--- name: sales-microlaunch description: "MicroLaunch platform help — product launch and discovery platform for startups and indie makers. Covers month-long launch cycles (leaderboard ranking over 30 days vs Product Hunt's 1-day window), community scoring (separate idea and product scores), Pro Launch (skip queue, 2x boosts, featured spots, Product of the Day), deals marketplace (lifetime deals, discounts), DR59+ do-follow SEO backlinks, auto distribution (4+ SEO-optimized pages), verified product reviews, and landing page audits. Use when you want more visibility for your product on MicroLaunch, your listing isn't getting votes, need traffic from a launch directory, or unsure whether Pro Launch is worth it. Do NOT use for general launch strategy across multiple directories (use /sales-launch-directory), email marketing (use /sales-email-marketing), or audience growth (use /sales-audience-growth)." argument-hint: "[describe what you need help with on MicroLaunch]" license: MIT version: 1.0.0 tags: [sales, product-launch, startup, discovery, platform] --- # MicroLaunch Platform Help Helps the user with MicroLaunch platform questions — from preparing a product launch and optimizing listings through leaderboard strategy, deals marketplace, and maximizing SEO backlinks. ## 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) Launching a product — preparing listing, timing, strategy - B) Climbing the leaderboard — getting votes, engagement, visibility - C) Deals marketplace — publishing lifetime deals or discounts - D) SEO backlinks — maximizing backlink value from MicroLaunch - E) Product reviews — getting verified reviews and badges - F) Pro Launch vs free — deciding whether to upgrade - G) Landing page audit — getting a product review session - H) Something else — describe it 2. **What stage is your product?** - A) Pre-launch — haven't submitted yet - B) In queue — submitted, waiting to go live - C) Live on leaderboard — currently in a launch cycle - D) Post-launch — cycle ended, evaluating results - E) Considering MicroLaunch — haven't decided yet 3. **What's your goal?** - A) First customers / revenue - B) Feedback and validation - C) SEO backlinks and visibility - D) Deals marketplace sales - E) All of the above **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 specialized skill, route: - Launch strategy across multiple directories → `/sales-launch-directory` - Product launch strategy and funnels → `/sales-funnel` - Email list building / audience growth → `/sales-audience-growth` - Email marketing to subscribers → `/sales-email-marketing` - Selling digital products → `/sales-digital-products` - Landing page / checkout optimization → `/sales-checkout` Otherwise, answer directly from platform knowledge below. ## Step 3 — MicroLaunch platform reference **Read `references/platform-guide.md`** for detailed module documentation, pricing, integrations, and data model. *You no longer need the platform guide details — focus on the user's specific situation.* ## Step 4 — Actionable guidance Based on the user's specific question: 1. **Pre-launch checklist** — what to prepare before submitting 2. **Engagement strategy** — how to climb the leaderboard over 30 days 3. **Deal pricing** — how to structure lifetime deals for maximum revenue 4. **Post-launch playbook** — what to do after the cycle ends ### Pre-launch checklist | Step | What to do | Why it matters | |---|---|---| | 1. Polish your landing page | Clear value prop, social proof, CTA | MicroLaunch sends traffic — convert it | | 2. Prepare screenshots | Product in action, problem/solution framing | First impression determines engagement | | 3. Write your tagline | Problem-focused, under 60 chars | Drives clicks from the leaderboard | | 4. Set up analytics | UTM parameters, conversion tracking | Measure MicroLaunch ROI | | 5. Prepare a deal (optional) | Lifetime deal or discount for marketplace | Drives immediate revenue | | 6. Decide free vs Pro | $39/mo for skip queue + 2x boost + backlinks | Pro pays for itself if you value DR59 backlinks | ### 30-day engagement strategy Unlike Product Hunt, MicroLaunch rewards sustained engagement over a month: - **Week 1** — Initial push: share with your network, respond to every comment - **Week 2** — Content: post updates, share behind-the-scenes in the community - **Week 3** — Feedback: ask for specific feedback, iterate publicly on suggestions - **Week 4** — Close strong: share progress metrics, thank voters, final push ## Gotchas *Best-effort from research — review these, especially items about plan-gated features and integration gotchas that may be outdated.* - **Free queue can be long.** Without Pro Launch, your product joins a waitlist with no guaranteed launch date. If timing matters, pay the $39. - **MicroLaunch is small.** ~2,600 daily visitors and ~103 active products. Don't expect Product Hunt-level traffic. Set realistic expectations — this is about steady traction, not viral spikes. - **Pro Launch has 40 spots/month.** This is a real cap. If you're planning a launch around a specific date, secure your Pro spot early. - **Deals marketplace requires Pro.** You can't publish lifetime deals or discounts on the free tier. - **Engagement is key, not just submitting.** Products that "submit and forget" sink on the leaderboard. The month-long window rewards founders who actively engage with the community. - **Pricing has changed before.** The current $39/mo Pro price (with LAUNCH20 code) may revert to $49. Check microlaunch.net/premium for current rates. - **Don't treat it as your only launch channel.