executing-launch-playbook
Launch Playbook
Overview
A launch is the highest-leverage marketing event because attention is time-bounded. This skill provides a repeatable, tier-based system to compress launch cycles from months to days using AI, without sacrificing quality or cross-functional alignment.
When to Use
- Launching a new product, pricing model, or entering a new market
- Shipping a major feature or integration that expands the value prop
- Minor feature updates that still need coordinated communication
- Launch cycles are taking too long (months instead of weeks)
- Internal teams are caught off-guard by launches (sales, CS not briefed)
- Asset creation is bottlenecked or inconsistent across launches
- No repeatable launch process exists
- A competitor launched something that requires a response
Don't use when: The change is purely internal with no customer-facing impact, or when a changelog entry alone is sufficient.
Quick Reference
| Phase | Duration | Output |
|---|---|---|
| Launch tier classification | Day 0 | Launch brief with tier and owners |
| Positioning and messaging | Day 1-5 | Messaging matrix, headlines |
| Asset creation | Day 3-12 | 3-25 assets per tier |
| Internal enablement | Day 5-14 | Sales, CS, exec briefings |
| Launch execution | Day 0 + 48 hours | Multi-channel go-live |
| Channel plan execution | Day 0-7 | Channel activation |
| Post-launch optimization | Day 2-30 | Performance data |
| Launch retrospective | Day 14-30 | Retrospective doc |
Core Deliverables
- Launch Brief -- Tier classification, business case, success metrics, timeline
- Launch Messaging Doc -- Positioning statement, messaging matrix, persona angles
- Launch Asset Package -- Channel assets from messaging foundation (3-25 per tier)
- Internal Enablement Kit -- Sales one-pager, talk tracks, FAQ, CS briefing
- Launch Day Runsheet -- Execution plan with owners and escalation paths
- Launch Retrospective -- Results vs. targets, channel ROI, action items
Common Mistakes
- Treating every launch as Tier 1 (creates launch fatigue)
- Skipping internal enablement (sales saying "I don't know" on launch day)
- Building assets before messaging is finalized (guarantees rewrites)
- Launching on a Friday (wastes critical first 48 hours on a weekend)
- No measurement plan before launch day
- Skipping the retrospective (repeats same mistakes next launch)
Integration
Feeds into: reducing-cac, accelerating-pipeline, tracking-marketing-metrics
Refresh: Process review quarterly. Tier thresholds every 6 months. Retrospective after every Tier 1 and Tier 2 launch.
See workflow.md for detailed phase-by-phase execution, tier classification framework, asset checklists, launch day timelines, competitive response protocol, and retrospective templates.