--- name: sales-launchday description: "LaunchDay platform help — curated 24-hour product launch events for indie makers by Dagobert Renouf. Covers $99 submission process (pay only if selected), event model (1-2/month, max 20 products), deal requirements (>40% discount), 30-min podcast interview, influencer promotion (100K+ followers), Slack community access, and permanent archive. Use when unsure if LaunchDay is worth the $99, want more exposure for your indie product but free directories aren't enough, or wondering how LaunchDay compares to other paid options. Do NOT use for multi-directory launch strategy (use /sales-launch-directory). Do NOT use for Product Hunt launches (use /product-hunt-launch)." argument-hint: "[describe what you need help with on LaunchDay]" license: MIT version: 1.0.0 tags: [sales, product-launch, startup, directory, platform] --- # LaunchDay Platform Help Helps the user submit to, evaluate, and get the most from LaunchDay — a curated 24-hour product launch event platform that features indie makers with exclusive deals, podcast interviews, and influencer promotion. ## Step 1 — Gather context If `references/learnings.md` exists, read it first for accumulated knowledge. Ask the user: 1. **What do you need help with?** - A) Submitting a product to LaunchDay - B) Evaluating if LaunchDay is worth $99 - C) Preparing for the video interview / podcast - D) Comparing LaunchDay with other launch platforms - E) Something else — describe it 2. **What's your product?** - A) SaaS / software tool - B) Mobile app - C) API / developer tool - D) No-code / low-code tool - E) Something else 3. **Can you offer a >40% discount?** - A) Yes — easy, margins allow it - B) Maybe — depends on the tier/plan - C) No — high costs (e.g., AI inference) make deep discounts unsustainable - D) Not sure — need to think about it **If the user's request already provides most of this context, skip directly to the relevant step.** Lead with your best-effort answer using reasonable assumptions (stated explicitly), then ask only the most critical 1-2 clarifying questions at the end. ## Step 2 — Route or answer directly If the request maps to a different skill, route: - Multi-directory launch strategy → `/sales-launch-directory` - Product Hunt launch → `/sales-producthunt` - Email marketing to subscribers → `/sales-email-marketing` - Landing page optimization → `/sales-checkout` - Audience growth strategy → `/sales-audience-growth` - Other specific directory platforms → hand off to that platform's skill Otherwise, answer directly from the LaunchDay reference below. ## Step 3 — LaunchDay platform reference ### Platform overview | Detail | Value | |---|---| | URL | itslaunchday.com | | Founder | Dagobert Renouf (indie maker, 100K+ Twitter followers @dagorenouf) | | Model | Curated 24-hour launch events — 1-2 per month, max 20 products each | | Pricing | $99 submission fee — **only charged if selected** | | Sponsorship | Guarantees a spot (price not public) | | Backlink | Unknown DR, unknown dofollow/nofollow — verify after event | | Events held | 4 as of early 2026 (very early-stage platform) | | API | None | ### What you get when selected 1. **Homepage featuring** during the 24-hour launch event 2. **Permanent archive placement** — your product stays listed after the event ends 3. **LaunchDay Podcast interview** — 30-min recorded video covering your story and product demo (53+ episodes on Spotify/Apple Podcasts) 4. **Influencer promotion** — Dagobert (100K+ followers) promotes your product 5. **Slack community access** — connect with other LaunchDay makers 6. **Applaud/voting system** — community engagement during the event 7. **Deal unlocks** — users share on social media to access your exclusive discount ### Submission requirements | Requirement | Details | |---|---| | Company stage | Indie or early-stage only — fully bootstrapped or mostly bootstrapped with minor incubator/fund support. **VC-backed companies excluded** | | Discount | Must offer >40% discount (exception for high-cost products like AI with expensive inference) | | Video interview | Must participate in a 30-minute recorded video interview about your story and product | | Availability | Limited — only 1-2 events per month, max 20 products each | ### How LaunchDay compares to directories LaunchDay is fundamentally different from traditional startup directories — it's an **event**, not a listing. | Aspect | LaunchDay | Free directories (SoloPush, ProductBurst) | Paid directories (Open Launch $12) | |---|---|---|---| | Cost | $99 (if selected) | Free | $12-$149 | | Model | 24-hour event, 1-2/month | Always-on listing | Always-on listing | | Backlink | Unknown | Confirmed dofollow | Guaranteed dofollow | | Podcast | Yes — 30-min interview | No | No | | Influencer promo | Yes — 100K+ followers | No | No | | Discount required | >40% | No | No | | VC-backed allowed | No | Yes | Yes | | Permanent listing | Archive only | Full listing | Full listing | ### When LaunchDay makes sense **Good fit:** - You're bootstrapped and want exposure beyond just a backlink - You value the podcast interview and influencer promotion more than the listing itself - You can offer a meaningful discount (>40%) without hurting margins - You're willing to invest $99 + time for a 30-min video interview **Not ideal:** - Your primary goal is SEO backlinks — unknown DR/dofollow status makes this unreliable for backlinks - You're VC-backed — not eligible - You can't offer >40% discount — required for participation - You want a permanent, always-on directory listing — LaunchDay is a one-time event with archive placement ## Step 4 — Actionable guidance ### Preparing your LaunchDay submission 1. **Check eligibility**: Bootstrapped/indie? Can offer >40% discount? Willing to do video? 