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Launch · Core

Plan the launch and go-to-market

A good product can still fail if the right people do not hear about it or understand it. Plan who you are launching to, what you will tell them and how they will find out.

About 2-5 daysEvergreenLast reviewed 5 November 2026

Who this applies to

Skills it builds
Commercial and business senseCommunication and influence
PM types
All
Product types
All
Starting points
All
Ways of working
All
Experience
All
Size of organisation
All

Steps, by experience

Beginner (under 1 year)

  1. Write down who the launch is for and what you want them to do.
  2. Write the main message in one or two sentences: the problem it solves and why it is better.
  3. Choose the channels that reach those people, such as email, in-product messages, sales teams, partners or internal communications.
  4. Prepare the materials: help pages, announcements, screenshots and answers to common questions.
  5. Brief everyone who talks to users, including support and sales.
  6. Agree launch day steps and the measures you will watch in the first weeks.

Intermediate (1 to 4 years)

  1. Define the target audience, positioning and main message.
  2. Plan channels, materials and timing.
  3. Brief support, sales and operations teams.
  4. Set launch success measures and a review date.

Experienced (5+ years)

  1. Decide the launch tier: a quiet release, a feature launch or a major launch, and size the effort to match.
  2. Align with marketing and sales on positioning, pricing and enablement.
  3. Sequence the launch by audience and region to manage risk.
  4. Measure adoption against the launch goal and adjust quickly.

Who can do this

Owner: Product manager

Can be delegated to

  • Content Designer: Write the announcement, help pages and in-product messages
  • Delivery Manager: Coordinate the launch checklist across teams
  • UX Designer: Design launch screens and onboarding moments

Reviewed by: Content Designer, Policy / Legal / Compliance

Tool examples

Confluence
Keep a launch page with audience, message, channels, dates and owners.
Notion
Use a launch checklist template with owners and due dates.
Google Docs
Draft the announcement and FAQ together and share for comments.
Claude
Give it your product brief and ask for three versions of the launch message for different audiences, then edit them.

Definition of done

  • Audience and message agreed
  • Channels and materials ready
  • User-facing teams briefed
  • Launch success measures set

Common pitfalls

  • Assuming users will find the feature on their own
  • Briefing support after launch
  • One message for every audience

If you lead the team

What good looks like: Launches are planned around who needs to hear about the product and why they'd care.

Ask your PM

  • Who is this launch for, and what should they do next?
  • How will we know the launch worked?

Warning signs

  • Launch is a single announcement on release day.
  • Sales and support hear about it last.

Do these first

Sources