedback
• Ask 5 people to be ready to upvote/comment on launch day

Launch day amplification:

• Ask every early user to share on their preferred platform
• Cross-post between platforms (PH post links to Twitter thread, Twitter links to HN)
• Respond to every comment within 1 hour — engagement velocity matters for algorithms
• Share real-time metrics updates ("50 signups in the first 2 hours") — progress updates drive curiosity

Post-launch (3-7 days after):

• Follow up with everyone who signed up but didn't activate
• Publish a "launch retrospective" blog post with real numbers
• Submit to newsletters and curated lists in your niche
• Update the product based on launch day feedback and announce the updates

Phase 6: Press Kit

Present the press kit components:

• One-liner description (from positioning statement)
• Elevator pitch (3 sentences: problem, solution, proof)
• Tech highlights (for technical publications)
• Key features list (5-7 bullet points, benefit-led)
• Founder bio with relevant credentials
• High-res logo and screenshot assets

Phase 7: Pre-Launch Health Check

If a production URL was provided:

node ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/tools/health-check.mjs <production-url>

Verify the site is up, fast, and SSL is valid. Run /seo to ensure all SEO + AI visibility signals are in place. Nothing worse than going viral with a broken OG image or a 4-second LCP.

Phase 8: Launch Day Timeline

Generate a suggested launch day timeline (all times in user's timezone):

Key Principles

• Launch is a performance, not a deploy. Every piece of copy, every checklist item, every timing decision matters.
• Specificity beats superlatives. "63 SEO rules" beats "comprehensive SEO." "Catches N+1 queries" beats "improves performance."
• Show, don't tell. Screenshots, GIFs, and real data outperform description text.
• The launch week matters more than launch day. Sustained follow-up converts more than a single spike.