product-launch

Product Launch

Ship creator products with a repeatable spec-to-launch workflow.

The Pipeline

Spec → Build Sprint → QA → Deploy → Retro

Each stage is a command. They compose sequentially but each works standalone.

Stage 1: Spec

Define before building. A good spec answers:

• Problem: What specific pain does this solve? Who has it?
• Solution: What does the product do? What are the boundaries (what it explicitly doesn't do)?
• Audience: Who is the primary buyer/user?
• Value ladder: Where does this sit? (free tool / $27 template / $97 product / $297 system)
• Distribution: How does the creator reach buyers? (email list, social, SEO, marketplace)
• Success metric: What makes this product worth shipping?

Spec format:

# [Product Name] — Spec

## Problem
[1-3 sentences. Be specific.]

## Solution
[What it does. What it doesn't do.]

## Audience
[Primary buyer. What they already tried. Why this is different.]

## Pricing
[Price point and rationale]

## Distribution
[How buyers find this]

## Success metric
[How you'll know it worked in 30 days]

## Scope
[What's in v1. What's explicitly deferred.]

Stage 2: Build Sprint

Focused build execution. Steps:

1. Read the spec — understand what exists, what needs building
2. Build in parallel where possible (frontend / backend / content are independent)
3. Verify — TypeScript compiles, page loads, no regressions
4. Report changes, do NOT deploy in this stage

Stage 3: QA

Before shipping any product:

• All pages load without errors
• Primary user flow works end-to-end
• Mobile layout doesn't break
• CTA links work and go to right destination
• Payment/checkout works (if applicable)
• Email capture works (if applicable)
• Meta tags and OG image set
• No console errors
• Loading states present on async operations

Stage 4: Deploy

1. Verify QA checklist is complete
2. Push to production (via ~~publishing connector)
3. Verify production URL loads correctly
4. Notify team or subscribers via ~~chat or ~~email marketing

Stage 5: Retro

After 30 days (or on request):

• What shipped vs. what was planned?
• Performance vs. success metric
• What worked? What would change?
• Next version scope

Creator Product Types

Type	Build time	Price range	Distribution
Template	1-3 days	$7-47	Gumroad, Etsy, own shop
Micro-tool	3-7 days	Free or $9-27	Product Hunt, social
Course	2-4 weeks	$47-297	Email list, SEO
Agent/system	1-4 weeks	$97-697	Direct, community
SaaS	Ongoing	Subscription	SEO, ads

Pricing Principles

• Free tools: Distribution engine. Collect emails. Upsell to paid.
• Low price ($7-47): Remove friction. Don't over-scope. Ship fast.
• Mid price ($47-147): Needs clear outcome promise. 10x value rule.
• High price ($147-697): Systems that save 10+ hours or make 10x the cost back. Need trust built first.

See references/product-playbook.md for full product development patterns.