Product launch plan with a week-by-week timeline
Launches fall apart in the details: the email that was never scheduled, the page that went live without a price. This prompt has your todo.is agent research how similar products launched, then build a product launch plan with a timeline from pre-launch to week two after, owners for each task, messaging and the numbers to watch.
The prompt
- Create a product launch plan for [PRODUCT], launching on [LAUNCH DATE]. It is for [TARGET CUSTOMER] and the main promise is [KEY BENEFIT]. Our channels: [CHANNELS YOU HAVE, E.G. EMAIL LIST, INSTAGRAM, PRODUCT HUNT, PARTNERS]. Team: [WHO IS ON THE TEAM]. Budget: [BUDGET OR "NO PAID BUDGET"]. Research 3 similar launches and note what they did well. Then write: positioning statement and 3 key messages, a week-by-week timeline from 6 weeks before to 2 weeks after with tasks and owners, a launch-day hour-by-hour checklist, content needed per channel, a risk list with fixes, and 5 KPIs with targets marked as assumptions. Deliver the plan as a Word file and the timeline as an Excel tracker with status columns. Add the launch date and 2 prep deadlines to my Google Calendar.
What to change
- [PRODUCT]: e.g. "a habit-tracking app for teens" or "a new line of cold brew cans".
- [LAUNCH DATE]: e.g. "March 18".
- [TARGET CUSTOMER]: e.g. "parents of 12 to 16 year olds".
- [KEY BENEFIT]: The one thing it does for them.
- [CHANNELS YOU HAVE, E.G. EMAIL LIST, INSTAGRAM, PRODUCT HUNT, PARTNERS]: Include list sizes if you know them.
- [WHO IS ON THE TEAM]: e.g. "me, a designer 2 days a week, a freelance PR person".
- [BUDGET OR "NO PAID BUDGET"]: Any ad or PR budget.
Example result
- Positioning
- For busy coffee drinkers who want café-quality cold brew at home, Ridgeline Cold Brew cans are smooth, low-acid and ready in the fridge. Unlike supermarket cans, ours are brewed for 18 hours in small batches.
- Key messages
- 1. Café taste, straight from the fridge
- 2. 18-hour small-batch brew, nothing added
- 3. Low acid, easy on your stomach
- Timeline
- Week -6: Lock price and launch date. Brief designer on can and page visuals. Owner: founder.
- Week -5: Product page draft. Order samples for 20 creators and local cafés. Owner: founder.
- Week -4: Start waitlist with a "first 500 get 15% off" offer. Teaser posts 3 times a week. Owner: designer.
- Week -3: Send samples to creators with a short brief. Pitch 10 local food writers. Owner: PR freelancer.
- Week -2: Write launch emails (announce, reminder, last chance). Photo shoot. Owner: founder.
- Week -1: Test checkout end to end. Schedule emails. Prepare FAQ and support replies. Owner: founder.
- Launch week: See checklist below.
- Week +1: Share customer photos, thank-you email, ask first buyers for reviews. Owner: founder.
- Week +2: Review KPIs, fix what is not working, plan the next restock. Owner: whole team.
- Launch day
- • 7:00 Check site, stock levels and discount code
- • 8:00 Launch email to waitlist
- • 9:00 Instagram post and stories; creators post in the morning
- • 12:00 Reply to every comment and DM
- • 16:00 Check sales and site speed, fix issues
- • 19:00 Reminder story: "first 500 offer ends tonight"
- Risks
- • Stock runs out: keep a "back in stock" waitlist ready
- • Discount code breaks: test it on 3 devices the day before
- • Creators post late: confirm dates in writing a week before
- KPIs (assumptions to adjust)
- • Waitlist sign-ups before launch: 1,500
- • Launch-week orders: 400
- • Email open rate on launch day: 45%
- • Repeat order rate within 30 days: 20%
- • Reviews in first two weeks: 50
How to do it with todo.is
- Copy the prompt and fill in your product, launch date, customer, channels, team and budget.
- Send it in todo.is. Connect Google first if you want the dates added to your calendar.
- Your agent researches similar launches and delivers the plan in Word plus an Excel tracker.
- Use the tracker weekly. Ask your agent for any piece in detail, like "write the 3 launch emails".
Tips for a better result
- Start the waitlist early. A list of people who said yes before launch day makes the first day far less of a gamble.
- Give every task one owner. "Team" is not an owner.
- Test checkout like a stranger: new device, new email, real card. Most launch-day problems are small and preventable.
- Set a recurring to-do every Monday until launch that sends you the week’s open tasks from the tracker.
product launch plan: FAQ
- How far in advance should you plan a product launch? For a small business, 4 to 8 weeks of preparation is common. Bigger launches with press or retail partners can need several months.
- What should a product launch plan include? Positioning and key messages, a timeline with owners, channel and content plan, a launch-day checklist, risks and the numbers you will measure.
- What KPIs should I track for a launch? Common ones are sign-ups before launch, orders or sign-ups in launch week, conversion rate, email open and click rates, and reviews or repeat purchases after launch.
- Can todo.is run the launch for me? Your agent plans, writes and tracks, and can add dates to your calendar and draft emails. It does not post on social media or send campaigns without you.
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