2. **Prepare your deal**: Create a specific discount code or landing page with >40% off 3. **Submit at itslaunchday.com/submit-product** — $99 fee is only charged if selected 4. **Prepare for the video interview**: - Have your product demo ready (working, not a prototype walkthrough) - Prepare your founder story — why you built it, what problem it solves - Keep it conversational — this becomes a podcast episode 5. **Add UTM tracking**: `?utm_source=launchday&utm_medium=directory&utm_campaign=launch` ### Maximizing your LaunchDay event - **Promote the event yourself** — share on your social channels that you're featured - **Engage during the 24-hour window** — respond to comments, thank people who applaud - **Track deal unlocks** — monitor how many people unlock your discount - **Follow up in Slack** — connect with other makers in the LaunchDay community ### Should you pay $99? **Compare with alternatives:** - **$99 on LaunchDay** = event featuring + podcast + influencer promo + Slack community + unknown backlink - **$99 on LaunchingNext** = 1-business-day expedited review + DR51 dofollow backlink - **$99 split across directories** = Open Launch Premium ($12) + CtrlAlt.cc ($39) + MicroLaunch Pro ($39) = 3 guaranteed dofollow backlinks + permanent listings **If your goal is backlinks**: Split the budget across directories instead. **If your goal is exposure + podcast + community**: LaunchDay offers unique value that directories don't. **If budget allows both**: Do LaunchDay AND directory submissions. ## Gotchas *Best-effort from research — review these, especially items about pricing and event model that may change.* - **Very early platform.** Only 4 events held as of early 2026. Track record is limited, and the platform's longevity is unproven. - **Backlink value unknown.** No data on DR or dofollow/nofollow status. Don't count on LaunchDay for SEO value — treat any backlink as a bonus. - **$99 is non-trivial for indie makers.** Compare with free directories (SoloPush, ProductBurst) and cheaper paid options (OpenHunts $9.90, Open Launch $12) before committing. - **>40% discount required.** This can be a significant margin hit depending on your product. AI products with high inference costs get an exception, but SaaS products generally don't. - **Video interview is mandatory.** If you're camera-shy or time-constrained, factor in the 30-minute commitment. The video becomes a public podcast episode. - **Limited availability.** 1-2 events per month, max 20 products. Rejection is possible even after paying (payment is only processed if selected). - **Event-based, not always-on.** Your featuring lasts 24 hours. After that, you're in the archive — not on the homepage. - **Self-improving**: If you discover something not covered here, append it to `references/learnings.md` with today's date. ## Related skills - `/sales-launch-directory` — Coordinates submissions across 10+ startup directories with sequencing, backlink stacking, and budget allocation - `/sales-openlaunch` — Open Launch platform help (open-source PH alternative, DR65 backlinks) - `/sales-productburst` — ProductBurst platform help (daily/weekly rankings, instant listing) - `/sales-solopush` — SoloPush platform help (no-pressure indie maker community) - `/sales-openhunts` — OpenHunts platform help (weekly launch cycle, DR50 backlinks) - `/sales-huzzler` — Huzzler platform help (founder community, weekly Launch Arena) - `/sales-producthunt` — Product Hunt platform help (largest launch platform, DR91 dofollow, 5M+ visits/mo) - `/sales-do` — Not sure which skill to use? The router matches any sales objective to the right skill. Install: `npx skills add sales-skills/sales --skill sales-do` ## Examples ### Example 1: Evaluate if LaunchDay is worth it **User says**: "Is LaunchDay worth $99? I'm on a tight budget." **Skill does**: 1. Breaks down what $99 gets: event featuring, podcast interview, influencer promo, Slack community 2. Compares with alternatives: $99 split across 3 directories gets 3 guaranteed dofollow backlinks 3. Notes the unknown backlink value of LaunchDay 4. Recommends: if backlinks are the priority, split the budget; if exposure/podcast is the priority, LaunchDay offers unique value **Result**: Clear cost-benefit analysis with actionable recommendation ### Example 2: Submit to LaunchDay **User says**: "I want to submit my SaaS tool to LaunchDay" **Skill does**: 1. Checks eligibility: bootstrapped? Can offer >40% discount? 2. Walks through the submission at itslaunchday.com/submit-product 3. Prepares for the video interview — demo readiness, founder story talking points 4. Recommends adding UTM tracking and promoting the event on social channels **Result**: Submission prepared with interview prep and tracking in place ### Example 3: Compare LaunchDay with free directories **User says**: "Should I do LaunchDay or just submit to free directories?" **Skill does**: 1. Explains the fundamental difference: LaunchDay is an event with podcast/promo, directories are permanent listings with backlinks 2. Notes that free directories (SoloPush, ProductBurst) deliver confirmed dofollow backlinks at $0 3. LaunchDay's unique value is the podcast interview and influencer promotion — not available elsewhere 4. Recommends doing both if budget allows, or prioritizing free directories if backlinks are the main goal **Result**: Clear framework for deciding based on user's primary goal ## Troubleshooting ### Not selected after submitting **Symptom**: Submitted and paid $99 but wasn't selected for an event **Cause**: LaunchDay curates strictly — only 20 products per event, and they prioritize diverse product categories **Solution**: Your $99 is only charged if selected, so no financial loss. Reach out to @dagorenouf on Twitter for feedback on why you weren't selected. Consider submitting again for a future event. Meanwhile, submit to free directories (SoloPush, ProductBurst) for immediate listings. ### Not sure what discount to offer **Symptom**: Required to offer >40% but unsure what's sustainable **Cause**: Deep discounts can hurt margins, especially for early-stage products **Solution**: Consider offering the discount on annual plans (higher LTV offsets the discount), limiting it to the first 50 users, or creating a special LaunchDay-only tier. If you have high infrastructure costs (AI inference, hosting), mention this in your submission — they make exceptions. ### Low engagement during the event **Symptom**: Featured on LaunchDay but few applauds or deal unlocks **Cause**: LaunchDay events depend on community size, which is still growing (4 events so far) **Solution**: Actively promote the event on your own channels — share the LaunchDay link on Twitter, your email list, and any communities you're part of. Engage in the LaunchDay Slack. The influencer promotion helps, but your own network amplifies it.