Product Announcement (HERALD Protocol)
Generate coordinated, multi-channel product launch communications that tell a consistent story across every audience and platform.
When to Use
- New product launches
- Major feature announcements
- Platform/pricing changes
- Partnership announcements
- Milestone announcements
What You'll Need
Critical inputs (ask if not provided):
- What is being announced (product, feature, partnership)
- Launch date
- Target audience(s)
Nice-to-have:
- Position Lock output (messaging hierarchy)
- Battle Scanner output (competitive context)
- Approved quotes from executives/customers
Process
Step 1: HERALD Framework
Structure the announcement across 6 layers:
| Layer |
What It Covers |
Key Output |
| Headline |
The headline story -- why this matters to the world |
1 sentence that would make someone stop scrolling |
| Echo |
Persona-specific angles on the same announcement |
3-5 message variants by audience |
| Reach |
All announcement materials across channels |
Full asset list below |
| Align |
Internal alignment and stakeholder coordination |
Stakeholder sign-off checklist |
| Launch |
Timed release across channels for maximum impact |
Hour-by-hour launch day plan |
| Distribute |
Success metrics per channel and overall |
KPI dashboard |
Step 2: Big Idea Distillation
Create the announcement hierarchy:
- Internal headline (what we're really doing): 1 sentence, no jargon
- External headline (what customers care about): 1 sentence, benefit-led
- Press headline (what media would write): 1 sentence, newsworthy angle
- Social hook (what gets engagement): 1 sentence, provocative or surprising
All 4 must tell the same story from different angles.
Step 3: Multi-Channel Asset Creation
Generate content for each channel:
| Asset |
Length |
Tone |
Key Element |
| Press release |
400-600 words |
Formal, newsworthy |
Quote from CEO + customer |
| Blog post |
800-1200 words |
Educational, excited |
Problem-solution narrative |
| Email to customers |
200-300 words |
Direct, valuable |
What it means for THEM |
| Email to prospects |
150-250 words |
Compelling, CTA-driven |
Why they should care NOW |
| Social posts (LinkedIn) |
150-200 words |
Professional, insightful |
Hot take or data point |
| Social posts (X/Twitter) |
280 chars |
Punchy, shareable |
The one-liner version |
| Internal announcement |
300-500 words |
Celebratory, informative |
What, why, and what's next |
| Sales enablement brief |
1 page |
Tactical, action-oriented |
Talk track + FAQ + CTA |
| Partner notification |
200-300 words |
Collaborative, opportunity-focused |
What it means for them |
Step 4: Sequencing Plan
Design the launch day timeline:
| Time |
Action |
Channel |
Owner |
| T-7 days |
Embargo briefings to press |
Direct outreach |
PR |
| T-3 days |
Customer advisory board preview |
Email |
CS |
| T-1 day |
Internal all-hands announcement |
Slack/Teams |
Exec |
| T-0 Hour 0 |
Press release goes live |
Newswire |
PR |
| T-0 Hour 1 |
Blog post published |
Website |
Marketing |
| T-0 Hour 2 |
Customer email sent |
Email |
Marketing |
| T-0 Hour 3 |
Social media barrage begins |
LinkedIn, X |
Marketing |
| T-0 Hour 4 |
Sales outreach begins |
Email, phone |
Sales |
| T+1 day |
Partner co-marketing activates |
Joint channels |
Partnerships |
| T+7 days |
Follow-up content wave |
Blog, social |
Marketing |
Step 5: Success Metrics
Track per channel:
- Impressions/reach
- Engagement (clicks, shares, replies)
- Traffic to announcement page
- Sign-ups/demo requests attributed to announcement
- Media coverage (number of articles, reach)
- Social share of voice vs. competitors
Output
Save to outputs/announcement-[product]-[YYYY-MM-DD].md
Deliverables:
- HERALD Brief: Complete announcement strategy with headline story and layered messaging
- Content Package: All 9 channel-specific assets ready for review
- Sequencing Timeline: Hour-by-hour launch day execution plan
- Success Metrics Dashboard: KPIs per channel with targets
Chain Connections
- Next skill: Run
launch-command to integrate announcement into full launch orchestration
- Also feeds:
enablement-forge (announcement assets become sales tools), demand-engine (announcement drives demand)
- Enhanced by: Run after
position-lock (messaging fuels announcement) and battle-scanner (competitive context shapes the story)
