How to use this checklist
Launches rarely fail at the launch. They fail eight weeks earlier, when nobody checks the name against existing trademarks, or six weeks earlier, when the sales team is told the price on the same day as the press. This list puts the tasks in the order they start to hurt if they slip.
- Start with the brief. The first task is a one-page launch brief signed by the person who owns the result. Our product launch brief template gives you the questions.
- Give every task one name. A task owned by “marketing” is owned by nobody. Print the list and write a name next to each line.
- Move the timeline, not the order. Eight weeks is a common minimum for a consumer product; regulated products, exports and B2B launches with long sales cycles need longer. Stretch the stages, keep the sequence.
- Watch the festive calendar. In India, a launch two weeks before Diwali competes with every brand in the country for attention and shelf space. Check the festive calendar before you fix the date.
Your ticks are saved in this browser only. Clear them with “Clear my ticks”, or print the list for the launch room.