Every product marketer has a launch checklist. Most are 80-150 items long, covering everything from "create launch timeline" to "order swag for launch event." Teams start with good intentions, check off 40% of items, skip the rest when timelines compress, then wonder why the launch underperformed.
The problem isn't execution—it's that most checklists confuse "things we could do" with "things that actually drive launch success."
After analyzing 60+ B2B product launches, I've identified the 20 items that actually correlate with successful launches. Companies that complete these 20 items see 3x better adoption rates than companies with longer checklists who only finish half.
This isn't comprehensive—it's essential. Do these 20 things well, and your launch will likely succeed. Skip them, and no amount of swag or LinkedIn posts will save you.
Phase 1: Pre-Launch Foundation (4 weeks out)
1. Define launch tier and scope
Not all launches deserve equal effort. Define whether this is a Tier 1 (new product), Tier 2 (major feature), or Tier 3 (enhancement) launch. Tier 1 gets full GTM motion. Tier 3 gets release notes and a blog post.
Success criteria: Leadership agrees on tier and resource allocation.
Why it matters: Prevents scope creep and sets realistic expectations.
2. Identify the one core customer problem this solves
Not "what does the product do" but "what specific, painful problem does it solve for which customer segment?"
Success criteria: You can articulate the problem in one sentence that makes prospects nod.
Why it matters: If you can't clearly articulate the problem, nobody will care about your solution.
3. Define success metrics (not vanity metrics)
What does success look like 30, 60, 90 days post-launch? Don't say "awareness" or "engagement"—define specific, measurable outcomes.
Success criteria: Three metrics agreed by product, sales, and marketing: (e.g., "1,000 activated users, $500K pipeline, 75% sales team activation rate")
Why it matters: Without clear metrics, every launch is declared a success and nothing improves.
4. Complete competitive positioning
How does this product compare to what buyers currently use? Not "our features vs. their features"—but "why would someone switch to us?"
Success criteria: Battlecard complete with "when we win" and "when we lose" scenarios.
Why it matters: Sales needs to know when to pitch this vs. existing solutions.
5. Run messaging by 5 target customers
Don't wait until launch to test messaging. Show your value prop, positioning, and key messages to 5 prospects in your target segment.
Success criteria: At least 3 of 5 can accurately explain what the product does and why it matters.
Why it matters: If prospects don't understand your messaging pre-launch, they won't understand it post-launch either.
Phase 2: Enablement (2 weeks out)
6. Create 10-minute demo flow
Not a 45-minute feature walkthrough—a 10-minute story-based demo that shows value fast.
Success criteria: Demo starts with customer problem, shows solution, ends with clear next action.
Why it matters: Long demos lose attention. Short demos that show value drive conversions.
7. Build first-call deck for sales
Sales needs a deck for first conversations. Not the 50-slide product deck—a 15-slide deck focused on customer problems and value.
Success criteria: Top 3 sales reps can deliver it without your help.
Why it matters: If sales can't pitch it confidently, it won't get pitched.
8. Document 5 most common objections + responses
Every launch faces predictable objections. Document them before launch with proven response frameworks.
Success criteria: Sales can handle top 5 objections without escalating to PMM.
Why it matters: Objections kill deals. Prepared responses save them.
9. Run live enablement with top 20% of sales
Don't just send enablement materials. Run live sessions where top reps practice demoing and handling objections.
Success criteria: Top 20% of reps complete live practice session and can demo without notes.
Why it matters: Active practice builds confidence and retention. Passive learning doesn't.
10. Get pricing and packaging approved
Lock in pricing, tiers, and any bundle/discount strategies before launch. No last-minute changes.
Success criteria: Pricing page copy approved, sales knows how to quote it.
Why it matters: Pricing confusion kills conversions. Get it locked early.
Phase 3: Launch Week
11. Publish authoritative launch blog post
Not a press release—a blog post that explains the problem, solution, and why you built this.
Success criteria: 800+ words, SEO-optimized, includes customer quotes or use cases.
Why it matters: This becomes your canonical content for search and sharing.
12. Create customer-facing one-pager
A single-page PDF prospects can share internally. Problem, solution, key benefits, pricing.
Success criteria: Prospect can share it with their team without explanation.
Why it matters: Buying decisions involve multiple stakeholders. Make sharing easy.
13. Set up demo environment/sandbox
Prospects need to see the product work. Have a clean demo environment ready.
Success criteria: Demo environment loads in under 5 seconds, shows realistic data.
Why it matters: Demos that fail to load or show empty states kill momentum.
14. Update website (homepage + product page)
Don't bury the launch. Homepage mentions it, dedicated product page goes live.
Success criteria: New product appears in main navigation, homepage hero or top announcement bar.
Why it matters: Website is your 24/7 sales rep. If it's not prominent there, it's not a real launch.
15. Launch internal announcement + rally
Get your whole company excited. Announce in all-hands, share in Slack, encourage employees to post on LinkedIn.
Success criteria: 20+ employees share launch content on social within 48 hours.
Why it matters: Internal champions amplify reach 3x more than official channels.
Phase 4: Post-Launch (Week 2-4)
16. Track daily metrics for first 2 weeks
Don't wait for quarterly reviews. Track your success metrics daily and share updates with launch team.
Success criteria: Dashboard updates daily, team reviews weekly.
Why it matters: Early warning system catches problems while you can still fix them.
17. Interview 10 customers about the launch
Don't assume you know how the launch landed. Talk to customers who adopted (or didn't).
Success criteria: 10 interviews complete within 3 weeks of launch.
Why it matters: Real feedback beats assumptions. Learn what worked and what didn't.
18. Document what sales is actually saying
Shadow 5 sales calls where the product gets pitched. What messaging do they actually use? What questions come up?
Success criteria: Document actual pitches vs. planned pitches. Identify gaps.
Why it matters: Sales rarely uses your messaging exactly as written. Learn how they adapt it.
19. Run launch retro with cross-functional team
Get product, sales, marketing, CS together. What worked? What didn't? What would we do differently?
Success criteria: Documented list of "keep doing" and "change next time" decisions.
Why it matters: Learning compounds. Each launch should be better than the last.
20. Create reusable templates from this launch
Don't start from scratch next time. Turn your launch materials into templates.
Success criteria: Launch plan template, enablement deck template, blog post template saved for reuse.
Why it matters: Efficiency compounds. Capture what worked so next launch starts further ahead.
What's Not On This List (And Why)
Notice what's missing from this 20-item checklist:
- Swag or launch events (nice-to-have, not essential)
- Press releases (unless you're targeting press coverage specifically)
- Video content (great if you have capacity, not required)
- Paid ads (depends on GTM motion, not universal)
- Partnership announcements (only if partnerships drive your model)
These aren't bad ideas—they're just not what predicts launch success. Do them if you have capacity after the 20 essentials. Don't do them instead of the essentials.
The Uncomfortable Reality
Most launch checklists are designed to make PMMs feel productive, not to drive launch success. You're checking boxes to show leadership you're doing your job, not focusing on the activities that actually move metrics.
The 20-item checklist is uncomfortable because it forces tough decisions. You can't do everything, so you have to prioritize ruthlessly. You can't just "create awareness"—you have to define what success looks like and measure it.
But teams that focus on these 20 items consistently outperform teams with 100-item checklists who only complete half.
Comprehensive doesn't mean effective. Essential does.