1---2name: product-announcement3description: Product announcement and launch communications generator that creates coordinated multi-channel launch messaging from press releases to social posts to internal comms. Use when: product announcement, launch announcement, product launch comms, press release, launch communications, announce new feature, announce new product.4---56# Product Announcement (HERALD Protocol)78Generate coordinated, multi-channel product launch communications that tell a consistent story across every audience and platform.910## When to Use11- New product launches12- Major feature announcements13- Platform/pricing changes14- Partnership announcements15- Milestone announcements1617## What You'll Need18**Critical inputs (ask if not provided):**19- What is being announced (product, feature, partnership)20- Launch date21- Target audience(s)2223**Nice-to-have:**24- Position Lock output (messaging hierarchy)25- Battle Scanner output (competitive context)26- Approved quotes from executives/customers2728## Process2930### Step 1: HERALD Framework31Structure the announcement across 6 layers:3233| Layer | What It Covers | Key Output |34|-------|---------------|-----------|35| **H**eadline | The headline story -- why this matters to the world | 1 sentence that would make someone stop scrolling |36| **E**cho | Persona-specific angles on the same announcement | 3-5 message variants by audience |37| **R**each | All announcement materials across channels | Full asset list below |38| **A**lign | Internal alignment and stakeholder coordination | Stakeholder sign-off checklist |39| **L**aunch | Timed release across channels for maximum impact | Hour-by-hour launch day plan |40| **D**istribute | Success metrics per channel and overall | KPI dashboard |4142### Step 2: Big Idea Distillation43Create the announcement hierarchy:44- **Internal headline** (what we're really doing): 1 sentence, no jargon45- **External headline** (what customers care about): 1 sentence, benefit-led46- **Press headline** (what media would write): 1 sentence, newsworthy angle47- **Social hook** (what gets engagement): 1 sentence, provocative or surprising4849All 4 must tell the same story from different angles.5051### Step 3: Multi-Channel Asset Creation52Generate content for each channel:5354| Asset | Length | Tone | Key Element |55|-------|--------|------|-------------|56| **Press release** | 400-600 words | Formal, newsworthy | Quote from CEO + customer |57| **Blog post** | 800-1200 words | Educational, excited | Problem-solution narrative |58| **Email to customers** | 200-300 words | Direct, valuable | What it means for THEM |59| **Email to prospects** | 150-250 words | Compelling, CTA-driven | Why they should care NOW |60| **Social posts (LinkedIn)** | 150-200 words | Professional, insightful | Hot take or data point |61| **Social posts (X/Twitter)** | 280 chars | Punchy, shareable | The one-liner version |62| **Internal announcement** | 300-500 words | Celebratory, informative | What, why, and what's next |63| **Sales enablement brief** | 1 page | Tactical, action-oriented | Talk track + FAQ + CTA |64| **Partner notification** | 200-300 words | Collaborative, opportunity-focused | What it means for them |6566### Step 4: Sequencing Plan67Design the launch day timeline:6869| Time | Action | Channel | Owner |70|------|--------|---------|-------|71| T-7 days | Embargo briefings to press | Direct outreach | PR |72| T-3 days | Customer advisory board preview | Email | CS |73| T-1 day | Internal all-hands announcement | Slack/Teams | Exec |74| T-0 Hour 0 | Press release goes live | Newswire | PR |75| T-0 Hour 1 | Blog post published | Website | Marketing |76| T-0 Hour 2 | Customer email sent | Email | Marketing |77| T-0 Hour 3 | Social media barrage begins | LinkedIn, X | Marketing |78| T-0 Hour 4 | Sales outreach begins | Email, phone | Sales |79| T+1 day | Partner co-marketing activates | Joint channels | Partnerships |80| T+7 days | Follow-up content wave | Blog, social | Marketing |8182### Step 5: Success Metrics83Track per channel:84- Impressions/reach85- Engagement (clicks, shares, replies)86- Traffic to announcement page87- Sign-ups/demo requests attributed to announcement88- Media coverage (number of articles, reach)89- Social share of voice vs. competitors9091## Output92Save to `outputs/announcement-[product]-[YYYY-MM-DD].md`9394### Deliverables:951. **HERALD Brief**: Complete announcement strategy with headline story and layered messaging962. **Content Package**: All 9 channel-specific assets ready for review973. **Sequencing Timeline**: Hour-by-hour launch day execution plan984. **Success Metrics Dashboard**: KPIs per channel with targets99100## Chain Connections101- **Next skill**: Run `launch-command` to integrate announcement into full launch orchestration102- **Also feeds**: `enablement-forge` (announcement assets become sales tools), `demand-engine` (announcement drives demand)103- **Enhanced by**: Run after `position-lock` (messaging fuels announcement) and `battle-scanner` (competitive context shapes the story)
varunk130