Launch

Launch

What this skill does

Not every release deserves a launch. Not every launch deserves a press tour. This skill matches launch effort to launch value using a three-tier framework, then builds the right plan — no more, no less.

Tier 1: Major launches that reshape category or position. Full external + internal motion. Tier 2: Significant launches that move metrics. Targeted external + full internal. Tier 3: Incremental launches that need awareness but not orchestration. Internal + light external.

Most teams default to Tier 1 effort for Tier 3 launches and burn out. Or treat Tier 1 launches with Tier 3 effort and miss the moment. This skill prevents both.

When to invoke

• The user is planning a launch of any size and needs structure.
• The user has a release date but no plan.
• The user has a plan but isn't sure if it's scoped right (over- or under-investing).
• The user needs to brief executives on launch strategy.
• The user is post-launch and needs to plan measurement and follow-up.

Prerequisites

1. Read pmm-context.md first when available. If it is missing, offer to run pmm-context. If unavailable or declined, collect a minimum brief covering product, audience, positioning, launch goal, proof points, constraints, date, and available resources. Mark assumptions and continue.
2. Check for recent positioning skill outputs — launch messaging should ladder up to positioning.
3. Check for personas skill outputs — audience selection depends on which personas this launch serves.
4. Ask the user for launch basics:
   • What's launching?
   • Target launch date?
   • Why this, why now? (strategic rationale)
   • Who's the audience?
   • What does success look like in 30, 60, 90 days?

Tiering framework

Score the launch on 3 axes, 1-5 each:

Tier mapping:

• Score 12-15 → Tier 1
• Score 8-11 → Tier 2
• Score 3-7 → Tier 3

When in doubt, tier down. Over-tiered launches consume the team for weeks; under-tiered launches are recoverable with a follow-up moment.

Tier-specific scope

Tier 1 — Major launch

Use when reshaping category, entering new market, or anchoring strategic narrative.

Timeline: 8-12 weeks pre-launch Audience: All segments + press + analysts + partners Channels: Owned (site, blog, email, social, lifecycle) + earned (press, analysts, podcasts) + paid (ads, sponsorships) + sales-led (events, account-based) Assets: Full kit — see asset checklist below Internal: Cross-functional war room, exec spokespeople trained, sales enablement complete pre-launch

Tier 2 — Significant launch

Use when moving metrics, shipping a major feature, or expanding existing positioning.

Timeline: 4-6 weeks pre-launch Audience: Target persona(s), top accounts, customer base Channels: Owned + targeted earned (1-2 publications) + sales-led (focused outreach) Assets: Core kit — see asset checklist below Internal: PMM-led, sales enablement complete, exec briefing

Tier 3 — Incremental launch

Use when communicating improvements, point features, customer-only updates.

Timeline: 1-2 weeks pre-launch Audience: Customers + warm leads Channels: Owned (release notes, in-product, lifecycle email) Assets: Light kit — see asset checklist below Internal: Brief sales via async update; no live training needed

Workflow

Step 1 — Tier the launch

Walk user through the 3-axis scoring. Confirm tier or argue for adjustment. Document rationale.

Step 2 — Build the launch brief

Use the structure below. Customize content depth to tier.

Step 3 — Build the asset checklist

Generate the tier-appropriate asset list with owners and due dates.

Step 4 — Map the timeline

Reverse-engineer from launch date. Include internal milestones (sales kickoff, exec briefing, embargo) and external milestones (press preview, customer preview, GA).

Step 5 — Define measurement

30/60/90-day metrics tied to launch goals. NOT vanity metrics (impressions, mentions). Use leading indicators that connect to revenue.

Step 6 — Internal alignment

Identify stakeholders, sign-offs needed, briefing schedule. Internal alignment is where most launches actually fail.

The launch brief template

# Launch Brief: [Launch Name]

**Tier:** [1 / 2 / 3] — [score rationale]
**Launch date:** [GA date]
**PMM owner:** [name]
**Cross-functional leads:** [product, sales, marketing, support, CS]

## Strategic context
**Why this, why now:** [1 paragraph — what's changed in the world, the company, the product that makes this launch the right move at this moment]

**Connection to annual plan:** [Which strategic priorities does this launch advance?]

## What we're launching
**Product/feature:** [1 sentence]
**Capabilities:** [3-5 bullets]
**What it replaces or improves:** [user's prior workaround]

## Audience
**Primary persona:** [from `personas` artifact]
**Secondary persona:** [if applicable]
**Excluded segments:** [who this is NOT for — important]

## Positioning & messaging
**Core message (one sentence):** 
**Three supporting messages:**
1. [Message + proof point]
2. [Message + proof point]
3. [Message + proof point]

**What we are NOT saying:** [explicit guardrails]

## Channels
[Tier-appropriate list of channels with specific tactics]

## Asset inventory
[See asset checklist artifact]

## Timeline
[Milestone list, reverse-engineered from launch date]

## Success metrics
**Leading (Week 1-2):**
- 
- 

**30-day:**
- 
- 

**60-day:**
- 
- 

**90-day:**
- 
- 

## Risks & mitigations
| Risk | Likelihood | Impact | Mitigation |
|---|---|---|---|

## Internal stakeholders & sign-offs
| Stakeholder | Role | Sign-off needed by |
|---|---|---|

## Post-launch retrospective date
[Schedule it now — usually 4 weeks post-GA]

Asset checklist by tier

Tier 1 (full kit)

• Positioning statement (from positioning skill)
• Master messaging doc + variants
• Homepage update / hero takeover
• Launch landing page
• Launch blog post (long-form)
• Founder/exec post (LinkedIn/X)
• Press release
• Press kit (logos, screenshots, exec bios)
• Customer-facing email (existing customers)
• Prospect email sequence (3-5 emails)
• Social media campaign (organic + paid)
• Demo video (90 sec hero + 5 min deep)
• Sales deck update
• Sales talk track / battlecard
• Sales objection handling doc
• In-product announcement
• In-product walkthrough
• Help center / docs
• Pricing/packaging update (if applicable)
• Analyst briefing deck
• Customer/partner co-marketing (if applicable)
• FAQ for press/analysts
• FAQ for sales/CS
• Launch event (webinar, in-person)
• Post-launch nurture sequence

Tier 2 (core kit)

• Updated positioning callout
• Messaging doc with 3 supporting messages
• Launch landing page or section
• Launch blog post
• Customer email
• Prospect email (1-2)
• Social posts (organic)
• Demo video (single 2-3 min)
• Sales deck section update
• Sales talk track
• Help center / docs
• In-product announcement
• Internal FAQ

Tier 3 (light kit)

• Release notes
• In-product announcement
• Customer email (digest format)
• One social post
• Help center update
• Async sales update

Quality bar

• Tier first. Resist the urge to start with channels. Tier the launch, then derive scope.
• Audience exclusions matter. State who the launch is NOT for. Generic launches reach nobody.
• Internal alignment is half the work. A perfect external plan with a confused sales team fails.
• Leading metrics, not vanity. Press mentions and impressions don't pay rent. Pipeline, demo requests, account expansion do.
• Schedule the retro now. Without a calendared retro, learnings disappear.

Anti-patterns to refuse

• Defaulting to Tier 1 effort for a Tier 3 launch
• Launching without either shared artifacts or a task-specific product, audience, and positioning brief
• Skipping audience exclusions
• Measuring impressions as if they were outcomes
• Treating sales enablement as a post-launch afterthought
• No scheduled retrospective