launch

Use the five-phase launch approach: Internal testing, Alpha with early access signups, Beta with teasers, Early Access with throttled invites, then Full Launch across all channels. Structure marketing across Owned, Rented, and Borrowed channels using the ORB framework.

Prepare 2-4 weeks ahead by building supporter relationships, optimizing your tagline, visuals, and demo video, and engaging communities before pitching. On launch day, respond to every comment and direct traffic to your site to capture email signups.

ORB stands for Owned, Rented, and Borrowed channels. Owned channels like email lists compound over time, Rented channels like social media provide speed, and Borrowed channels like podcasts and influencers give instant credibility. Everything should funnel back to owned channels.

Use the update priority matrix: major updates get full multi-channel campaigns with blog posts, emails, and in-app messages; medium updates get targeted emails and banners; minor updates go in the changelog. Scale tactics to the update's significance.

Diagnose whether the cause was insufficient pre-launch audience building, wrong channels, or weak messaging. Then analyze which channels produced your existing signups, double down on those, leverage early users for testimonials, and follow a structured recovery plan.

Use borrowed channels when your own audience is small. Tactics include podcast guesting, co-marketing with complementary tools, influencer partnerships, and guest posts. Start outreach well before launch day since these relationships take time to build.