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
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
- Homepage featuring during the 24-hour launch event
- Permanent archive placement — your product stays listed after the event ends
- LaunchDay Podcast interview — 30-min recorded video covering your story and product demo (53+ episodes on Spotify/Apple Podcasts)
- Influencer promotion — Dagobert (100K+ followers) promotes your product
- Slack community access — connect with other LaunchDay makers
- Applaud/voting system — community engagement during the event
- 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
- 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:
- Breaks down what $99 gets: event featuring, podcast interview, influencer promo, Slack community
- Compares with alternatives: $99 split across 3 directories gets 3 guaranteed dofollow backlinks
- Notes the unknown backlink value of LaunchDay
- 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:
- Checks eligibility: bootstrapped? Can offer >40% discount?
- Walks through the submission at itslaunchday.com/submit-product
- Prepares for the video interview — demo readiness, founder story talking points
- 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:
- Explains the fundamental difference: LaunchDay is an event with podcast/promo, directories are permanent listings with backlinks
- Notes that free directories (SoloPush, ProductBurst) deliver confirmed dofollow backlinks at $0
- LaunchDay's unique value is the podcast interview and influencer promotion — not available elsewhere
- 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.