Launch Strategy
You've built your MVP, validated with users, and crafted your pitch. Now it's time to plan your launch. A good launch creates momentum that carries you forward.
Launch Strategy
A "soft launch" means:
Launch Strategies
1. The Soft Launch
Release to a small, friendly audience first. Get feedback, fix bugs, refine your messaging. Then expand.
Best for: MVPs still being refined, products that need polishing
2. The Big Bang Launch
Coordinate everything to hit at once: press, social, email, influencers. Create a moment.
Best for: Products with strong traction, companies with marketing resources
3. The Community Launch
Build an audience before you launch. Email list, social following, waitlist. Launch TO them.
Best for: B2C products, products with natural viral potential
How to Launch (Again and Again)
Kat Mañalac • Y Combinator
Why watch this: Kat Mañalac (YC's Head of Outreach) explains why you should launch multiple times and how to create momentum. Real examples from successful YC companies.
Pre-Launch Checklist
- ✅ Landing page with clear value proposition
- ✅ Email capture (waitlist or sign-up)
- ✅ Product is stable enough for users
- ✅ Analytics set up to track key metrics
- ✅ Support plan (how will you respond to users?)
- ✅ Launch day content ready (social, email, etc.)
Where to Launch
For B2C / Consumer Products
- Product Hunt: Great for tech products, can drive thousands of users
- Reddit: Find relevant subreddits, add value first
- Twitter/X: Build in public, share your journey
- TikTok: If your demo is visual and engaging
For Your Audience Specifically
- Campus organizations: First-gen clubs, career groups
- Student media: Campus newspapers, podcasts
- LinkedIn: Share your founder story
Launch Decision
What's the best launch approach?
🌟 Smart Launch!
Partnerships give you warm introductions to your exact audience. The org leaders become advocates. You can manage growth while maintaining quality. This is scalable AND sustainable.
👍 Worth Trying, But...
Product Hunt is great for tech products, but your audience (first-gen students) probably isn't browsing PH. Meet your users where they are.
💡 Too Early
Paid ads can work, but $5K is a lot for an MVP. You don't know your conversion rate yet, and you might waste money. Earn your first 500 users, then scale with ads.
After Launch: Keep the Momentum
- Respond to every user: Early users are gold. Thank them personally.
- Collect testimonials: Ask happy users for quotes you can use.
- Fix bugs fast: Show users you're responsive.
- Share milestones: "100 users!" posts create social proof.
- Keep iterating: Launch is the beginning, not the end.
Create Your Launch Plan
PlanningPlan your launch strategy:
Example Launch Plan
Goal: 200 students, 50 mentors in first 2 weeks
Strategy: Community launch via first-gen student orgs
Where: 1) Partner with first-gen orgs at 5 schools 2) Post in r/FirstGenStudents 3) Personal LinkedIn post about my story
Pre-launch: Finalize partnerships, write announcement emails, prep social content, set up tracking
Launch day: Email via partners, Reddit post (value-first), LinkedIn story post, DM 20 people personally
Date: Monday at 9am EST (high engagement time)
Post-launch: Thank every sign-up personally, fix any issues within 24 hrs, share "50 users!" milestone day 3, collect 5 testimonials by end of week
🎯 Key Takeaways
- Choose your launch strategy: soft, big bang, or community
- Meet your users where they are, not where you wish they were
- Prepare before launch: landing page, analytics, support plan
- Launch is the beginning—keep iterating and growing
- Your first users are advocates—treat them exceptionally
🎓 Congratulations!
You've completed the Genesis curriculum. You now have the knowledge to take an idea from discovery to launch. The next step? Actually do it.
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