---
name: Launch Prep
description: Use this skill when preparing to deploy to production, setting up analytics, creating legal pages, building landing pages, or planning go-to-market.
version: 1.0.0
---

# Launch Prep Skill

> Everything needed to go from "code complete" to "live product"

---

## When To Use This Skill

Use this skill when:
- Your MVP is code complete
- You're preparing to deploy to production
- You need to set up analytics, legal pages, or landing page
- You're creating your go-to-market plan

---

## Pre-Launch Checklist

### 🔧 Technical Readiness

#### Security
- [ ] HTTPS configured
- [ ] Environment variables secured (not in code)
- [ ] Authentication working
- [ ] Authorization rules in place
- [ ] Input validation everywhere
- [ ] Rate limiting configured
- [ ] CORS properly set up

#### Performance
- [ ] Page load < 3 seconds
- [ ] Mobile responsive
- [ ] Images optimized
- [ ] Lazy loading implemented
- [ ] No console errors

#### Reliability
- [ ] Error tracking set up (Sentry, LogRocket)
- [ ] Health check endpoint
- [ ] Database backups configured
- [ ] Graceful error handling
- [ ] 404 and 500 pages

---

### 📊 Analytics Setup

#### What to Track

**Core Events:**
| Event | Description | Why |
|-------|-------------|-----|
| page_view | User visits a page | Traffic analysis |
| signup | User creates account | Conversion |
| login | User logs in | Engagement |
| [core_action] | User completes main action | Activation |
| upgrade | User upgrades to paid | Revenue |

**Funnel Events:**
```
Landing Page Visit
       ↓ (% conversion)
Signup Page Visit
       ↓ (% conversion)
Signup Complete
       ↓ (% conversion)
First Core Action
       ↓ (% conversion)
Return Visit (Day 1)
       ↓ (% conversion)
Return Visit (Day 7)
```

#### Recommended Tools
| Tool | Use Case | Cost |
|------|----------|------|
| PostHog | Product analytics | Free tier |
| Plausible | Privacy-friendly analytics | $9/mo |
| Vercel Analytics | Web vitals | Free with Vercel |

---

### 📜 Legal Pages

#### Privacy Policy (Required)
Must include:
- What data you collect
- How you use the data
- Third-party services used
- User rights (access, deletion)
- Contact information

**Template structure:**
```markdown
# Privacy Policy

Last updated: [Date]

## Information We Collect
[List data collected]

## How We Use Your Information
[Explain purposes]

## Third-Party Services
[List: Stripe, Supabase, etc.]

## Your Rights
[Access, correction, deletion]

## Contact Us
[Email address]
```

#### Terms of Service (Required)
Must include:
- Acceptance of terms
- Service description
- User responsibilities
- Prohibited uses
- Limitation of liability
- Termination clause

#### Cookie Policy (If applicable)
- What cookies you use
- Why you use them
- How to opt out

---

### 🎨 Landing Page

#### Essential Sections

1. **Hero**
   - Clear headline (problem + solution)
   - Subheadline (how it works)
   - CTA button
   - Hero image/video

2. **Problem/Solution**
   - State the problem clearly
   - Show your solution

3. **Features**
   - 3-5 key features
   - Benefits, not just features

4. **Social Proof**
   - Testimonials
   - Logos (if applicable)
   - Numbers (users, ratings)

5. **Pricing** (if applicable)
   - Clear tiers
   - Highlight recommended
   - FAQ

6. **CTA**
   - Final call to action
   - Clear next step

#### Copywriting Formula: PAS
- **P**roblem: State the pain
- **A**gitate: Make it feel urgent
- **S**olution: Present your product

---

### 💰 Pricing Strategy

#### Common Models

**Freemium**
- Free tier with limits
- Paid tier for power users
- Good for: Consumer apps, tools

**Free Trial**
- Full access for X days
- Then paid
- Good for: B2B, complex products

**Pay Once**
- One-time purchase
- Optional updates
- Good for: Desktop apps, utilities

**Subscription**
- Monthly/yearly recurring
- Continuous updates
- Good for: SaaS, content

#### Pricing Tips
- Anchor with expensive option
- Highlight "most popular" tier
- Offer annual discount (save X%)
- Round numbers feel arbitrary (use $49 not $50)

---

### 🚀 Launch Plan

#### Week Before Launch
- [ ] Announce coming soon on social
- [ ] Collect email waitlist
- [ ] Prepare launch assets (screenshots, copy)
- [ ] Write launch posts for each platform

#### Launch Day
- [ ] Deploy to production
- [ ] Verify everything works
- [ ] Post on Product Hunt
- [ ] Post on Hacker News (Show HN)
- [ ] Tweet/post on social
- [ ] Email waitlist
- [ ] Monitor for issues

#### Week After Launch
- [ ] Respond to all comments/feedback
- [ ] Fix critical bugs immediately
- [ ] Thank users publicly
- [ ] Collect testimonials
- [ ] Analyze metrics

---

### 🎯 Launch Platforms

| Platform | Best For | Tips |
|----------|----------|------|
| Product Hunt | B2C, tools | Launch 12:01am PT Tuesday-Thursday |
| Hacker News | Dev tools, tech | "Show HN:" prefix, explain technical choices |
| Reddit | Niche products | Find relevant subreddits, follow rules |
| Twitter/X | Personal brand | Thread format, show journey |
| Indie Hackers | Bootstrapped products | Be authentic, share numbers |

---

### 📧 Feedback Collection

#### In-App Feedback
- Feedback button/widget
- NPS survey (7 days after signup)
- Feature request board

#### Post-Launch Survey
```
1. How did you hear about us?
2. What problem were you trying to solve?
3. How easy was it to get started? (1-5)
4. What's the one feature you wish we had?
5. Would you recommend us to a friend? (NPS)
```

---

## Launch Readiness Scorecard

Rate each area 1-5:

| Area | Score | Notes |
|------|-------|-------|
| Technical stability | /5 | |
| Security | /5 | |
| Performance | /5 | |
| Analytics | /5 | |
| Legal pages | /5 | |
| Landing page | /5 | |
| Pricing | /5 | |
| Launch plan | /5 | |

**Total: __/40**

- **35-40:** Ready to launch! 🚀
- **25-34:** Almost there, fix gaps
- **Below 25:** Not ready, prioritize essentials

---

## Pre-Launch Security Scan

Before launching, run a security review (adapted from Trail of Bits):

### Quick Security Checklist
- [ ] **Authentication**: All auth flows tested (login, signup, password reset, OAuth)
- [ ] **Authorization**: RLS policies verified on all tables
- [ ] **Input validation**: All forms sanitize input
- [ ] **HTTPS**: Enforced everywhere (no mixed content)
- [ ] **Headers**: CSP, X-Frame-Options, X-Content-Type-Options set
- [ ] **Secrets**: No hardcoded secrets, all in env vars
- [ ] **Dependencies**: `npm audit` shows no critical vulnerabilities
- [ ] **Error pages**: Custom 404/500 that don't leak stack traces
- [ ] **Rate limiting**: API endpoints have rate limits
- [ ] **CORS**: Configured for production domain only

### For Deep Security Audit
Install Trail of Bits security skills for comprehensive analysis:
- Source: github.com/trailofbits/skills
- Covers: static analysis, insecure defaults, sharp edges, variant analysis

---

*This skill ensures you don't forget anything before launch*