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:
-
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 -
What's your product?
- A) SaaS / software tool
- B) Mobile app
- C) API / developer tool
- D) No-code / low-code tool
- E) Something else -
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
Read references/platform-guide.md for the full reference — the platform overview (pricing, founder, event model, backlink status), what you get when selected, submission requirements (indie-only, >40% discount, video interview), the LaunchDay-vs-directories comparison table, and the good-fit / not-ideal decision guide.
Answer using only the relevant section — don't dump the full reference.
Step 4 — Actionable guidance
Preparing your LaunchDay submission
- Check eligibility: Bootstrapped/indie? Can offer >40% discount? Willing to do video?
- Prepare your deal: Create a specific discount code or landing page with >40% off
- Submit at itslaunchday.com/submit-product — $99 fee is only charged if selected
- 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 - 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.mdwith 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.
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