New product launches fail at rates of 70-90% across categories. The failure modes are predictable: weak positioning, mismatched price, insufficient channel support, weak communications, no measurement framework. This hub provides a complete launch checklist — pre-launch, launch, and post-launch phases — that addresses each failure mode systematically.
The structure
The launch checklist has three phases. Pre-launch (90+ days out): positioning, pricing, channel, packaging, communications planning. Launch (Day 0 to Day 30): coordinated multichannel activation, sales-team enablement, channel placement. Post-launch (Day 30+): measurement, optimization, contingency response. Each phase has a 10-15 item checklist.
Step-by-step walkthrough
- Pre-Launch: Positioning statement signed off
- Pre-Launch: Pricing strategy documented (with willingness-to-pay evidence)
- Pre-Launch: Channel intensity decision (intensive/selective/exclusive)
- Pre-Launch: Packaging design tested
- Pre-Launch: Communications plan with PESTLE-tagged messaging
- Launch: Coordinated paid-owned-earned activation
- Launch: Sales-team training and materials
- Launch: Channel placement and stocking confirmed
- Post-Launch: KPI dashboard live (Day 1)
- Post-Launch: Customer feedback mechanism active
- Post-Launch: Contingency plans for upside and downside scenarios
Pitfalls when using this hub
- Skipping pre-launch positioning work (forces tactical fixes later)
- Pricing without willingness-to-pay research
- Insufficient channel support
- Marketing without sales team enablement
- No KPI dashboard at launch
How to use this hub
Use this hub as a project plan for any product launch. The checklist is most powerful when used 90+ days before launch — most launches fail because the team starts the work too late. Pair with concept guides on positioning, pricing, and the marketing mix.