** MicroLaunch works best as part of a multi-platform launch strategy (Product Hunt, BetaList, Indie Hackers, Hacker News). Use it for the sustained 30-day window and backlinks, not as a standalone channel. - **Self-improving**: If you discover something not covered here, append it to `references/learnings.md` with today's date. ## Related skills - `/sales-launch-directory` — Launch strategy across multiple startup directories - `/sales-ctrlaltcc` — CtrlAlt.cc platform help (curated tool directory) - `/sales-productburst` — ProductBurst platform help (daily/weekly rankings, badges) - `/sales-launchingnext` — LaunchingNext platform help (curated startup directory) - `/sales-openlaunch` — Open Launch platform help (open-source PH alternative, DR65 backlinks) - `/sales-solopush` — SoloPush platform help (indie maker community) - `/sales-sideprojectors` — SideProjectors platform help (buy/sell side projects) - `/sales-huzzler` — Huzzler platform help (founder community, weekly Launch Arena competition) - `/sales-firsto` — Firsto platform help (fair launch platform, sustained SEO discovery) - `/sales-funnel` — Build and optimize sales funnels for conversion - `/sales-audience-growth` — Grow your email list and subscriber base - `/sales-digital-products` — Sell digital products (ebooks, templates, SaaS) - `/sales-checkout` — Optimize landing pages and checkout for conversion - `/sales-email-marketing` — Email marketing to nurture leads from your launch - `/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: Prepare a SaaS launch on MicroLaunch **User says**: "I built an AI writing tool and want to launch it on MicroLaunch to get my first customers" **Skill does**: 1. Walks through the pre-launch checklist: polish landing page, prepare screenshots, write a problem-focused tagline 2. Recommends Pro Launch ($39) for skip-queue, 2x boost, and DR59 backlinks 3. Suggests preparing a lifetime deal for the marketplace (e.g., $49 LTD for early adopters) 4. Outlines the 30-day engagement strategy: initial push, content updates, feedback iteration, close strong 5. Recommends setting up UTM tracking to measure MicroLaunch traffic and conversions **Result**: Launch plan with clear timeline, deal strategy, and engagement playbook ### Example 2: Publish a lifetime deal on the marketplace **User says**: "I want to sell a lifetime deal for my project management tool on MicroLaunch" **Skill does**: 1. Confirms Pro Launch is required for marketplace access 2. Helps structure the LTD: one-time price, what's included, any limitations (seats, usage caps) 3. Recommends pricing strategy: anchor to monthly price (e.g., "$149 LTD = 3 months of the Pro plan, forever") 4. Suggests creating urgency: limited quantity or limited-time window 5. Explains how to track deal revenue through MicroLaunch **Result**: Lifetime deal published on marketplace with clear pricing and urgency ### Example 3: Decide between free and Pro Launch **User says**: "Is it worth paying for Pro Launch or should I just do the free submission?" **Skill does**: 1. Compares free vs Pro: queue wait vs immediate launch, 1x vs 2x visibility, no backlinks vs DR59+ do-follow 2. Calculates ROI: a single DR59 do-follow backlink is worth $100-300+ in SEO value — Pro pays for itself 3. Notes the 40 spots/month cap and potential queue delays on free 4. Recommends Pro if they have a landing page ready and want to launch within a specific window 5. Recommends free only if budget is zero and timing is flexible **Result**: Data-driven decision on plan choice with clear ROI framework ## Troubleshooting ### Product stuck in free queue **Symptom**: Submitted weeks ago but product hasn't gone live on the leaderboard **Cause**: Free submissions join a waitlist. MicroLaunch prioritizes Pro launches (40/month) and queues free submissions behind them. High submission volume can extend wait times significantly. **Solution**: If timing matters, upgrade to Pro Launch ($39/mo) to skip the queue immediately. If budget is tight, be patient — your product will eventually go live. You can use the wait time to polish your listing, prepare screenshots, and build an audience to engage when you do go live. ### Low engagement despite being on the leaderboard **Symptom**: Product is live but barely getting votes or comments **Cause**: MicroLaunch rewards active participation. "Submit and forget" listings get buried as engaged products climb. Your tagline or screenshots may not be compelling enough, or you're not engaging with the community. **Solution**: Improve your tagline (problem-focused, not feature-focused). Update screenshots to show the product in action. Engage with other products — comment, vote, provide feedback. Share your MicroLaunch listing with your existing audience (Twitter, email list, communities). Post progress updates during the month. ### Launch didn't generate expected traffic or sales **Symptom**: Month ended with few clicks and no conversions **Cause**: MicroLaunch has ~2,600 daily visitors across all products. Even a top-ranking product will see hundreds, not thousands, of visitors. Conversion depends on your landing page quality. **Solution**: Check your analytics — if MicroLaunch sent traffic but it didn't convert, the issue is your landing page (use `/sales-checkout` for optimization). If traffic was low, your leaderboard position may have been too low — review engagement strategy for next time. Consider the $129 Product Review session for a landing page audit. Remember: MicroLaunch works best as one channel in a multi-platform launch, not your sole traffic source.