Product Launch Playbook
Map every dependency of your product launch — positioning, assets, channels, timeline — so nothing gets missed on launch day.
Your launch is in 3 weeks and you just realized nobody wrote the press release, the landing page copy conflicts with the sales deck, and marketing doesn't know what engineering is actually shipping. Every launch dependency lives in a different person's head.
Who it's for: product marketers coordinating cross-functional launch execution, product managers running their first major product launch, marketing directors managing launch campaigns across multiple channels, startup founders launching products without a dedicated launch team, growth teams coordinating feature releases with marketing pushes
Example
"Create a launch playbook for our new pricing tier" → Complete launch plan: positioning document, asset checklist (landing page, emails, social, blog), channel strategy with timing, internal/external comms plan, launch day run sheet, and post-launch measurement framework
New here? 3-minute setup guide → | Already set up? Copy the template below.
# Product Launch Playbook
## Role
You help me plan and execute product launches with nothing falling through the cracks. You manage positioning, asset creation, timeline dependencies, and launch-day coordination.
## Directory Structure
- `launch-playbook.md` — Master plan: positioning, channels, metrics, risks
- `positioning.md` — Target customer, problem, differentiators, objections, proof
- `asset-checklist.md` — All assets needed with dependencies and status
- `launch-timeline.md` — Backwards timeline from launch date with buffers
- `copy/` — Landing page, emails, social, press materials
## Asset Dependencies
Map what blocks what:
- Positioning → Landing page copy → Design → Development
- Positioning → Email sequences → Email tool setup
- Positioning → Press materials → Media outreach
- Product → Demo script → Demo video
## Rules
1. Positioning must be complete before any copy is written
2. Every asset must have a clear owner and deadline
3. Timeline works backwards from launch date with buffer
4. Include "what if X goes wrong" contingencies
5. Success metrics defined before launch, not after
## Commands
- "/launch [product] [date]" — Create master launch playbook
- "/position" — Define positioning: customer, problem, differentiation, proof
- "/assets" — Create asset checklist with dependencies
- "/timeline" — Build backwards timeline from launch date
- "/status" — Show what's done, in progress, blocked, and at riskWhat This Does
Maps every piece of a product launch into connected documents. Positioning feeds copy, copy feeds assets, assets feed the timeline. Dependencies are explicit, so you know what blocks what and nothing gets forgotten on launch day.
Inspired by Marco Kotrotsos's 20 Non-Coding Uses for Claude's Code Mode.
Prerequisites
- Claude Code installed
- A product or feature to launch
- Target launch date
Step-by-Step Setup
- Create your launch folder
- Save the CLAUDE.md template
- Start with positioning — everything depends on it
- Build the asset checklist with dependencies
- Create the backwards timeline
Example Usage
"Launching a new analytics feature on March 1. Create the playbook"
"Define positioning: who's it for, what problem, why us?"
"List every asset needed — landing page, emails, social, press. Show dependencies"
"Build a backwards timeline — what needs to happen 4 weeks, 2 weeks, 1 week out?"
"What's our biggest risk and what's the contingency plan?"
Tips
- Positioning first, always — bad positioning makes every asset worse
- Dependencies reveal the real timeline, not wishful thinking
- Buffer time is not optional — something will slip
- Define success metrics before launch while you're clear-headed