product-launch-play v1.0.0A

Immutable. This exact content is served forever at /api/v1/blob/8b063616cb8a6b74.

---
name: product-launch-play
description: >-
  Outbound play triggered by competitor product launches or target account 
  product launches — timing-based urgency, competitive positioning. Triggers on:
  "product launch play", "competitor launch response", "launch-based outbound".
license: MIT
compatibility: Claude Code, Jesse, Codex, Hermes, Windsurf, OpenCode, Gemini CLI, Copilot, Zed, VS Code, Goose
metadata:
  version: "1.0.0"
  author: LeadMagic
  category: sales-plays
  tags: [sales-plays, product-launch, competitive, trigger-based, urgency]
  frameworks:
    - "Signal-Based Selling"
    - "Force Management Competitive Displacement"
    - "Winning by Design — SPICED"
---

# Product Launch Signal Play

## Overview
Product launches — both your competitor's and your target account's — create
buying windows. A competitor launch makes your prospect curious about alternatives.
A target account launch signals new initiatives and budget. This play has two
mirror-image variants: competitive displacement triggered by competitor launches,
and initiative alignment triggered by account launches.

## Authoritative Foundations

- **Signal-Based Selling** — Named methodology governing recommendations in this skill's process.
- **Force Management Competitive Displacement** — Command of the Message — persona-specific value narrative and differentiation per stakeholder.
- **Winning by Design — SPICED** — Bowtie lifecycle model — align sales, marketing, and CS on stage-based outcomes.

## When to Use
- "Competitor just launched something"
- "Run a launch response play"
- "Target account launched a product"
- "Respond to new competitor feature"

## Step-by-Step Process

### Variant A: Competitor Launch Response

#### Phase 1: Signal Detection
Monitor via:
- Competitor blog / changelog RSS feeds
- Product Hunt launches
- TechCrunch / VentureBeat coverage
- LinkedIn posts from competitor executives
- G2 / Capterra new feature announcements

#### Phase 2: Rapid Response (24-48h Window)
The first 48 hours after a competitor launch is when prospects are most open
to alternatives. The launch creates FOMO — your outreach provides perspective.

Subject: "Saw [Competitor]'s launch — interesting timing"
Body: Acknowledge the launch neutrally. "The [feature] they just launched
addresses [problem]. Most teams we work with find that [nuanced take]."
Add your differentiated perspective without trashing them.

#### Phase 3: Competitive Positioning Refresh
Update your battlecards within 72 hours with:
- What the launch actually means (vs marketing hype)
- Feature comparison: what they added, what you already had
- Architectural comparison: how they built it vs your approach
- Customer impact: what this means for current users of both products

#### Phase 4: Active Deal Outreach
For every deal where this competitor is involved, within 48 hours:
- Send your champion a brief: "Saw [Competitor]'s launch. Here's what it
  actually means for the [problem] you're solving. TLDR: [1-sentence take]."
- Update your MEDDICC assessment — does this change their competitive position?
- Offer a call to walk through the implications

### Variant B: Target Account Product Launch Response

#### Phase 1: Signal Detection
- Target account press releases, blog posts, product updates
- Target account Product Hunt launches
- LinkedIn posts from target account PMs/executives

#### Phase 2: Initiative Alignment Outreach
Subject: "Congrats on [New Product] — related question"
Body: Reference their launch, connect their initiative to a problem your
product solves for companies launching products. "When we work with
companies launching [type of product], they typically need [capability].
How are you handling that?"

#### Phase 3: Timing Alignment
Their product launch means: new budget for supporting tools, new team
members being hired, new workflows being defined. Your product fits into
the ecosystem they're building.

## Output Format
Launch play playbook with: signal monitoring setup, rapid response templates,
competitive refresh checklist, active deal outreach plan, and timeline.



## Quality Check

Before delivering, verify:
- [ ] All required sections are complete
- [ ] Output matches the user's stated need
- [ ] Named frameworks are cited for key recommendations
- [ ] No vague claims — every recommendation has a specific action
- [ ] Deliverable is ready for operational use, not just conceptual

## Common Pitfalls

1. **Skipping research.** Building output without understanding the specific context. Fix: always gather required inputs before producing deliverables.
2. **Generic output.** "Improve your process" without concrete steps. Fix: every recommendation must include a specific action, timeline, and owner.
3. **Missing framework citations.** Advice without named authorities. Fix: ground every recommendation in a cited framework from a recognized authority.

## Implementation Depth

Use this section when the user asks for a finished asset, not a high-level explanation.

### Diagnostic Questions

1. What is the primary motion: founder-led, sales-led, product-led, partner-led, or lifecycle-led?
2. Which ICP tier is the output for: small business, mid-market, enterprise, or mixed?
3. What proof is available today: customer stories, usage data, third-party validation, screenshots, or none?
4. What system will execute the work: CRM, sequencer, warehouse, support desk, product analytics, or manual workflow?
5. What decision will the user make from this output: launch, prioritize, route, rewrite, score, coach, or measure?

### Framework Application

Map the recommendation explicitly to the named frameworks in this skill:

- Signal-Based Selling: apply only the part that directly improves the requested deliverable.
- Force Management Competitive Displacement: apply only the part that directly improves the requested deliverable.
- Winning by Design — SPICED: apply only the part that directly improves the requested deliverable.

### Deliverable Standard

A strong output from this skill includes:

- A crisp diagnosis of the current situation
- A recommended path with tradeoffs, not a generic list
- A concrete artifact the user can use immediately: table, script, checklist, scorecard, sequence, dashboard spec, or implementation plan
- A measurement plan with leading and lagging indicators
- Risks and edge cases called out before execution

### Adaptation Rules

- For small business: reduce complexity, shorten time-to-value, and prioritize owner/operator clarity.
- For mid-market: include workflow ownership, handoffs, integrations, and enablement assets.
- For enterprise: include governance, risk, procurement, stakeholder mapping, and proof requirements.


## Execution Artifacts

- `references/framework-notes.md` — Named frameworks and reference tables
- `templates/output-template.md` — Deliverable shell for agent output
- `scripts/check-output.py` — Lightweight deliverable validator

## Related Skills
- competitive-intel, battlecard-builder, cold-email-strategy, objection-handling, pipeline-management