10 KiB
Launch Tier Framework
Complete guide to determining and executing different launch tiers for technical products.
Overview
Not all launches are created equal. The launch tier framework helps you allocate the right resources and effort based on the scope and impact of what you're launching.
Key Principle: Match investment to impact.
The Three Tiers
| Tier | Type | Investment | Timeline | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | Major | Full GTM | 12-16 weeks | New product GA, v2.0 |
| Tier 2 | Standard | Selective GTM | 6-8 weeks | New feature, integration |
| Tier 3 | Minor | Minimal GTM | 2-4 weeks | Update, improvement |
Tier 1: Major Launch
When to Use
- New product GA (General Availability)
- Major version release (v2.0, v3.0)
- Platform expansion (new capabilities)
- Game-changing feature (industry first)
- New market entry
Characteristics
Scope:
- Impacts all or most users
- New revenue stream potential
- Significant competitive differentiation
- Industry-level interest expected
- Major technical undertaking
Timeline: 12-16 weeks
Budget: $50K-$500K+ depending on company size
Deliverables
Documentation (Complete Set)
- Getting started guide
- Complete API reference
- Integration guides (3+)
- Migration guide
- Best practices guide
- Troubleshooting guide
- Video tutorial series (5+ videos)
- Architecture documentation
Code Assets
- Multiple SDKs (3+ languages)
- Sample applications (3+ different use cases)
- Starter templates
- Code snippet library
- Interactive playground/sandbox
- CLI tools (if applicable)
Marketing Assets
- Launch blog post (long-form)
- Product page redesign
- Demo video (professional)
- Case studies (2-3)
- Infographic/visual assets
- Explainer video
- Social media campaign
- Email nurture series
PR & Communications
- Press release
- Media kit
- Analyst briefings (Gartner, Forrester)
- Press tour
- Spokesperson training
- Crisis communication plan
Sales Enablement
- Technical battlecard
- Competitive analysis
- Demo script (detailed)
- ROI calculator
- Customer presentation deck
- Pricing/packaging materials
- FAQ (20+ questions)
Events
- Launch event/webinar
- Customer workshops
- Conference talks
- Community meetups
Launch Channels
Primary:
- Developer documentation (hero banner)
- Company blog (featured)
- Email (entire developer base)
- Social media (coordinated campaign)
- Product Hunt launch
- Hacker News announcement
- Press release distribution
Secondary:
- Tech press outreach (TechCrunch, VentureBeat, etc.)
- Developer communities (Reddit, Dev.to)
- YouTube (demo + tutorials)
- Podcasts (interviews)
- Webinars
- Virtual events
Tertiary:
- Conference presentations
- Industry publications
- Analyst reports
- Partner co-marketing
- Influencer outreach
Team & Resources
Core Launch Team:
- Product Marketing Lead
- Product Manager
- Engineering Lead
- Developer Relations
- Sales Engineering
- PR/Communications
- Content Marketing
- Design
- Legal/Compliance
External Resources:
- PR agency
- Video production
- Event planning
- Analyst relations
Time Commitment:
- PMM: 100% for 8+ weeks
- PM: 50%
- Eng: 25% (docs, demos)
- DevRel: 75%
Success Metrics (Tier 1)
Week 1:
- 10K+ API keys / sign-ups
- 50%+ activation rate
- 1M+ webpage views
- 100K+ social impressions
- 10+ press mentions
Month 1:
- 25K+ active developers
- 40%+ Day 7 retention
- 5%+ paid conversion (if applicable)
- NPS > 40
Quarter 1:
- 50K+ active developers
- $X ARR (if revenue product)
- 3+ case studies published
- Industry recognition (awards, mentions)
Budget Breakdown (Example)
| Item | Cost Range |
|---|---|
| PR Agency | $20K-$50K |
| Video Production | $10K-$30K |
| Event/Webinar | $15K-$40K |
| Paid Promotion | $25K-$100K |
| Analyst Relations | $10K-$30K |
| Design Assets | $5K-$15K |
| Tools/Software | $5K-$10K |
| Total | $90K-$275K |
Tier 2: Standard Launch
When to Use
- New feature (significant but not transformative)
- Integration with popular tool
- SDK for new language
- Regional expansion
- Beta to GA transition
Characteristics
Scope:
- Impacts segment of users (25-75%)
- Moderate revenue impact
- Some competitive differentiation
- Developer community interest
- Moderate technical complexity
Timeline: 6-8 weeks
Budget: $10K-$50K
Deliverables
Documentation
- Feature guide
- API reference updates
- Code samples (3-5)
- Integration tutorial
- Migration guide (if applicable)
- Video demo (1-2)
Code Assets
- SDK (if new language)
- Sample application (1-2)
- Code snippets
- Sandbox example
Marketing Assets
- Launch blog post
- Product page update
- Demo video
- Email template
- Social media posts
