How to make a startup launch checklist

A launch checklist keeps you calm when many small things compete for attention. The best ones are short, ordered by when each task matters, and honest about what a small team can do.

Split the work into three periods

Before launch is about preparation: what you will say, where you will say it and how people will sign up. Launch day is about being present and responding. After launch is about learning from what happened.

Know your audience before the announcement

Write down who the product is for and where those people already spend time. Announcing in the wrong place is the most common way a good product goes unnoticed.

Prepare the few assets that matter

You usually need a clear description, one or two screenshots or a short demo, and a simple page where people can sign up. Everything beyond that is optional.

Plan the week after

Decide ahead of time how you will collect feedback and who will respond. The days after launch are when people actually try the product, and what they say shapes the next release.