Phase 1: Pre-Launch (7 days before)

• Create your Product Hunt maker profile
• Connect with 5+ PH makers in your niche
• Find a hunter with 1000+ followers to post for you (or self-post)
• Prepare your product gallery (5 screenshots + 1 GIF)
• Write a compelling 1-sentence tagline
• Record a 60-second demo video
• Prepare your launch copy (description, hunter comment)

Phase 2: Assets

• Main product screenshot (1280x800)
• Logo (240x240, transparent bg)
• Thumbnail image for PH card
• GIF demo of the core feature
• 4 additional feature screenshots

Phase 3: Community Prep

• Post "launching soon" on X/Twitter
• Email your existing users about the launch
• DM 20 supporters asking for upvotes on launch day
• Join PH Discord or Slack communities
• Schedule posts for launch day

Phase 4: Launch Day

• Go live at 12:01 AM PST (Product Hunt reset time)
• Post on X/Twitter immediately
• Post in relevant Slack/Discord communities
• Email your list with the PH link
• Respond to every comment within 1 hour
• Post in IndieHackers about your launch
• Update your LinkedIn status

Phase 5: Post-Launch

• Write a launch retrospective post
• Email everyone who commented on PH to thank them
• Capture leads from traffic spike
• Post your final ranking on X
• Follow up with your most engaged commenters