- Changelog entry (detailed)
Sales Enablement
- Feature overview (1-pager)
- Demo talking points
- FAQ (10+ questions)
- Competitive comparison
Launch Channels
Primary:
- Developer blog
- Email (targeted segment)
- Changelog (featured)
- Social media
- In-product notification
Secondary:
- Developer newsletter
- Community forums
- YouTube demo
- Partner channels (if applicable)
Optional:
- Dev.to article
- Reddit post (relevant subreddits)
- Product Hunt (if major feature)
Team & Resources
Core Team:
- Product Marketing Lead
- Product Manager
- Developer Relations
- Engineering (docs)
- Content Writer
Time Commitment:
- PMM: 75% for 4 weeks
- PM: 25%
- Eng: 10% (docs)
- DevRel: 40%
Success Metrics (Tier 2)
Week 1:
- 2K+ feature adoptions
- 1K+ email opens
- 50K+ blog views
Month 1:
- 5K+ active users
- 25%+ engagement rate
- NPS > 30
Budget (Example)
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Video Production | $3K-$8K |
| Design Assets | $2K-$5K |
| Email Platform | $500 |
| Paid Promotion (optional) | $5K-$15K |
| Total | $10.5K-$28.5K |
Tier 3: Minor Launch
When to Use
- Incremental improvements
- Bug fixes (significant ones)
- Performance enhancements
- Small feature additions
- UI/UX updates
- Deprecation notices
Characteristics
Scope:
- Impacts small segment (<25%)
- Minimal revenue impact
- No competitive angle
- Low external interest
- Simple technical change
Timeline: 2-4 weeks
Budget: $1K-$5K
Deliverables
Documentation
- Release notes
- Documentation updates
- Changelog entry
Marketing Assets
- Short blog post or announcement
- Email (optional)
- Social media post (single)
Launch Channels
Primary:
- Changelog
- Release notes
- Documentation
Secondary (optional):
- Short blog post
- Email mention
- Social media (single post)
- In-product notification
Team & Resources
Minimal Team:
- Product Manager or PMM
- Engineering (docs)
Time Commitment:
- PM/PMM: 25% for 1 week
- Eng: 5% (docs)
Success Metrics (Tier 3)
Week 1:
- Documentation viewed
- Feature adopted by target users
- No support spikes
Month 1:
- 10-20% of eligible users adopt
- Positive sentiment
Budget
Typically < $5K, mostly internal time.
Decision Framework
Scoring System
Use the assess_launch_tier.sh script or manually score:
Score Components:
-
Type of Launch (0-10 points)
- New product/GA: 10
- Major version: 8
- New feature: 5
- Improvement: 2
- Bug fix: 0
-
User Impact (0-10 points)
- All users (100%): 10
- Most users (50-99%): 7
- Segment (25-50%): 5
- Small segment (<25%): 2
- Beta only: 1
-
Revenue Impact (0-10 points)
- New revenue stream: 10
- Major driver: 7
- Moderate: 4
- Minor: 2
- None: 0
-
Competitive Differentiation (0-8 points)
- Industry first: 8
- Significant: 6
- Some: 4
- Parity: 1
- None: 0
-
Technical Complexity (0-7 points)
- New platform: 7
- Significant: 5
- Moderate: 3
- Simple: 1
- Minor: 0
-
Documentation Needs (0-6 points)
- Complete new set: 6
- Major updates: 5
- New guides: 3
- Updates: 1
- Release notes only: 0
-
External Interest (0-7 points)
- High (industry news): 7
- Moderate (tech press): 5
- Some (community): 3
- Low (niche): 1
- Minimal: 0
Total Score: 0-58
Tier Assignment:
- 40-58: Tier 1 (Major)
- 20-39: Tier 2 (Standard)
- 0-19: Tier 3 (Minor)
Common Scenarios
Scenario 1: API GA Launch
Type: New product Users: All (new audience) Revenue: New stream Competitive: Industry first capability Technical: New platform Docs: Complete set Interest: High
Score: 52 → Tier 1
Scenario 2: New Language SDK
Type: New integration Users: Segment (e.g., Python devs) Revenue: Moderate impact Competitive: Parity Technical: Moderate Docs: New guide Interest: Some
Score: 25 → Tier 2
Scenario 3: Performance Update
Type: Improvement Users: All Revenue: None direct Competitive: None Technical: Simple Docs: Updates Interest: Low
Score: 12 → Tier 3
Best Practices
Right-Sizing
Over-investing (Tier 3 as Tier 1):
- Wastes resources
- Confuses users ("This isn't major")
- Diminishes future Tier 1 launches
Under-investing (Tier 1 as Tier 3):
- Misses opportunity
- Poor adoption
- Competitive disadvantage
Flexibility
Adjust tier based on:
- Company stage (early vs. mature)
- Market position (leader vs. challenger)
- Resources available
- Strategic importance
Communication
Be explicit with stakeholders:
- "This is a Tier 2 launch, so we'll do X but not Y"
- Set clear expectations upfront
- Document tier decision and reasoning
Summary
Use launch tiers to:
- Match effort to impact
- Set stakeholder expectations
- Allocate resources efficiently
- Maintain consistency
- Maximize ROI
Remember: A well-executed Tier 2 launch beats a poorly-executed Tier 1.